Photo by: Michael Furman

If one was looking for a grassroots campaign to get involved in on campus, look no further than the Lamont School of Music. Started in 2009, Red Wing Records is a student-led record label focused on supporting University of Denver student bands.

The label is already supporting two student bands, Pedals of Spain and Bemused.

Lynn Baker, the director of Jazz Studies, developed the idea for the label three years ago. At the end of the 2007-08 school year, it was time to audition bands.

Although the label did get some bands together, the bands did not stay together long as it was difficult to become established in the industry.

This year however, the label and its participants are focusing on student promotion through flyers and ad campaigns and hope to gather support through public media channels such as Westword and radio stations such as KBCO and KVDU.

For a student-led record label, the bands have become quite successful and have access to facilities many local bands don’t. The bands get free studio time in the recording studio located in the Newman Center as well as Lamont-provided PA sets to use during performances.

Bemused, which is an ambient, funky, acoustic rock band has an EP (extended play) called Departed Ones, according to guitarist/vocalist Christian Seith.

Pedals of Spain, which also has an EP, is a mix of pop and rock. What makes the label so unique is that it is all-inclusive and un-funded by the University.

“We definitely get out what we put into it,” says Seith.

Students working on the label have reached out to the Daniels College of Business and the Strum School of Law looking for those who are interested in marketing. They have also contacted engineering students looking to help with mixing tracks on albums.

“It is indeed all-encompassing and any students that want to be a part of it are welcome,” said Seith.

Besides promotion, Red Wing Records also focuses on developing A+R, (artists and repertoire) where representatives for the label go to radio stations with new music and meet with music directors to get songs on the air.

The label has to deal with the legal aspects that come with running a label. Instead of creating a “label vs. the band” attitude, Red Wing Records focuses on a mutual exchange between the band and the label.

The mutual agreement shapes the band to fit what the public and the label want, but the band is presented how the band members want to be represented.

For more information on the bands, visit myspace.com/pedalsofspain and myspace.com/bemusdeddenver.

To get involved with the label, meetings are Fridays at 3 p.m. in the Newman Center, room 140.