STARPOLISH: With the current state of the music industry, what in the world were you thinking when you decided to start your own label?
 
GREEN: I started Greenhouse Records for a lot of reasons. Music has the power to change things, whether it’s government policies, social climates, or people's lives. I've been a music lover since I can remember, and all different types of music have had major impacts on my life. Folks spend the majority of their adult lives working, and I want to spend the majority of my adult life loving my work.

There's no denying that it's tough to make a living with a music label these days. All the majors are making huge cuts left and right, and a lot of hard-working people are being laid off. I think a lot of that's due to illegal file sharing and music piracy, but I don't think that DRM is the answer to this. People will always find a way to get around that kind of control. Established artists, like Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails, have been experimenting with "pay what you think the music's worth" policies, or even free album downloads. But these are big-name, previously established artists, with huge fan bases and cash-cow merchandising ventures. The reality is, it's tough for a new artist/band to break into the scene and survive while giving their music away for free.

As a musician, producer, and label owner, I've thought a lot about what's coming in the music industry, and have adjusted my business model to hopefully thrive with new ways of bringing in revenue, aside from just album sales and live performances. A lot of it has to do with not being afraid to license music for commercial ventures, and having the contacts to make it happen. Major artists from Led Zeppelin (Cadillac) to Wilco (Volkswagen), to the long list of bands featured in iPod commercials, have already jumped on this wagon, and are reaping the benefits. It’s unfortunate that music piracy has directly lead to this reality, but it’s one we need to face, and embrace.
 
 STARPOLISH: You just recorded your first album having never studied or learned the ways of a studio. How did you go about cutting and producing it? Which programs did you use, and how much did it cost to buy everything you needed to get started? 
 
GREEN: As a solo artist, this is the first album I've put out. A few years back I recorded the Step Inside EP, with the band Cellardoor from College Park, MD. Then I mixed and mastered Andrew May and Josh Green Live in New York. I've also done some mixing and production work for friends' projects, and have a lot of experience in the studio from session work I've done over the past few years as a guitarist.
 
This album was different from the start. I wanted to do something where I had total control to make all the sounds come alive exactly as I heard them in my head. Sometimes it's really hard to mold every intricacy of each sound exactly how you'd like it, especially when there are too many hands touching a project, too many opinions in the room, and, well, you get the idea. This was something I'd always wanted to do, but never really had the means to get it done.
 
I started out by putting together a mini-studio in my apartment. When all was said and done, it ran me about eight thousand dollars. Choosing the production/recording software was a big decision, if not the biggest. I'd worked with Cool Edit Pro, Adobe Audition, Cubase, and Pro Tools in the past, but more recently had begun to mess around with Logic in a few studios around the city. I ended up going with Logic Pro 8 for a few reasons. The workspace is a combination of all of the programs I've used in the past, but with more intuitive upgrades, and from a small studio standpoint, the sound quality was unmatched. Also, the stability of the Mac operating system (I'm currently running Leopard) is ridiculously good. In terms of a preamp/mixer I decided to go with the Apogee Duet, which is a powerhouse piece of equipment, especially if you're only going to record one or two tracks at a time, which was the case here. Sonically, you can't really get more bang for your buck.

As far as all the other equipment goes, I used a variety of guitars, but mainly my Ibanez hollow body, my pedal board, an Axiom 49 Midi keyboard controller, and my go-to bass. All the beats were done with the Ultrabeat sequencer in Logic, which is really versatile in terms of crafting specific sounds. Ok, enough about Logic, I feel like I'm the Apple guy.

STARPOLISH: How did you learn about these programs, and what made you think you had what it took to go about recording your own album?
 
GREEN: I read a lot. I've always been pretty computer and tech savvy, and try to keep up with what's going on in the industry. I did a lot of trial and error learning with Logic. There’s no substitute for spending hours on end figuring out all of the little nuances that make the program what it is. It also really aids the learning process to spend some time reading manuals, professional journals, and blogs, as well as talking to other producers, engineers, and friends who were already using a given program. I just try to soak up everything I can.

