Simon Raymonde has had an illustrious career on both sides of the fence. Raymonde was a member of Cocteau Twins, the influential dream-pop trio who became a mainstream success with their trailblazing blend of shoegazing sonics, atmospheric rock and airy melodies, then becoming a record company boss after the band’s dissolution in 1997. The label he runs, Bella Union, is one of the most esteemed indie labels in the land, releasing modern classics from Fleet Foxes, John Grant, Father John Misty, Beach House and many more. Raymonde, you imagine, must have a heap of decent tales to tell - and he does. He's spilled the beans in his excellent new memoir In One Ear, which was released last week.
In an interview with The New Cue earlier this week, he looked back on the highs and lows of his career and said that he considered the two huge parts of his working life – Cocteau Twins member and Bella Union chief – as parallel peaks. “If Cocteau Twins counts as a ‘job’ then of course that was the best,” Raymonde said. “ Anything with Elizabeth Fraser singing along to your music for 14 years of your life would top all other ‘career’ highlights I would guess. I think if that was ever advertised online today, the internet would break. “
But, turning his attention to Bella Union, he said it was close run thing. “Running Bella Union for 27 years would take a spot close to the top too. Travelling around the world finding music I love and helping to make someone’s dreams a reality is always a privilege, even if it is a high-risk venture with catastrophic down sides if it goes wrong. I try and approach both being a musician and a label boss as if they were both hobbies. I feel it helps me approach it with the love and obsession that only a hobbyist can have. Looking at it solely as ‘work I do to pay the rent’ would likely see me fall out of love with it, as ‘paying the rent’ isn’t something most musicians and independent label folks have always been able to do. It’s not stable income but I’ve somehow managed to keep going through the darkness, so I celebrate it! Best job in the world.” The full interview is over on The New Cue’s Substack page.
