Grammy Award–winning, world-touring, chart-topping band Mumford & Sons is back after a brief hiatus. As the group gears up for its comeback, keyboardist Ben Lovett has been putting his spare time to good use helping to manage Communion, a hybrid organization that's part record label, part event production team and a labor of love that predates the formation of Mumford. On February 19, Communion brings its artists showcase concert series, Communion Club Nights, to Schubas. Lovett took a moment to talk to us via email about Communion, working with an artist's mindset and fish.
Your website says "Communion Music is an artist-led organization." What does that mean exactly? And how is this different from a traditional record label, or even a typical independent label?
Communion was founded by myself and Kevin Jones from Bear’s Den, along with iconic record producer, Ian Grimble, in 2007. It has been built by artists, for the good of artists, with our approach being led by the artist’s agenda first and foremost. There are lots of music companies, both traditional and contemporary, major and independent, that are run by musicians or former musicians. One of the most successful festivals in the World, Lollapalooza was conceived and created by Perry Farrell, not that anyone in Chicago wouldn’t know that fact already!
Communion's Club Nights feature a roster of artists all touring together. What's the benefit of touring this way, rather than setting up tours for each individual band?
The concept of the Communion Club Nights is that we work very hard to get people down to our shows so that the artists get to play in front of new audiences and hopefully build their fan base. It’s a genuine platform for discovery. And this is great for the artists, who, for many years at our shows, have played in front of packed out rooms for the very first time in their career. It is also great for the audiences, who can trust that we spend a lot of time curating a lineup that is very high quality and varied, maximizing their chances of discovering a band who they might well have never found. It is a very old school approach to concert promotion and requires a lot of elbow grease, but it’s always worth it when it pays off! We have Club Nights all over the World, and so once a band has grown from unknown to well known in their home town, we can fly them to other cities where they can start the journey again, and rely on a good crowd and well curated lineups.
How have your experiences in Mumford & Sons influenced the creation and management of Communion?
The creation of Communion actually predates the band, but I would say that over the years of touring and writing and recording, my experiences have naturally reflected in decisions around the management of Communion. Fundamentally continuing to be a musician is at the core of decision making in Communion, and so every day I live as a band member of Mumford & Sons, I am actively thinking like the artists I engage with in my Communion work. I think about songwriting, I think about collaboration, I think about making the best gig experiences, I think about how lucky I am to be doing everything that I’m doing!! My two worlds compliment each other very well, and I think Kev would say the same of his own experiences in Bear’s Den.
Communion was founded nearly ten years ago. Where do you see the label in the next ten years?
I think it’s going to come a very long way. I think 2015 is going to be a huge year for Communion, both as a record label but especially as a concert promoter. Launching in Chicago has been a passion of mine for years now, and partnering alongside Silver Wrapper and React Presents feels really good, and I believe will lead to some great discovery for Chicago music fans and hopefully some growth out of Chicago for some of your best local talent.
What's your favorite food to eat in America that you can't find back home in the UK?
I live on the East Coast so I have to say the fish is just another level. Obviously we get fish from all over the world in the UK but local fresh fish caught just off the East Coast is one of my favourite things, let alone favorite foods!
Communion Club Night, featuring Filligar, Marian Hill, Kristin Diable and Martin Van Ruin, comes to Schubas February 19. Tickets can be purchased here.