LA-TI-DA RECORDS is a Canadian independent label in Vancouver. There’re mainly garage rock and punk bands as Ape City R&B, Needles/Pins, Fist City, but you can also find 60s garage: The React, 70s glam rock: Paralel, soul: The Jay Vons, and one man band: Skip Jensen. My favourite is a garage soul band, The Ballantynes. You can listen to these on the label’s Bandcamp site.

What was the cause of starting of the label?

While hung over on vacation in Las Vegas in 2004, my good friend and I (Dale Davies, who is the graphic designer for everything we do) decided it would be a good idea to start a label. A lesson was learned that day: don’t make decisions while dehydrated in midday desert heat! Against our better judgement, we haven’t stopped yet.

What’s the main profile?

In terms of a goal? Our reason for doing it? To help get our favourite bands from home out into the world and help bring some of our favourite bands in the world back home with us! The fun part is when the two parts meet.

What was the greatest success?

In terms of releases, probably The Tranzmitors and The Ballantynes, as we have worked with those two bands every step of the way and it’s been really gratifying that both have found an audience. That said, our new Steve Adamyk Band single has been very well received and our strongest pre-seller ever. In terms of putting on shows, I’d have to say our annual festival, The Fall Down/Get Down!

What was the greatest surprise in the course of your story?

The greatest surprise is that after nearly ten years, we’re still standing! Somehow, we’ve managed to maintain this thing and continue to grow slowly and steadily. By maintaing our friends and relationships with bands and labels around the world, by continuing to adapt and change with the times, and by bridging our love for bands old and new, we’ve kept our enthusiasm and drive.
Again, with the Fall Down/Get Down festival, there’s been some tremendous surprises, but only upon reflection. At the time, we are so busy running the festival to stop and think how weird it is to bring in artists like Death and Roky Erickson, but after it’s over, it’s hard not to pause and say, wow, we just flew in Death and Roky Erickson!

What will be the next release?

The next release will be a brand new band called The Flintettes, featuring Mike Flintoff of the Tranzmitors. The Flintettes are a three piece from Vancouver who play in a style similar to early Stiff Records releases. Great stuff!