A drive to help grow Phoenix’s musical reputation has influenced a local music impresario to start President Gator, a new record label based in the city, printing limited edition vinyl.
Jeremiah Gratza, who has lived in Phoenix for much of his life, feels a special connection to what he calls “the littlest big town there is.”
“A lot of people … say, ‘Phoenix doesn’t have a music scene, there’s nothing going here,’ and I don’t think that’s true,” Gratza said. “I think there are a lot of great bands from Phoenix, and especially within recent years.”
Gratza, 30, has participated in different aspects of Phoenix’s music industry for more than a decade. Early in his career, he managed tours for several local acts including Peachcake and The Hot Guy Band, which asked Gratza to name his company President Gator in 2001.
Shortly after booking and touring with pop group Hellogoodbye, Gratza began his own promotion company in 2005, also under the President Gator moniker. In 2007, he joined Stateside Presents, an independent concert promotion company, and is now the director of operations for the company, headed by Crescent Ballroom owner Charlie Levy.
After managing, booking, playing with and promoting many local bands, Gratza said the decision to start his own record imprint felt like somewhat of a logical step.
“There were a lot of bands that I really liked that I could only do so much (for),” he said. “I could put them on shows opening for bigger bands, I could give them advice, I could help them get on a tour and I figured this was just one more thing that I could do to help these bands.”
The three bands that have so far released material under President Gator, Bogan Via, ROAR and Gospel Claws, are not new to Gratza. He has worked with the bands, both in his previous work managing and booking and in his current position at Stateside Presents.
“Through Stateside (Presents) and booking their shows, I’ve gotten to see them and say, ‘This band is really talented,’” Gratza said. “I’ve gotten to know them on a personal level and deal with them on a daily basis.”
Owen Evans, 28, who records dark pop melodies under the name ROAR, accepted Gratza’s invitation to release a song on President Gator.
“Jeremiah just called me and said he was starting a label, and he asked if I had a song I’d be willing to put on the split. I said that I didn’t, but that I would write one,” Evans said, “anything I can do to help Jeremiah out, I will do. He’s definitely helped me out with shows a lot.”
Evans has worked with Gratza ever since he offered to manage the now defunct local band Asleep in the Sea (which Evans played keys in) back in 2004. Evans is proud of Gratza’s decision to create the label.
“I think starting a record label is great,” Evans said. “It’s a dream that a lot of people have, and it sounds really fun.”
Gratza said that the opportunity to start a label such as President Gator is largely possible because Phoenix is a city without an established music scene.
“There are plenty of opportunities here, more opportunities than in those cities because those markets are so saturated,” said Gratza, referring to the music industries in cities including Seattle and New York City. “There are a million other people trying to do what you’re doing. Here, there’s no one…”
Bogan Via, a dream-pop band compromised of Phoenicians Bret Bender, 27, and Maddie Miller, 24, was also one of the first three bands to release material under the President Gator imprint.
The group, which released their debut album on Oct. 29 through Common Wall Media, another Phoenix label, praised Gratza.
“Phoenix is its own little beast,” said Bender, who played in Nashville for a year before heading back to Phoenix. “Jeremiah is part of a lot of what is good that is surfacing in Phoenix’s music.”
President Gator put out two 7” releases on Oct. 13: Bogan Via’s “Tes” single (with a remix by Brooklyn via Phoenix group Miniature Tigers on its B-side) and a split with Gospel Claws’ “I Want It All” and ROAR’s “Dream.” The singles were printed on baby pink and baby blue vinyl, respectively, signifying, as Miller joked, that “they were (Gratza’s) babies.”
On Oct. 13, President Gator Records celebrated the release of the two 7” singles with a concert at Crescent Ballroom, located on the corner of Van Buren Street and Second Avenue. Bogan Via, ROAR and Gospel Claws all played at the event. Audience members had their choice to take home one of the two records.
Gratza decided to release music for the bands that are his current personal favorites.
“There are these bands that I really, really think are great, like Bogan Via, and Gospel Claws, and ROAR,” he said.
Evans said that this is the right choice to have a successful label. “If you get the right bands together and you build a label around your taste, then you can have something really special because people connect with taste.”
Gratza has been working with some undisclosed national acts that may one day release songs on President Gator. He said President Gator’s long-term success, however, will be much more of an organic process.
“Nothing has ever been forced or pressured or pushed,” Gratza said. “I think that it’s worked well that way so far. I think if something comes along the path where it works and we like each other and I like their music, and they need a record put out, then it will happen.”
Gratza joked that this method “sounds very hippy to run a business model on, but it works.”
Looking into the current music scene, the bands and founder of President Gator believe that the growth and recognition of Phoenix bands by the rest of the country is eminent.
“I think Phoenix is this up-and-coming musical party just waiting to explode. More bands keep popping up, and I think a lot of bands here have seen some pretty good success,” Miller said.
Contact the reporter at miguel.otarolaalfaro@asu.edu
