Strength in numbers is an age-old defense mechanism, and one easily applicable to today’s web and virally driven music industry. While most do it simply in theory, folks like Franklin Jones, co-founder of the Post-Echo music collective, are doing it in practice.
“A million independent artists all scattered out in the ether didn’t make much sense to us. A basic collective or label didn’t make much more sense either,†says Jones of Post-Echo, which he founded with friend Justin Schmidt 18 months ago. “We felt that in order to succeed—or at least, get to the next level—it made more sense for people to become fans of a concept and allow a group of exclusive artists to define that conceptual brand in their own way. Through this method, fans of the brand become fans of the artists involved.â€
Post-Echo isn’t re-inventing the wheel. That is, music collectives aren’t anything new. But in the ever-changing music environment, Jones understands the players must adapt along with the game.
“Since art will never be without inspiration, Post-Echo is mainly about streamlining new forms of inspiration from the artists involved to our viewers and listeners,†says Jones. “That said, we have definitely carved out a particular niche in terms of genre and sound—mainly indie rock/electronica, sounds that hopefully leave little in the way of overt traditionalism.â€
Modern Man, a four-piece shoegaze, space-rock quartet from Greenville, SC, fits the bill. The band has worked with the collective to spread the word about its soon-to-be released EP, Eyes No.
“Recording is so easy nowadays, and there is so much music out there, so the [Post-Echo] mission is to gather what they’re into and get it to the ears of the rest of the world,†says Modern Man’s Allen Glenn, accepting some of the aforementioned labels his band has been given, but quick to shy away from accepting any single tag as an absolute description.
“All of the bandmembers come from different music backgrounds, as far as what we listen to. So, it makes for an interesting mix,†he continues. “Right now is where our sound is probably changing the most. It’s just evolving constantly, and we’re trying to record it all to get it out there.â€
Even Modern Man’s songwriting habits have become more collaborative. What began as Allen’s one-man recording project in 2010 is now a far more complex and communal effort.
“Normally, I compose the music and present it to the band, and they would learn the parts and put their own twist on it,†he says. “[With Eyes No], we also did a lot more ‘jamming’ at practice and also wrote songs that way. The bandmembers enjoy playing parts they write themselves a lot more than parts I might come up with. It’s more satisfying as a whole to come together and create something as a band.â€
To Jones, the band’s constant evolution and exploration is what makes it a poster child for the collective itself.
“Modern Man embodies the spirit of Post-Echo because they are uncompromisingly alive. As artists, they are constantly refining and revising their sound while still finding new ways to explore. In many ways, they are the opposite of complacent, and that is something we hope people feel about Post-Echo,†he says. “Presentation and relevance goes a long way. People like to say that content is king, and that’s true to a certain extent, but we feel that content should really be only preliminary. If content is king, then context and concept should be the white knights holding down the fort.â€
Post-Echo is currently based in South Carolina, but the group is hoping to expand its reach and bring all kinds of artists together through show trades and other collaborations. In fact, the same night that Modern Man is playing in Athens, Post-Echo will also be hosting Athens band Manray at Columbia’s New Brookland Tavern, along with former Athenians Lazer/Wulf and Post-Echo’s own Pan.
Jones and company at Post-Echo don’t pretend to know what’s coming next in the music business, but they feel confident they’re on to something that could place them at the forefront.
“I can tell you that, in regard to today’s music climate, it feels like the way people listen to music is due for another big shift,†he says. “It’s inevitable. Hopefully, Post-Echo can be ahead of the curve when that happens.â€
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