A studio (/home) visit the founders of the SM-LL label profoundly changed my view of the “starving artist” trope. They were incredibly honest about the necessity of doing “dirty work” (side jobs) to fund their anti-capitalist creative dreams. Their philosophy—“You don’t have to make money; you just have to have enough money”—shifted my perspective on financial success.
SM-LL operates as a radical collective that challenges traditional artist-label profit motives. To them, success is the freedom to release vinyl with no markings, forcing the audience to return to the sound itself without the influence of branding. They admitted that in the early days, they would play shows for free just for the exposure, but now they carefully weigh the resources of an event before committing. This radical honesty about living costs in London and the reality of home-studios provided a sobering yet empowering roadmap for my own survival as a graduate.