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You do it for the love of music, there’s no other reason to do this really, but that’s probably the best reason I can think of for doing a job.”
That is Dan Finnegan, one half of Dublin indie record label Paper Trail Records, the bi-product of two music fans’ desire to see good music brought to light.
“It does mean that you get up every day and you’re like ‘I get to go and hang out with my friend, and listen to music’ … it’s the best job in some ways,” he told TheJournal.ie.
Finnegan and business partner, Jack Rainey, both in their mid-20s, founded Paper Trail about a year ago when they signed New York indie act Cloud.
Each of the pair had a keen interest in music, with Finnegan having worked for a US-based label, but the catalyst was their shared appreciation for the artist and the straightforward aspiration of working with him to put out a record.
It wasn’t like at an early stage we said let’s do this label or management company, it was the Cloud release and then it kind of just fell into a plan to try and do it as our jobs, to see how it goes,” Rainey said.
A milestone
And 12 months on it appears to be going well. On Monday the label, whose roster now includes three artists, will pass another milestone with their first official album launch, Cloud’s Zen Summer.
With that release out of the way, the pair’s next goal will be extending the business’s reach into the UK – a reality for any Irish label to survive – and growing its list of acts with a shift of focus onto artist management.
Finnegan said one of their aims was not to become what was often wrong with the industry, when labels became fixated on money at the expense of producing good music.
“I remember one of the best pieces and earliest pieces of advice that I got was never work with anyone or put out any music that you don’t really believe in, because that’s the one that always fails,” he said.
When you’re working with a person you shouldn’t see that as a commodity because it’s their career.”
Good business karma
So a year after taking the plunge together, what advice would they give to anyone else dreaming of setting up their own record label? Work hard and don’t be afraid to spread around some good business karma, in a nutshell.
“Only work with artists who are going to take it as seriously as you take it, there’s no point working with a band or solo act whose sole ambition isn’t trying to make it in music,” Rainey said.
Also, be willing to talk to anybody – even if you don’t think it’s going to benefit you straight away, these things do come back around.”
Finnegan said it could be financially difficult to launch a new label because the industry fell in the “grey area” between regular business and art, meaning many funding options were closed to them. But that was why building contacts with industry expertise who could provide mentoring was key.
That meant sending a lot of blind emails and dealing with rejection, although the inherently close-knit music scene in the Republic made the network-building process easier.
“In Ireland, the industry’s pretty small … so if you were getting nasty it would be a bit awkward I think,” Finnegan said.
And while Paper Trail was unlikely to ever be a ticket to millions, Rainey said he was still “absolutely loving it”.
Obviously we are ambitious, but to me it would be successful if I could make a living doing what I love and then anything beyond that would be a bonus.”
This month, as part of TheJournal.ie’s ongoing startup and small and medium enterprise (SME) focus, we are looking at the music industry.
To view other stories from our collection, click here.
First published 25 April
Enough of this False flag stupidity, he is a terrorist
@steve
How do you know he wasn’t set up if you had even a dogs notion of what a false flag was you would see this has all the hallmarks
Fagan he is getting his day in open court. I would suggest holding your piece about being set up until we hear what he has to say himself.
Fagan, take your tin foil cap off.
@mick
I’m curious to know how others commenting on here are so sure of his guilt he has been accused of a horrific crime along with his brother but due process is gone out the window
He was involved in a shooting incident that left a Police Officer dead and was further involved in a shooting incident that left his brother dead and led to his own capture. So even removing the bombing from the equation there is overwhelming evidence that both him and his brother were involved in the later incidents.
Of course he was set up, It’s all some global conspiracy to keep the people of the world in the shackles of war. Ideological nutcases don’t exist they are always patsies.
@ mick
What proof do you have he shot the cop seriously if the screen in the sitting room tells you he did it in this day and age that’s enough to convince people without trial the way it’s going people would be ok if suspects were shot on sight because they were in the area
@ onlybuzzn
Excuse me for trying to stand up for people’s rights. What happened to innocent till proven guilty
Fagan, the grand jury has seen the evidence and says it is strong enough to go to court with, this is not a conviction but he has some serious explaining to do.
