Shaun McCabe is a busy man in the local music scene, and he’s about to make himself even busier by “starting a little label called Brokest Records.” The motivation was simple and clear: he “wanted to start Brokest Records to release more projects in the city and maybe get involved with a few of them.”

“I thought of friends/bands in the city who have used up their show money on recording, but have nothing to spend on a release. Reflecting on that, and a conversation I had with a friend/Werewoman bandmate in Toronto, I felt Brokest Records should be the name of this label I start for however long I can do it.”

The label’s first release will be a limited tape for Lightnin’ Mike’s Struck by the Lightnin’, followed by vinyl releases of Werewoman’s Youth;Slipt and Joe Grizzly’s Uproarious, with plans to sign Mike Moyst (of Joe Grizzly, Van Buren Boys) for an upcoming rap album. McCabe also “hopes to sign Plainface or The Darts later this year, along with possibly others.”

So, what does a band signed to Brokest Labels get? “As a label,” McCabe says, “I am providing the first deposit for physical release, so the bands can use the time to pay for final deposit, and then money from sales/release show to pay back what I covered.”

Physical releases, and a platform to share/sell the band’s goods, is the real goal for Brokest Records.

“I really want to push the idea of keeping band money in an envelope or box in somebody’s house. Too many great bands put off amazing shows with nothing but maybe t-shirts to remember them by, because of splitting profits 3-5 ways. Everyone’s got jobs, so use your music to make music. Get friends to make art for it. Get stoked about it. Don’t just play for the sake of a free Friday night out. You’ll thank yourself later.”

Follow Brokest Records on Facebook and Instagram: @brokestrecords