It's my goal to create a platform for independent artists to get their stuff heard - Marco @ WM Recordings

Who is the person(s) behind the label?
That's me, Marco Kalnenek, 38 years old, from Heerlen the Netherlands. I'm a musician, Webby Award nominated webmaster and label owner. I run WM Recordings on my own, but I can rely on a close network of people who alert me to great new music.

Tell us how it all started and the philosophy of the label.
It started in the autumn of 2004, after having been involved with another online label: Comfort Stand Recordings. I decided it would be fun to create a platform for me and a couple of musical friends to release our own material for free. It soon evolved beyond that and, after releasing only free downloads for a while, the label moved into commercial releases as well.

The philosophy of the label has changed over time. At first I did it to amuse myself, but as always things got a bit more serious over time. It's now my goal to create a platform for independent artists to get their stuff heard. And even though I have moved into commercial releases, I think it's still important to make part of the catalog available for free. Great music deserves to be heard, and luckily a lot a artists agree with that philosophy.

How did you get the label off the ground?
It was quite simply really: my decision to start the label coincided with a friends' plan to compile a cd based on the theme of 'water, wind and sails'. We put two and two together and so this compilation became the first release on WM Recordings. The fact that I had participated in another label before helped me to get the first releases together rather quickly. It was all a matter of: why start a label? Why not!

How do you choose the artists to sign?
The artists choose me! There's no need to go scouting for talent these days. There are so many artists who are eager to get their stuff heard; it's almost overwhelming. Ultimately the choice is made according to my own taste: do I like this music? Do I want to hear this again and will other people want to hear this too? Choices are made very intuitively.

How do you promote their music?
The magic word these days is 'micro-marketing'. I use all available possibilities, from newsletters to MySpace bulletins to sending out promo cd's and press releases. I also try to stimulate the artists to do the same, so it's always a combined effort.

Do you like to work with certain genres?
I'm very proud that I can offer a very eclectic range of music. The free downloads section contains anything from free jazz to quirky pop songs. The commercial releases are a bit more focused on some of my favorite styles: jazz, world music, progressive rock and experimental music, but I'm always open to all styles.

Are you open to adding more artists to your label?
Yes, new artists are always welcome. They can have a look at the submissions guidelines at wmrecordings.com if they are interested.

Do you also manage the artists?
No, I don't have the time and expertise to do that, although I don't rule out any future possibilities. Working on the label has taught me that there are still a lot of opportunities as far as management and concert bookings are concerned, so who knows...

Which artists are you working with right now?
Some of the recent commercial releases include Keji Hamilton & the Exousia Band (vintage Afrobeat from Nigeria), Panicphobia (quirky Danish progrock) and RioJafari & the Delicious Allstars (funky hiphop from Germany). I'm also very happy that there is a core of artists who choose WM Recordings as their favourite way to give away their free releases: Zloty Dawai, Happy Elf, Lee Rosevere, Jan Turkenburg, etc.

Some of the upcoming releases will include albums by The Aperion Project, brunk, Happy Elf and some great new work by Panicphobia. I also hope to release a CD of children's music by Dutch composer Jan Turkenburg later this year.

Which one do you call your most successful album/artist/song?
The free compilations, like "Mystic Moods" and "Wakka Chikka Wakka Chikka: Porn Music for the Masses volume 2" always draw a lot of attention, so they are the most succesful as far as the number of downloads is concerned. However, I like to look at the label as a whole, so it's hard to single out one artist or album. They are all very dear to me!