Mere Mortal Productions, an independent record label, was originally founded in 1995 in Boston, Massachusetts by visionary Guymon Ebenezer Addams. In of February, 1999 the label was officially relocated to the beautifully decadent city of New Orleans, LA. Mere Mortal specialized in a particular brand of Gothic/Industrial/Wave music. This sound which the label focused on was often times very hard to classify, and particularly tricky to describe, with its elements of intricate electronics, dance driven new wave pop, combined with a well developed sense of organics and an intriguing mixture of dark aesthetics. In this world, the paradigm of Mere Mortal, technology and sensuality lived harmoneously under the same sky.

The goal was to simply release only the best new music the underground scene has to offer. Mere Mortal deeply embraced the concept of "quality over quantity". You would never see Mere Mortal randomly cranking out dozens of miscellaneous titles a month. You would however see tons of extra special care and consideration put into each and every release. The artists Mere Mortal worked with spent hours, weeks, months, and occasionally years in their various studios of choice, working at their own pace, perfecting their vision. The same kind of care went into all of the artwork and photography on each CD. Even the mastering of the two compilations entailed an extreme amount of care and concern for artistic cohesiveness and sonic integrity.

However, all of these visions came to an abrupt stand still in May of 1999.
The official word of owner Guymon E. Addams: 

I honestly thought a day like this would never come. For the longest
time I was able to float the label during really tough financial times,
always with a glimmer of hope just around the corner.....

Death for Life is unfortunately, in my opinion, officially a failure, 
with a total of about 400 copies sold to date (since 11/98). That
won't even cover the cost of the listening stations!!! It had all the
right components for success, to possibly be that one release that took
the label and its artists to the next step up, and all for a good cause.
But it wasn't that release. I was CRUSHED by this news. My label has come
to a complete stand-still, I feel I've let down all these bands that I
_really do_ care about,and the one CD that had the most personal meaning 
in it to me has completely bombed out. My best wasn't good enough...

Looking back I unfortunately see all of my mistakes crystal clear, the
primary one being taking on Etherhaus Distribution. That monster
basically ate me alive, and I'm still wounded from it. It seems that
every penny I squeeze to take care of something else (involving the
label that is) is immediately soaked up in the overwhelming debts of
that failed distribution company. My only option at this point is to
stop everything, get a semi-regular job working for the other guy and
begin paying everyone I owe, slowly but surely. 

At this point in time I am exhausted by this industry, at least this end
of it. For the time being, I cannot be the one financially and/or 
otherwise responsible for everyone's success or failure -- it is entirely
breeding my own failure.  And I am unable to cope with the guilt that gets
dumped on me for any such uninteded failures or shortcomings of others.
As a result I feel much, MUCH older than I am, mentally, physically, and 
even spiritually. I know a few involved with the label likely feel I 
have in some way/at some point lied to them, or led them on in some way.
That's fine. We all need a scapegoat I suppose. Success in life, in art,
in whatever projects we all persue, is only possible if we take responsibility
for our own actions and/or inactions. I cannot and will not take all of the
blame, only what is truly mine. The music industry is just not as cut and dry
as we'd all like, just by it's very nature, and it never has been nor ever will be. 

While on the one hand I feel am completely done with the label, 
somewhere deep down I'm hoping that maybe later on down the road I can
ressurect it somehow. I remain very proud of the accomplishments I have made
with it, and I am extremely pleased that I have earned a few more notches in
my belt through it all. A few friends who have bothered to stick by me and
not run for the hills in times of crisis have actually offered a few very
encouraging words that make me think it might not be over for good.....

In the meantime I plan on DJ'ing, doing promotional work here locally (New Orleans),
booking shows from time to time, collaborating with House of Blues on a monthly
dance night, etc. A whole other end of the industry for me to scar myself with. 
I guess this proves I really am a sadist. For me the hardest thing is the concept 
of the day job. Being self-employed for so long actually gave me some kind of 
sense of pride. Mere Mortal was everything to me, it was my life. 
But for now it's over. I'll still be in the business, just not like I was....

Signing off.....
Reverend Guymon E. Addams

Please visit the official websites of the bands that were on (or were about to be on) Mere Mortal. Buy their CDs. Go to their shows. They need it and deserve it. Few other bands in the world are as artistically and intellectually evolved as these, and you will mostly be cheating yourself if you never let yourself experience them.

You Shriek
John Koviak / Sub Version
The Cruxshadows
Diary of Dreams

Other bands that appeared on Mere Mortal (or were just about to) that do not currently have websites:
 Wreckage: email: wreckagetl@aol.com for more info.
Spheire: email: eartha@sinister.com for more info.

Send label questions, comments, etc. to:
inquire@meremortal.com.

Mere Mortal Productions
P.O. Box 57445
New Orleans, LA 70157 USA

If you are an artist, label, or distributor, and would like to service Reverend Addams (due to the new DJ status that is) or are interested in possibly booking a show for your act in New Orleans, you may still contact him via the same address above.

Thanks...




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