The crisp, pure sound of a vinyl record resonates throughout the main room of alumnus Xavier Delgado’s True Grit Records office. The smooth combination of a hip-hop beat and soloing electric guitar accompanied by a serene harmonization of two voices is transmitted by a gramophone.
The label, formed in October 2012 by Delgado and longtime friend Xavier Alatorre, works with up-and-coming artists to help them distribute physical music and promote their live events. True Grit Records has signed two bands thus far: five-piece The Motel Life and duo Their Wedding, consisting of vocalist Michael Escanuelas and guitarist Al Hernandez. On Nov. 29, True Grit put on a vinyl release show at DBA Wine Bar in Pomona, Calif. for The Motel Life’s latest EP, “Those Bruises,” originally released in July 2012.
“We like to work with bands that show their own true grit,” Delgado said. “Artists that are as dedicated as we would hope for them to be are hard to come across.”
Delgado said he is familiar with the hard work that young bands must put in to get their music exposed to audiences. He played in two bands during his time at UCLA and continued with music after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in history in 2007.
“After college, if you don’t have a set plan already, you can get smashed with the world coming in on you,” Delgado said. “You realize that there is so much you can do, and yet, you don’t know how to do it.”
So far, True Grit Records focuses on producing and distributing physical music, such as “Those Bruises,” to audiences of the bands they have signed. The Motel Life and Their Wedding material can be listened to digitally, on CD or on vinyl – available on True Grit’s website and at live concerts.
“I myself am a big, big enthusiast of physical music, especially the vinyl format,” Delgado said. “I like having something tangible in my hand. I like the collectability of it and there’s a growing number of people that are willing to support bands in that way.”
Delgado, Escanuelas and Hernandez all collect vinyl records and CDs, and said they share a mutual respect for physical music in an age dominated by digital music distribution.
“CDs especially are a token for a band on the road for fans to say, ‘Hey, we really like what you did. Here’s five bucks; get yourselves home,’ and that’s what we are really supportive of,” Delgado said. “We tell bands, ‘Hey, if you are not going to set a value for your music, then who will?’”
Frontman of both bands on the label, Michael Escanuelas, helps Delgado with the graphic design aspect of concert promotion and album artwork.
“He is passionate; that’s definitively what (Delgado) is all about,” Escanuelas said. “I started doing some graphic design for (Delgado) as well within the last year and helped out with the album artwork and whatnot.”
The Motel Life released “Those Bruises” onto vinyl earlier this year with True Grit Records. The six-track EP currently resides on the shelves of two local record stores: Jungle Records in Montebello and Origami Vinyl in Echo Park.
“The Motel Life is a very energetic band. I guess you could call it cathartic,” Delgado said. “(Escanuelas) especially looks like he’s about to lose it on stage the whole time, but in a very stylish way.”
Escanuelas took to the mic with The Motel Life for the vinyl release show at the DBA Wine Bar. The label promotes its bands, putting on events mostly in the L.A. and Inland Empire areas. Escanuelas said he draws influence from a variety of musicians, especially Daryl Palumbo from post-hardcore band Glassjaw.
“It’s what you make music for. You make music to play on stage and that’s where you get the rush of people getting into your music,” Escanuelas said. “Its kind of like putting your soul out there. That’s the rush.”
The second band signed to True Grit Records, Their Wedding, is a more recent project of Escanuelas and guitarist Al Hernandez.
“Their Wedding is an indie-electronic pop group,” Delgado said. “It’s a two-piece with backing drums and backing tracks, a guitar player and a singer who plays keys as well. That’s more along the lines of Bon Iver and Youth Lagoon and things like that.”
Hernandez said that he and Escanuelas have a close relationship with True Grit Records.
“We eat dinner with them all the time, go have beer with them. It’s almost like (Delgado) is in the band. To me, he is just a part of the team,” he said.
Delgado said his relationship with the music community has built friendships and unity among his peers, something he looks to continue with the new label.
“I know what it is like to be a kid who’s not exactly popular in high school, but to be able to have friends because of these shows that we’ve played,” Delgado said. “The music community is very tight. You just make friends with everyone because you realize, ‘Hey, we are all in this together.'”