Profile: Pox World Empire
Zeno Gill is the driving force behind Pox World Empire, a collaborative record label and production studio based in Durham. The label features North Carolina bands North Elementary, Schooner, and Nathan Oliver, among others. Pox is about to release Compulation Volume 3, a cd featuring a host of talented local musicians.
Photo by Ashley Melzer
Tell us more about Pox World Empire:
Pox World Empire exists because I have a silly desire to help good music to be heard. This label overall has probably lost money, but I have always found the effort, and the meager results, very satisfying. It’s nice knowing that there are a bunch of good records floating around in the world that the Pox family has helped to birth, even if hundreds of those records are floating around in my attic still shrink-wrapped. It’s also important to note that Pox World Empire has never been a one-person operation; there have always been friends and musicians partnering with me to make these silly, modest dreams a silly, modest reality.
How has the label/business evolved from it’s inception through now?
It hasn’t evolved much at all since it put out its first release in Ithaca, New York back in about ’96. It still has no physical distribution and makes no money.
What North Carolina bands do you like that aren’t on your label?
Many. If I were a millionaire, and there were 67 hours in a day, Pox World Empire would release 144 records per year and own a blimp. I knew The Rosebuds back in the day and would have probably released a little something by them if those scoundrels at Merge didn’t have such good taste. Heck, I’d like to put out records by all of the artists who’ve been on the Compulations, plus dozens more who haven’t been included yet. I think that I could throw an apple core from my back porch and hit a band worth releasing.
How has operating your business in North Carolina shaped it?
As I mentioned, the label hasn’t made money, but that’s never been the goal. What’s great about NC, aside from the weather, is the obscene number of great musicians and artists. And what I enjoy most about these people is their approach to what they do; there are relatively few prima donnas. There are also fans, radio stations, record stores, newspapers, and magazines (and blogs!) in our community who offer spectacular support to these musicians.
What future projects are on the horizon?
Nathan Oliver’s excellent second record is coming out any day now. Compulation Volume Three is coming out this Spring. The debut from Maria Albani’s solo project Organos will come out a little later in 2009. We’ve almost finished recording a fantastic set of songs with Anna Bullard that we’ll hopefully get out this year. And I’m still trying desperately to release a collection from a reclusive, troubled genius in Scotland who calls his project Seedhill Bruiser. I’ve got the master in my studio, but the recession is making it hard for me to finance even a small release. Such is the life, I suppose, of a tiny record label cleverly designed never to make money.
Any local/North Carolina recommendations?
Yes. Lamb tacos and horchata at La Superior on Roxsboro Road in Durham. And the cheddar biscuits at Parker and Otis. Also, go outside, breathe deeply, and write a song in your head about Malcolm Young driving a go-cart. But hope that it comes out better than the one I wrote a few weeks ago.
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