August 15, 2005
R.I.P.
This past Saturday, John Loder passed away. Loder founded Southern Studios, which, over time, spawned Southern Records. His achievements in the D.I.Y. community are enormous: for starters, Southern still produces and distributes Dischord Records. A less enormous achievement, but relevant to us here: without him and his American counterpart, Danielle Soto, there would be only one Ui record (our first EP). He was one of the two significant British Johns in the band's life, the other being John Peel. Peel was an indirect presence, a radio patron and a north star for us aging weirdos to follow; Loder was very much in our lives—a voice on the phone, a cheerleader and a constant friend.
John was one of the most generous and kick-ass people I've had the pleasure to know. He was never, ever done with music. He had constant enthusiasm for new bands, and was infinitely patient with musicians, even when they were fractious and juvenile. I will not forget the image of him coming towards us, hugs for all, when he retrieved the band from Heathrow in 1996, at the start of our first nervous trip as a band. He wore a freshly laundered Melt-Banana t-shirt and told stories about Crass, offering us room and board in his house while we recorded an EP that wasn't even coming out on his label.
We should all be so lucky as to meet half a Loder.
Posted by Sasha at August 15, 2005 05:13 PM | TrackBack