in this way Marcos Collantes Y Keina Garcia decided to celebrate its twentieth anniversary. mushroom pillow, the record label they created earlier this century is as extraordinary as the last fireworks of the celebration. This is a compilation containing versions of key songs in the label’s history, mostly by bands that were not part of it, initially released as six singles in vinyl format and released in the middle of the following year. anniversary itself.
“Our true obsession is to advance what we do. On the one hand, it seemed boring to look back and celebrate, on the other hand, whoever did it often did it out of the desire for the past tense to be better, and it felt like it wasn’t like that in our case,” says Marcos Collantes.
Anyway Project of two university students from Coruña with a capital of 1,000 euros and the idea of expanding the horizons of Spanish alternative music in all directions has cemented itself as a brand of success from their first big success. Xoel Lopez and her deluxe before removing barriers between independent and mainstream with his kick NumberHe has always known how to bet on the winning horses of all coats. delorean, Market Drivers, weird love triangle, love of lesbians anyone high schoolamong others.
“We have zero nostalgia and certainly our greatest achievements are happening now,” says the person in charge of Mushroom Pillow (pictured above), confident that they won’t be the one to celebrate twenty years of the label’s glory. includes parties, concerts or exhibitions, just music: “People finally get to hook up on a song, enjoy a particular theme, and don’t care if it’s ten, fifteen, five years ago. or yesterday”, he emphasizes.
Home of the big names in pop-rock independent Like the ones mentioned above in Spanish and others Red Room, Mr. Cinarro anyone Killer SwingThe Mushroom Pillow is gone, as Collantes explains diversify your business. The focus was initially on the label’s most traditional catalog in recent years; another has a more international profile and is closer to electronic pop with “number one in France and Europe” and a third “about the new Spanish pop happening right now, that’s something we’re very happy about because we’re connecting with that kind of I’m very good with people.” The last leg under the brand relationshipfocuses on the reinterpretation of Latin music classics in electronic and club key, with DJs and producers from all over the world. “We manage to make an impact there that we have never had before in the UK,” he states.
All this diversity, explains Mushroom Pillow’s director, stems not only from the need to expand territories, but also from a genuine musical curiosity. “Our company’s work goes beyond its current success. It’s about creating a catalog that sometimes seems to have nothing to do with it, but if you put it all together playlist and you choose the right songs, you understand that there is a common point”. A philosophy that promotes consistent coexistence among veterans like Sevillian’s group alter ego, Mr. Chinarro. Antonio LuqueHaving released albums with Mushroom Pillow since 2006, and very young talents like him Jimena Yellow At the same age as his record label, he released his first album after a meteoric solo publishing career.
Luque says that the biggest virtue of the Mushroom Pillow team is “that They are workers; when you choose a path you have to work and persistNot that they love music, as happened to Watercolor (their early record labels), but that they love partying more than music”, honestly. “With all due respect to Jesús Llorente (founder of Acuarela discos) who knows I appreciate him.”
They have common sense and I like that they trust the artist and not tell him what to do” -Jimena Amarillo
Jimena Amarillo highlights her experience with the label: “They leave a lot of freedom and I think they have a very cool vision. I share many musical tastes with them, I think they have good judgment and I like it. trust the artist and don’t tell him what to do”, says the Valencian artist. Amarillo points out that getting started with Mushroom Pillow hasn’t had an impact on a creative level (“I’m still recording. Pau RockFrom The Red Room, I’ve never stepped foot in the studio”), but it did give him important things: “It’s huge on the reflection level, now I’ve been doing crazy gigs and things like that. Chris Carmichaelmaking string edits for Taylor Swiftcollaborate on my song when you don’t love me anymore”.
For Marcos Collantes, this good fit comes as no surprise. “I currently feel more comfortable and attuned talking to people aged 18-22 than those aged 40-45 because I find it more interesting at the production level how they understand what they want to do or how they understand voices from someone else. “They adapt to their place and their realities.” But she admits the affinity with all the bands in her catalog isn’t exactly the same, adding that “but this has always happened to me.” “The problem is we had a lot of emotional involvement with some groups before and I realized that it wasn’t good. not for me, not for the group, not for anyone, because it leads to meaningless misunderstandings”.
As Antonio Luque points out, it’s a way of managing relationships that works for everyone: “I don’t expect the people at my company to be my soul mate or Chiquito de la Calzada: they’re people who have to work and get their period.” But Luque highlights the good fit with past and current employees and two minds at the company: “I’m glad to see them, how time has passed and how well they are doing; I see that they are interested in me and I would like to think that I cooperate a little for their well-being, just like mine, and that’s okay,” she justifies.
Despite repeated attempts to dissuade him, Marcos Collantes maintains his complete composure that allows artists of all kinds to sign for his own label (“Marcos does not drink alcohol and Keina is a vegetarian, which gives you an idea that they already have too much willpower”, Luque’ draws attention to it). Maximum compromise, yes, the promise of a stylistic party the day the Mushroom Pillow lowers the blinds, and it’s a naturally friendly-sounding confession: “Finally, from artists we won’t be working with again. Now that you’ve learned a lot, there’s a lot of tension that you don’t want to relive, and it allows you to understand what the people you’re going to collaborate with are like and guess whether you want to do it or not.” Twenty years from now, the Mushroom Pillow will still be around and it still won’t be a celebratory party. Then