There are eye witnesses that saw them attempt to rob the shop shooting the police officer and carjacking their getaway car plus their are eye witnesses that saw and video of the shootout that saw the brother killed.
They weren’t robbing the shop… They were unfortunate enough to be in the store during a holdup, and were then recognized on camera as the suspects. Amazing how short people’s memories can be!
Fagan, cop on! He is getting his due process.
Don’t feed the trolls!
Fagan is hilarious! He has commented on another article about a 19 year old up in court for severely assaulting another man. He’s refers to such people as “dirtbags”.
Now fagan may I ask you what evidence do you have against this 19 year old and what about due process and him being innocent till proven guilty?
You just want to stick it to the Americans. Don’t you.
@ Fagan
You really are just a trolling prat
@ Declan
Not in the mainstream media he’s not or from many of the commenters on the journal
@ mick
The only credible witness is the accused and as you said let’s see what he had to say
@declan
I never said he was innocent or guilty I said he was a dirtbag because he was caught red handed
Who are you to decide who is a credible witness and who is not.
Fagan, caught red handed? Show me the evidence. Were you there?
Fagan, after this trial is over and after the evidence has been presented. When the judge and jury have made their decision either way. Will you be around to tell us your thoughts and if your satisfied or will you claim conspiracy???
Declare. Even better if he pleads GUILTY. Where will the conspiracy folks be then. Will they come back here and say “oops got it wrong”.
@mick
Are you trying to say the accused is not a credible witness what kind of BS is that & who are you to question me
Fagan you are a dumbass of the highest order!! Haha
No. What you are saying that all the other eye witnesses are not credible. And my question to you was and is what qualifies you to decide if those eye witnesses are credible or not.
@ Declan
He was arrested at the scene no investigation strait to court in the morning red handed
But I think your are all doing your best to avoid my first comment that Boston was a false flag
Fagan what proof do You have that it was a False Flag operation apart from your own speculations?
@ mick
How about the fact they were announcing there was a bomb drill going on at the start of the race your going to tell me that’s no suspicious
Fagan, fagan, fagan. At every major outdoors event and indoors there are systems in place for any and all emergencies.
Since 9/11 there’s been more and more. A few weeks after the Boston marothon there was a marathon in the town I live in and the focus was on a bomb going off.
They made a change that all participants had to have their gear in see through bags.
Now are you going to say that off something did happen it was a false flag also?
Have you ever been to a concert? Do you ever notice the security? Would you consider that to be a false flag?
It’s called emergency preparedness.
That’s all that they were doing at the Boston marathon but you twist this into a conspiracy!
Your dumb!
@declan
I have never been anywhere any event that were running bomb drills
Your real brave over the net with the insults you don’t see me insulting anyone just trying to have a debate but I guess your not man enough for that
Fagan, I’m not hiding behind a fake name and pic. How brave are you?
You are not debating. You are spreading conspiracy theories and falsehoods.
And fagan, as for not being at a event where there is bomb drills, well obviously you don’t live over here because they are a reality.
As I said there was a marathon in the town that I live in and “bomb” was in the thoughts of the organizers and they put a plan in place.
It’s called emergency preparedness!!!
@ Declan
For the record my name is fagan, see your not as clever as you think you are that’s why you resort to ridicule and insults
And its not just on marathons and events. We actually do major drill at least once a year and small once in between. So no surprise on sniffing dogs there.
Fagan, I can only show ridicule to someone who only puts forth conspiracy theories as evidence.
Fagan. Still waiting for your answer as to what makes you qualified to decide who is credible and who isn’t.
@ Declan
The only evidence I put foward you agreed with so your really not making any sense at this stage
Mick
As I said before who are you to question me ?
And your first name is fagan as well?
Declan……….Why are you so interested in what my name is
Really what has that got to do with anything there are countless people on here that use pictures other than there own face do you question them to be honest it’s just weird that your so curious
My name is fagan I’m currently wearing black boxers does that satisfy your weird obsession with who I am
Fagan, you made a comment about me being brave over the Internet and I responded that I wasn’t hiding behind a fake name and pic. If you felt true to your convictions you would not be hiding behind a made up persona.
What or who are you afraid of?
Yourself, b Lowe, golden arms, petr tarasov and others are writing from the shadows.
