Catching Up With Hex Records

In February of 2023, much to my delight, Ryan Canavan of HEX RECORDS agreed to do an episode of Getting It Out Podcast. The label had just released the excellent split between KNUB and BRAIN CAVE, and in 2022 had dropped one of my favorite records of the year in STILL/FORM's From The Rot Is A Gift, so I was riding high on the Northwestern purveyor of noise rock. As I'm sure anyone who has met him can attest, Canavan is intensely likable, so it's no great surprise that we've kept in touch since. Conveniently, HEX RECORDS has continued to deliver excellent releases over the last few years and even resurrected as a zine with the boost of a Substack.

Late last year, I checked in with Ryan to send him the following questions. If they seem dated, that's on me. I got ahead of myself before deciding to try to release these follow-ups on the three-year anniversaries of the interviews.

In case you missed it, Episode 280 is still available HERE. Also, below all of this is a playlist featuring some of my favorite Hex-released tracks. I am punk now, so it's on Apple Music.

It's been three years since you appeared on episode 280 of Getting It Out Podcast. Since then, you have hit 25 years as a label. How did you celebrate?

Throughout the year of the 25th anniversary, I did a thing where I got bands that I have worked with, or like a bunch, to record covers of bands and songs that I felt were influential to me and what I cater to in terms of stuff I release.  Each month, there was a different band/cover, and at the end of the year, I collected them all (as well as a couple unreleased tracks) and released them on vinyl with a cool package, which I think came out really great.

Additionally, I put on a two-day event in Portland in May of bands that I've worked with and ones I just enjoy personally, that included our friends in Gaytheist, Great Falls, Kinghorn, The Helm, and more.  Our pals in both Wipes and Brain Cave flew out to be a part of it as well.

Using whatever metric you'd like, what has been the biggest Hex release since we recorded that previous interview?

Each release is an accomplishment, but I would say that being in the Northwest Gaytheist are always well-loved and well-received, and being able to release their newest album (earlier this year) is an honor and a privilege.  They're always great.  They had some excellent record release shows they did, had a couple wonderful in-store appearances at some fabulous local record stores, and got a great reception when they toured out to Caterwaul Fest a few months back in support of the record.  Also, the split release from Facet and Haunted Horses was a high water mark for me this year because I've wanted to do something with Haunted Horses for a long time and they definitely delivered, and then Facet offered some of their best stuff yet and then went on a massive tour with Whores right as the record came out and they seemed to go over really, really well with people who likely hadn't heard of them at that point.

Did you release any records that you feel may have been overlooked or underappreciated?

Always!  The majority of stuff I release is for new or relatively unknown bands, and I tend to prefer it that way because I want to shine a light on groups that I feel are overlooked.  That's one of the primary goals of doing this whole thing.  That being said, I hope that even if a release I put out doesn't do all that great, it brings more attention to bands I think are exceptional than they had before.  Maybe more specifically, I'd bring attention to a couple more recent releases that I think deserve more attention- the Coming Down LP and the Mums LP.  Both bands are definitely constrained by the fact that there are parents in those bands, and they are unable to be all that active.  But the Coming Down LP is just incredibly thoughtful and melodic hardcore that is driving and energetic, while the Mums LP has some of the most gigantic, sludgy, but still fun, riffs you'll ever hear from the UK trio.  I love how loud and noisy they are, but also super fun and not taking themselves too seriously.

At the beginning of this year, you launched a Substack featuring record reviews and interviews (old and new). Was there a Substack user/writer who drew your attention to the platform?

When I originally started making zines, like 30 years ago, Anti-Matter was my go-to for inspiration.  It was the best zine out there, in my opinion.  And when Anti-Matter started up again a few years back as a Substack, it once again inspired me to converting my journalistic efforts to a current (and more user-friendly) online platform. I mean, I had a blogspot for years...  waaaay too many years.  It just wasn't doing the trick, honestly.  But yeah, Anti-Matter was kind of that spark, again, that made me think 'I could do what I do in this sort of way'.

I'd ask if that scratched your zine-making itch, but it directly led to you making new physical copies of Hanging Like A Hex. Why do you keep coming back to the written format when the world is so not that, these days?

While I love writing and writing about things, I also take a lot of satisfaction in designing things. Whether I'm good at it or not is completely open to debate.  But I really like doing it.  And I think there's something wonderful about physical media, whether it's books, zines, records, etc that makes something more real.  It's tangible.  So as much as I think the written word can carry a lot of weight and influence on it's own I feel like a visual component of that can make it that much stronger.  So when I put together a physical zine, I put a lot of time and effort into how it looks.  It can make the interview more exciting, it can introduce greater character to what  person is saying.  I love typography, and I get to play a lot with that when I make a zine as well.  So if other people feel that way about physical media than I'd encourage them to delve into the zine side of Hex and not just the substack (I add extra stuff in the zine that's not on the substack as well).

Hex fanzine volume two, issue #1

2025 is almost over. Is there a point in the calendar where you kind of shut down business for the year?

Not really.  I wish I could keep a more consistent schedule in terms of my releases, but I'm sort of constrained by when bands decide they're ready to record and release an album.  It's not uncommon for me to begin working on a release for a band up to years before it happens. In some cases, things move really fast, and they're all ready to go, and in other cases, there's a lot to figure out and prepare for.  So I'm basically always ready for what comes next.  As far as the substack and zine stuff go, that I can control a schedule and I do- expect interviews and reviews every month, and a physical collection/zine every 6 months.

Hex fanzine volume 2, issue #2

What can the world expect from Hex Records in 2026?

The Naw LP for certain.  Anything else, as of right now, is just possiblys and maybes, so I wouldn't want to spill the beans on anything that isn't 100%.

• The Crosses To Release Debut EP
  
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