Weekly Tape Deck and Gorilla Vs. Bear Form New Record Label

It looks like hosting shows and giving away mp3s is no longer enough for two highly influential Dallas-based music blogs, as Gorilla Vs. Bear and Weekly Tape Deck have joined forces to create Forest Family Records.

But while both blogs are Dallas-based, and will have Dallas's A&R Record Manufacturing press up the label's vinyl releases, the first offering will be a 7-inch single reissue of "Go Outside" paired with "Most Wanted" from New York's buzzing psychedelic soul duo Cults.

The initial pressing will be limited to 400 copies, selling for $8 apiece plus shipping, with 10 percent of profits to be donated to the Humane Society.

Weekly Tape Deck's Nate Smith says he and Gorilla Vs. Bear's Chris Cantalini had been talking about starting a label for a few months when Cantalini suggested Cults as a potential first release. Future releases could include 7-inch, 10-inch or 12-inch vinyl singles and LPs as well as cassette tapes. CDs, however, are not in the plans.

"We just like the analog format," Smith says. "We like the sound, and CDs are not as in-demand, as vinyl has come to be a collectors item more than CDs. There's just nothing like analog."

The two have been talking to other bands, Smith says, but without any deals in place he's not divulging names. As for whether any of the acts in talks with Forest Family Records are from North Texas, Smith is mum, although he does say this: "One could be."

As for the label's philosophy, Smith says Forest Family will be hands-on when it comes to track selection, but will leave recording up to the bands. That was the case with Cults, which had already recorded "Go Outside" and "Most Wanted" and released them as free downloads.