How did we get here?: Nathan Landolt

I phoned up Error Records owner Nathan Landolt to talk about Error Records and his life. He had some pretty interesting things to say. These are those things:JT: Where did you get the idea to start up this record store, and how did that all come along?NL: I would say that I kind of had a desire to do something like this for quite a long time, which I'm sure a lot of people do. But, I think the main thing that made me realize this was something I wanted to do was when the C-U Collective was active and trying to get an all ages venue going. We kind of discussed the ways that we could make it actually come to fruition with it not being a music venue. And, a record store was one of those ideas. Obviously, that didn't happen. And once that (the collective) disbanded, it (the idea) kinda just stuck in my head. Since I was already doing an online store and a label, I figured it would just be the next logical step for me.JT: Could you tell me a little bit more about Error Records the label?NL: The label started in 2008. That was when I was living at Error House and booking shows. It was just kind of a means to put out my friends' music and my own band's music, because I didn't really like how other people that I had options to work with were doing it. So yeah, that was mostly CDs and tapes. From there, I've kept doing cassette tapes. And, I eventually did vinyl and I'm just still working on that. A lot of it's underground stuff, obviously, DIY. I guess I kind of try to stick more on the heavy aspects of things.JT: How much time have you been dedicating to the label now that the store is open?NL: I've been dedicating about the same amount of time. I would say a year or two ago, I put way too much time into it, did quite a few releases kind of all at once. But yeah, I have already had three releases come out this year. I have three more slotted to come out fairly soon, and potentially a record toward the end of the year.JT: That’s pretty cool.NL: Yeah, so I’m staying pretty busy with it. I think being at the store and just kind of surrounded by music all the time (even more so now) kind of makes it a little easier. My resources are a little better, too. So, it’s actually gotten easier to do it. It’s just still a little time consuming.JT: Where are you originally from?NL: I’m originally from the St. Louis area, specifically Highland, Illinois. And, that’s about 30 to 40 minutes from St. Louis.JT: When did you come to Champaign?NL: I came to Champaign about 7 1/2, 8 years ago. And, that was for school and just kind of to get away from small town kind of living.JT: So, did you go to U of I too?NL: I didn’t go to U of I. I actually went to Parkland, and I didn’t graduate. I tried a couple of different careers, and some of them were great. But, you know, school just wasn’t for me.JT: So, what made you decide to go to Parkland and Champaign?NL: Well, I knew a couple people here. And like I said, I didn’t really like the small town vibe. I just had friends that went to U of I. And, I felt like it was a good choice to kind of get away, but still not be too far from home.JT: Gotcha. So, now we’ll go way back to your childhood, or whenever. How did you kind of get started in music, in general?NL: I was pretty young. I mean I definitely made my own mixtapes as a kid, or just listened to the radio. Alternative or Heavy stations that no one listened to, and I would just record stuff. And if I liked it, I would keep recording and then just kind of go back and make cool mixtapes later on. I would just listen to that going to school. And, it progressed into “Man I really like music, so I want to try and play it.” So, I convinced my father to get me a bass for my birthday, and it kind of went from there. I don’t remember the first thing I was playing band-wise, but it was definitely terrible.JT: In middle school who were your favorite bands?NL: In middle school, Korn and Slipknot. And, I stick with those early records. I don’t care. Those bands got me into the crazy, weird, heavy music that I’m into now. My tastes have changed drastically. I listen to a lot of different stuff. But when I go back and listen to that, it just takes me back.JT: When did you decide to do this for a living?NL: Well, after realizing I didn’t want to go to college, have a “normal career,” working minimum wage jobs my whole life, I figured “Well if I’m gonna not make any money, I might as well do it with something I love.” It was just the next logical step for me to try and do this music venue and record store here because I couldn’t really find a lot of stuff I wanted to get vinyl-wise as well as there’s no all ages venue. It just seemed like the right step, and I figured why not? If it doesn’t work, you know, that’s O.K. It’s worth trying.JT: So, kind of moving on, I have an open-ended question. Do you have any really good story that is somehow music related?NL: I feel like I have some really good stories that are not appropriate from when I toured with other bands, but I’ll stick with this one. One of my early bands from the St. Louis area was able to open up for a band called The Locust. I’ve been a really huge fan of that band ever since I heard them a long, long time ago. We also ended up playing that same show with a band called Yip Yip, and another band called Sleeping People. And, I think that was probably my favorite lineup and show that I was able to be a part of. So nothing crazy, just kind of a highlight that I kind of go back to as pretty awesome. There weren’t a ton of people there. But, the fact that we were playing on the same night on the same stage as that band just really meant a lot.JT: That’s about all the questions I have, I guess. Is there anything you want the Pizza readers to know?NL: I don’t know. Just, if people keep starting bands and playing music and actually supporting the things that they really love, then I think that the community here will continue to grow. I think anywhere people should do that. But here, I think it’s really possible for a lot of cool things to happen.JT: That’s a good thought. Thanks a lot for your time, Nathan.