Alex Twin (Wave Records) interview on what it takes to run a cult label for 18 years
Alex Twin (Wave Records)
(Interview by Seba Dolimont) Brazilian scene protagonist Alex Twin (Wave Records) started working as a DJ back in 1987 when he also started his first musical project (INDIVIDUAL INDUSTRY). In 1991 he opened his first record store MUZIK, and was partner at CRI DU CHAT DISQUES ( until 1997). As DJ, Alex played as resident at Gotham Pub in São Paulo and many others clubs in Brazil and of course did many guest DJ sets across the world at nice parties like Zillo Party, Slimelight (London), WGT (Leipzig), Darkflower, Korsakof (Amsterdam), sets in Barcelona, Berlin, Antwerp, etc.
He is nowadays involved in various bands like 3 COLD MEN, WINTRY, MAUVE and PECADORES, he launched the highly respected independent Wave Records label in 2006 and is the organisor behind the cult Wave Festival Brasil since 2015 in São Paulo at the oldest (40+) gothic/wave club MADAME CLUB… A bunch of Wave Records artists are featured on the “Resurgence” compilation box so we talked about the Brazilian dark scene with Alex…
This interview is part of an ongoing interview series that we do in collaboration with Spleen+ / Alfa Matrix for the massive 7CD post-punk / coldwave / minimal electro boxset “Resurgence”. You can order this fine set as a 7CD set or as a download via Bandcamp. This release will NOT be available on Spotify or any other service, except for Bandcamp.
S+. 2024 was quite a prolific year for Wave Records!
A. In 2024 Wave Records was cebebrating its 18 years of existence, we had release of 2 new artists on vinyl and cd, NIGHT IN ATHENS and new Mexican band SLOW DANSE WITH THE DEAD. For our Wave Festival, we already did the carnival edition last year February with TRAITRS and POTOCHKINE, and in 2024 we had TWIN TRIBES & DENUIT, end of June PLOHO and then our Wave b-day festival 2024 with FOREVER GREY, DANCING PLAGUE and HANGING FREUD. And I also have been working a lot for our 10th anniversary festival 1-2 march 2025.
S+. What do terms like “post punk”, “cold wave”, “new wave”… mean for you in your own musical career?
A. All the 80’s wer very important for me, I was 18 in 1986, so a lot of good music from new romantic to post-punk and wave. All these influenced my music career and of course also for my work for my record store and the Wave label. 80´s music was a basic influence for everyone who was going out in clubs at that time. Many of our “new artists” in the 80´s became classic and are sometimes almost mainstream today. At the moment lots of new artists have these same influences in their work, but with a new touch, and it´s really good I find to get post-punk/coldwave/newwave but with a new vision, there is still the 80´s touch but revisited.
S+. According to you, which elements made these good old days so special?
A. I think the 80´s era in general, like politics, freedom, feminism, etc. All these things brought out new ways of dressing (fashion), new attitudes, new sounds (the electronic synths going out with new sounds), the world was preparing for the future, and all things were totally new for humanity. So all that together turned the 80´s as our basic influences, our new way of life.
S+. And what are for you the main similarities and differences between today’s alternative music scene anno 2025 and what it used to be back then in the late 70’s/early 80’s?
A. Well, 70´s and 80´s was the vinyl and tapes era. Today it´s back for the music, very funny, but of course these formats were a special thing for the collectors. CD’s came at the end of 80´s only and everyone changed from vinyl to that small plastic circle called CD. Today, the digital music is dominating around the world, but I still believe that cd’s or vinyls will remain, because music is art, like a Picasso painting, it´s much better when you hold the piece of art in your hands, with a superb cover artwork, info like credits and lyrics inside, I maybe sound nostalgic but still believe in this. And it’s the same for independent bands, they need to work a lot to find their place, I mean to get live gigs, etc. We got lots of new ways to promote music like social media, facebook, Instagram, youtube, etc but the work is still the same, and definitely not easy at all. The good side: nowadays we can know more about many artists we loved, histories, recordings and gigs, all this information is easy to find and we can all know what is happening.
S+. If you could describe this musical movement with only a few words only, what would you say?
A. Music is My Life.
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