It definitely helped that I had experience with all of those other programs in the past, because really they're all the same in nature, it's just how you go about doing things within each program, and their versatility, that's different. I wouldn't have jumped into this project if I felt like it was something I couldn't accomplish. I've always loved making all sorts of strange sounds and beats, and throwing them together. This time, I just took it a lot more seriously, and was more focused on creating a full-length body of work, something I could really stand behind and own.
 
STARPOLISH: How is Greenhouse Records different from other small labels out there? 
 
GREEN: We're different because of who we are, as people. Yes, we want to be able to make a living, and like most record labels, we’re huge music fans, but what we’re really focused on is changing the way business is done. People should be able to work in relaxed, low-stress environments, where they enjoy their work. I’ve spent more than my share of time working among large corporations. They seem to make people a little crazy. There’s too much stress and conflict around, when really, there’s no reason to have either one. Music, after all, is about emotional and artistic release through the creative process, not money.

What I'm looking to foster with this label is a creative partnership between the artists and the label that's mutually beneficial, one where the artist feels that the label is really behind them, because the label is really behind them. There will be a large focus on licensing for movies, television shows, and commercials. And I know a lot of people may think that focusing on licensing is the same thing as "selling out." But to be honest, if musicians can't support themselves making music, new generations of musicians might not even want to keep pushing the envelope. I blame music piracy for this one.

STARPOLISH: What are your musical influences? 
 
GREEN: I'm into pretty much everything; jazz, hip-hop, classic rock, jam bands, even house music. For this project though, I definitely drew more on my influences in groove-oriented jazz, like Medeski Martin & Wood, John Scofield, Soulive, and St. Germain, but with more of a Middle-Eastern twist. There's just something about the timbre of Middle-Eastern instruments and vocals that I love. They're so unique. Lately I've been pretty heavy into the beat-focused grooves too, artists like Thievery Corporation, Karsh Kale, RJD2, and Gnarls Barkley. I'm a big fan of most music Dangermouse has touched too. From a production standpoint, I'm not sure anyone's more on top of things right now.
 
STARPOLISH: Besides for your last name being Green, why name your label Greenhouse Records? 
 
GREEN: The name of the label has to do with what happens in a greenhouse. By nature, a greenhouse is known for trapping heat and energy to make everything grow healthier, faster, and stronger. That's really the way I think of the label, a greenhouse for music and creativity. It's about creating an environment for artists to grow and achieve their full potential, and then some. People always ask if it’s called Greenhouse Records because of our concern for the environment. That’s not really the case, but we definitely try to be “green” whenever possible, reducing our carbon footprint as much as we can. We use email as our primary form of correspondence, and don’t print out unnecessary documents. We encourage people to download the album as well.
 
STARPOLISH: What type of skill set where you able to take from your day job as an advertising executive and apply to your night gig as a musician/producer/label owner? 
 
GREEN: Other than maintaining a balance sheet, and a few other technical business skills, it's really all about learning how to work with people. Everyone's different, and it's really important to understand that. You can never approach two situations the same way, and a solution to one problem won't necessarily carry over to a similar problem. In the advertising and music industries, a good executive needs to be able to think on their feet, and approach any situation, problem, or conflict with a clear head, regardless of what else is going on. When you're leading a creative team in advertising, your demeanor and attitude towards a particular situation is read, absorbed, and expressed by your team, whether they realize it or not. If you come into a meeting stressed out and panicked, the team's going to feel  too.

In the music industry, it's no different. People get stressed out about deadlines, and can get frustrated with other people they may be collaborating with. When it comes down to it, business is business. It's not open-heart surgery. These really aren't life and death situations. It's important to take a step back and realize that music should be fun, and really mean something. It's nothing to get stressed out about, because getting stressed out doesn't do anyone any good. I'm in this to make sure that the music I feel should be heard, gets heard.
 
STARPOLISH: So now you got an album, your own label, shows are getting booked, etc. What’s next for your band and Greenhouse Records? Are you looking for other acts yet? How could someone go about submitting music to you? 
 
GREEN: We're looking to take the label to the next level, more exposure, new artists, and new music, but it has to be the right fit. The best way to submit music would be either an electronic press kit, or a link to a band website, mp3s, etc. All inquiries can be sent to josh@greenhouserecords.net.