What is "Howlin Wolf Records" and what are you trying to accomplish?
Howlin’ Wolf Records is a record label specializing in limited edition film scores. The record label was formed in the last quarter of 2007 by Wall Crumpler (that would be me) a long-time film score collector. My interest in film scores started as a teenager and has grown and consumed me over the years like it does most diehard film score collectors. I had the great fortune to partner with Paul Hilburger who I sought to help expand the vision and focus of the label, which he has done amazingly…he is the designer behind our website and will be adding new features as time goes by…it is also very cool that he has written an original film script and has contact information regarding this project on our website.
The current focus of this record label is horror and suspense and our intent is to produce a variety of projects ranging from electronic to symphonic scores. We see ourselves as a very service oriented label and really desire to have collaboration with other film score collectors. We are trying to promote this collaboration through our website and by soliciting involvement in the process of forging a direction. Howlin’ Wolf Records is not an exclusive club and ANYONE out there who has an interest in film scores can be an active part of our organization…. Seriously, anyone interested can go to our website and email info@howlinwolfrecords.com and volunteer his/her services and we will certainly find a niche and a way of involvement for anyone with serious interest.
The first two projects reflect the diversity Howlin’ Wolf Records is striving to achieve. MALEVOLENCE is an electronic film score from 2004 by an innovative, talented filmmaker who wrote, directed, produced, edited, and scored his film. Stevan Mena is not a professionally trained composer but is clearly a student of the craft through his love for horror films, his experience as an amateur musician, while instinctively possessing an understanding and appreciation for the incredible impact of a film score on helping shape the emotion and ambiance for a film.
As a distinct contrast to our first project, SILENT NIGHT, BLOODY NIGHT, our second project, is a beautiful symphonic score from 1974 by an amazing and accomplished composer and conductor. Gershon Kingsley’s credentials are very fun to throw around given he is a pioneer of the early electronic music movement, an Emmy-winning, Tony-nominated composer who also just happens to be the first artist to perform electronic music in Carnegie Hall with THE FIRST MOOG QUARTET, which he formed in 1970. On top of all of this he has a US Billboard top ten tune with his instrumental Popcorn, performed by HOT BUTTER in 1972.
What is a typical day at work like... easy, hard or hell?
Generally a workday at Howlin’ Wolf Records starts around 5pm and might end as late (or early I should say) as 2am. There is always weekend work to accompany the late night hours as well. The reason for these crazy hours is that we each have other professional directions from 9 to 5. Founding Howlin’ Wolf Records has been a real journey for me personally. Since starting this project, I have served as a sound engineer working actively with the editing and mastering of tracks for the scores, a graphic artist having produced all of the art inserts for MALEVOLENCE, as well as a business manager, marketing specialist, web designer and the chief legal expert in our legal department. I jokingly wear all of these hats but in reality have genuinely had to be involved in every aspect of the label…. we are expanding our team and have taken on some intern help and will be hopefully adding new creative partners to the label over time, as well. Again, please email us if you are interested.
For me, everyday at Howlin’ Wolf Records is like a holiday (I will say Halloween in keeping with the theme of our label…or I could also say Christmas since SILENT NIGHT, BLOODY NIGHT all takes place on Christmas Eve) in any event, it is like everyday is an eventful and exciting day when there is project work with the label. As they say, time flies when you are having fun and I can expire a day in the blink of an eye it seems when I am immersed in work with a project…I love every minute!