It all started, as most great ideas do, in a bar. Josh Adams, owner of Mindpool Productions and longtime local music fan, approached Phantom Channel of the Rusty Ps with an idea: Combine the throwback party hip-hop of the Rusty Ps with the smooth flamenco guitar artistry of Evan Christian, mashing up two of Milwaukee’s most unique, dynamic artists.
Phantom Channel responded simply, “Chuck’s already all over this.”
This unique musical brainchild of Adams and Chuck Watson, also known as Rusty Ps producer extraordinaire S Watson, is currently laying down tracks at National Recording in Milwaukee. When completed, the album will be the first release from upstart record label Made In Milwaukee Records. And with Adams and Watson running the show, it could be the start of something special.
Watson has always had an appreciation for all things Milwaukee. In 1997, he created the first Made In Milwaukee event. Hosted at the Stonefly Brewery, the day of all things Milwaukee was a showcase of some of the best musicians, artists and craftspeople the city had to offer. “It was just the idea of creating a fun party for myself, my friends and a lot of creative people that have been around for so long,” Watson says.
In the years that followed, the wildly successful Made In Milwaukee events have grown and expanded from their humble beginnings at Stonefly Brewery to encompass fashion, sculpture, live video mixing and musical genres from across the board. “It’s been an effort on our part to keep it relevant,” says Watson, “but the community has always backed us up and supported us.”
And Adams was one of Made In Milwaukee’s most ardent supporters. “Bringing out the cultural pride and artistry that exists here in Milwaukee is something that a lot of people have been talking about for years,” Adams says. “And with these events, it’s happening. It’s there.”
It is with this passion for furthering the artistic fortunes of the city that these two young cultural entrepreneurs decided to combine their energy and launch Made In Milwaukee Records. Adams says the goal of the Evan Christian/Rusty Ps experiment is to give these highly inventive musicians a forum to let their creative energies flow. And in many ways, the combination of two musically diverse but motivationally similar artists is the perfect jumping-off point for this new endeavor.
Made In Milwaukee Records is all about breaking down the walls of genre and bringing together a community of artists for the betterment of the city. Adams and Watson hope to offer local musicians connections to recording studios, promotional outlets, venues and other musicians to whom they might otherwise not have access. The hope is that this connectivity will ultimately result in a greater awareness of the scene and its truly eclectic cadre of talented artists.
“It’s all for the common good, and you’re dealing with people you can trust,” says Watson. “Because this is their lives. This is what they give their hearts to. And as far as I can tell, you can always count on that.”
Adams and Watson say they met in 1998 (or was it 1999?) at a Rusty Ps show at the Bangkok Orchid (or was it the Stork Club?). The point is these guys have so much history with each other and with the Milwaukee music scene that the names and dates start to run together. For the Made In Milwaukee Records founders, local music isn’t an excuse to go out with some friends on a Saturday night. It is a way of life, a family.
The goal of Made In Milwaukee Records isn’t simply to sell records. It’s an investment in the city as a whole and a tribute to the creative people who day in and day out make it such an exciting place to be.
Not bad for a story that started with the old cliché: “A guy walks into a bar…”
The Evan Christian and Rusty Ps album is tentatively set for an early summer 2011 release, but you have two chances to catch a sneak preview next Thursday, January 27:
In Studio: 88Nine Radio Milwaukee’s 414 Music @ 4 p.m.
Live: Sound Pass Sessions Vol.2, Alterra on Prospect Ave. @ 7 p.m.