Now I’m going to enjoy a nice cold beer now. Good night to you.
@ Declan
I see your keeping tabs on a few of us “shadow people ”
Whatever floats your boat man
Enjoy your beer
You are the one questioning the veracity of the eye witnesses not me. So I ask again what makes you qualified to make the claim that “the accused is the only credible witness”.
Mick.
Simple answer the accused is the only person that we know for sure is witness to the aftermath of the bombing , as in the chase, shoot out capture therefore it is my opinion that he is the most credible of the witnesses
Do you get what I’m saying
So the shop assistant in the shop they attempted to rob didn’t identify them nor did the person whom they initially took hostage while hijacking their car or the people living in the houses that observed the shootout between the brothers and Police and of course the Police themselves that were involved in the shootout are not credible?
There credible in the part they played but the accused was present to all of it the shop assistant wasn’t in the boat therefore the accused would be the most credible witness to the over all story only he knows if he did it or not
Fagan, ha! Ha! So he is the only credible witness because only he was in the boat?! Wow! So the owner of the house who spotted him in the boat is not a credible witness to him being in the boat?! And the police officers or who ever pulled him out of the boat and put him in a ambulance are not credible witnesses to him being in the boat?
You should offer yourself as his Defence attorney.
Please continue as I’m starting to laugh at you.
“Only he knows if he did it or not”?!
If I ever get pulled over for speeding I shall use that as a Defence.
“Well your honour it was only me in the car so it can only be me who knows if I was speeding or not”
Btw, have you ever heard of forensic evidence, DNA, finger prints, the paper trail showing that they bought the stuff to make the bomb, witnesses?
Did you even read what I wrote Declan …. Everyone is credible to the part they played but how do you even know that they planted the bomb granted there are pics of them at the marathon how do you even know there is evidence linking them to the bombing What DNA do you know that they have what witness do you know that can give evidence their the bombers is there CCTV of them setting it off ???… Do you have inside info cause if you do I really want to hear it
Mick, have a look at the latest article on the journal about a explosive device in drimnagh. Fagan is commenting on it and is so sure of the culprits. Similar situation in America and he calls it a false flag.
The man is just contradicting himself.
False flag or not, his injuries are a mystery. Shot in the neck and unlikely to ever speak due to a damaged larynx. Well able to say ‘Not guilty’ a lot of times. Ah the old larynx heals quickly. His arm though still needs a sling. Am I the only one who finds this odd? Conspiracy theories aside.
He deserves everything he gets and for those who say he’s innocent wake up and smell the coffee
@geraldine
Have you some inside info on his guilt how do you know they did it
Please explain your evidence
Would’ve been great had they made it to Time Square :-)
So Enda you believe they set off the Boston bombs?
I have no idea. I was working in one of hospitals nearby at the time, and dealt with some of the wounded. The media coverage was crazy. There were 2 other students – completely innocent by the way- that were named as suspects the next day, before officials retracted their statements later on. To be honest, I was astonished that the police and FBI etc didn’t shoot more innocent people… I have never seen so many guns and armed officers in my life.
So what pray tell did you mean by “wouldn’t it be great if they made it to Times Square”.
I hope the right people get their hands on him
So,Did they shoot the other guy a few days later or was that a set-up too Fagen.
Get a grip! He and his brother are Muslim fanatical murderers who killed an innocent child and two others and maimed several others. Tosser deserves life in solitary confinement.
As its federal I hope when proven guilty he gets the needle.
The needle would be too good for him. Life without possibility to be served in general population.
Not sure if I want to keep paying to feed him, make sure he’s healthy for 40 plus years though. But you are right needle is too easy and peaceful for him.
Maria. How long do you think he would last in general population. He would either become someone’s play thing or be killed a lot more painfully than the needle.
They will put him in solitary confinement where he’s protected. He will be housed, feed make sure he have the finest medical attention.
@fagan you want me to give you evidence I think everyone with a brain and common sense has just answered for me…
The problem with with some people is EVERYTHING is a false flag nowadays. I myself would believe in some conspirsories but not them all. In an age where nobody can keep a secret, it’s bull to think the government are behind everything. Also I honestly believe there are good people in the intelligence agencies.
have your say