We had the good fortune of connecting with Alexander Botkin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alexander, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I’ve been involved in DIY music for a long time, primarily through playing in bands but also by booking shows for touring bands coming through California. I always saw amazing bands but felt like so many of them lacked the support they needed to get their music out to the world and give it the best shot at being heard. Starting a music label seemed like the best way to achieve this, and it started just by making cassette tapes for bands out of my room. It never was a financial motive to start it, and that’s probably for the best given the ups and downs of the music market, but it was just motivated by the desire to interact with and support my local music scene on a different level.

What should our readers know about your business?
I started Lavasocks Records in 2017 as a way to cure my undergrad boredom. It certainly wasn’t easy, but I think by running it by myself, it allowed me to set the scale how I wanted and make sure I didn’t overwhelm myself. I was heavily influenced by Lookout! Records and a lot of their practices in the early years of that label, and wanted to make sure the music always was what came first and never anything that was purely done for financial gain. I’ve also learned that you need to be willing to take risks and accept that even if you love a band, it may take time for them to be appreciated by others, and even still it may never happen. Do your best, and keep looking towards the next release!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I think the main thing that has always stood out to me as someone not from LA was the diversity in music venues throughout the city, and I think going to shows would be my main activity. Shows and music culture in general seem to thrive in Los Angeles and the venues range from bowling alleys to full one DIY spaces such as The Smell and Junior High. Those two places especially stand out to me as icons of a scene of Los Angeles musicians just trying to have fun and host shows wherever they can!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d need to shoutout 924 Gilman and the volunteers and staff there for everything they’ve done for me in my music career, from countless shows performed there to using it as a makeshift studio and packing space, it’s been a critical component to my understanding of the music industry and how to make it happen on your own terms

Website: https://lavasocksrecords.bigcartel.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lavasocksrecords/?hl=en

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