on 2009-07-30 blacktoprecords Said:

Ben Andress, a.k.a. Smile Case, wants everyone to Lose Our Heads.

The Welland resident and founder of label Blacktop Records is releasing his newest album, Lose Our Heads, July 28. Its the 15th album Andress has released through Blacktop since starting the label in 2005.

Working a day job at a call centre to help pay the bills, Andress said he is living the dream by running the label, working with local bands including Hunters and Anglers, which recently performed at the St. Catharines S.C.E.N.E. music festival.

I get to meet a lot of cool people, hear a lot of cool music, Andress said. Ive been a fan of music ever since I was a kid, watching my dad learn Tom Petty songs on his guitar.

His work behind the scenes began back home in the London-Tillsonburg area, where Andress was already getting his feet wet organizing and promoting concerts, as well as pressing rewriteable CDs with music on them for bands and wrapping them in brown paper bags.

Working with San Francisco-based Jonah Matranga to try to get the rocker to perform in Ontario, Andress learned the musician didnt have a distribution deal in Canada. He linked him up with Fab, a distribution company in Quebec.

Andress moved to Welland to take Niagara Colleges Broadcasting  Radio, Television and Film program, from which he graduated. He has since started linking up with bands from the area and is very excited about the underground music scene here.

For example, working with Hunters and Anglers, formerly Consumer Alert, was great, said Andress.

Theyre really awesome, he said. They just finished doing S.C.E.N.E. and theyre doing a little tour with Attack in Black.

He also just finished working with Hardcore Warrior, an eccentric heavy rocker who released an eight-song CD Thunder Under Pressure through Blacktop.

Hes pretty intense, Andress said.

Blacktop artists CDs are available at major music outlets, including HMV and CD Plus, as well as at smaller music stores. Blacktop also has a digital distribution deal for its Internet customers through Redeye Distribution, available at http://www.redeyeusa.com.

Redeye links all of Blacktops artists to popular music sites like ITunes or Amazon.com.

At the same time, Andress is working on a project that takes a step backward in time. Working with Matranga, Blacktop is releasing a seven-inch vinyl single by the musician in the near future.

He said the medium, regarded as the best way to listen to rock by many music enthusiasts, is kind of coming back.

A lot of people like to collect it, Andress said. Its a warm sound.

The Lose Our Heads CD release party is July 28 at Sessions at 73, at 73 St. Paul St. in St. Catharines.

The cost is $5 or $10 for admission and the new CD. The night includes free cake.

Blacktop Records website is http://www.blacktoprecords.org. On MySpace Smile Case is at http://www.myspace.com/smilecase.

http://niagarathisweek.com/arts_and_entertainment/article/268524
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