REAX:  Lujo Records is based in Washington DC, yet has been responsible for selecting choice bands from the Florida music scene and releasing their albums on a national level.  Explain the process of how you found and signed these artists without being in close proximity to them.
Jocelyn Aucoin:  My partner Erik and I have run Lujo out of DC for the past three years, but prior to that the label was based in Louisiana and this month we are moving to California.  Location is somewhat irrelevant for us.  We’re nomadic and we’d rather not be limited to the bands within our fifty-mile radius, wherever that may be.  The indie music community is amazingly small and word travels fast.  From the beginning, we have welcomed our bands bringing in other bands…that’s how we uncovered this little pocket in Florida.  Our first Floridian band was The Dark Romantics. They were recording an EP with Jason Martin (Starflyer 59). Martin is a friend of the label and sent those recordings our way. Eric Collins of TDR became a fast and trusted friend to us and he brought in Mouse Fire. An old friend, Ryan Luther, told us about Look Mexico and Eric C. advised us on that decision as well. Look Mexico turned us on to our most recent sign, Pomegranates. We love having our bands help out.  It makes the label feel more like a family or a team.

REAX:  What was your first memory of experiencing excitement from music and how did you transition from being a music enthusiast to an active participant in the business?
JA:  Wow.  I have to think way back for this one!  The first tape I ever got was a Beach Boys compilation from my Aunt.  I got it for my 10th birthday. I listened to that thing over and over again and to this day that gift holds a special place in my heart.  However, I don’t think the real excitement came until high school when I started going to shows and seeing bands play live.  I really respond to and connect with live music.  The idea that I could work in music was a huge revelation for me. As soon as I realized that was possible, I knew I had found my niche.  That revelation came about thanks to a small indie label called 5 Minute Walk.  They’ve since folded, but back in the day they operated and had a warehouse up in Northern California, not far from where I grew up, where they held regular shows. Those shows were like training ground for me. That’s where the light bulb went off. Actually, it was several light bulbs.

REAX:  You’ve released over 50 records since the label’s inception in 2001.  That’s quite impressive!  Who are your best selling artists, and do you have a few personal favorites?
JA:  Thank you!  Our tagline is “Quality, Quantity, and Luxury” so I suppose it’s safe to say we’re at least holding to the Quantity part.  Our best selling artists so far have been The Fall of Troy, Baby Teeth, The Dark Romantics, and Look Mexico.  I don’t have favorite bands on the label—how could a mother choose?  I do, however, have a favorite record.  Suffering And The Hideous Thieves’ Rats In Heaven.  That record served as my introduction to the label.  Before I came to co-run Lujo, I was the press girl, and Ashamed was the first record I worked.  I think it’s amazing.  It set the bar for me as far as how I view the label’s aesthetic. It set the bar high. 

REAX:  With bands spread across the country, how does touring work?  Do bands that are stronger in a certain region help each other out with shows?
JA:  When we sign a band in one region, I am always on the look out for brothers and sisters for that band. (Oh no—there I go with the family metaphor again.)  I think it’s really important to have at least one partner in crime close by.  It’s been great to see how Look Mexico, The Dark Romantics, and Mouse Fire help each other out with shows and contacts and all that good stuff.  It’s how it should be.  A lot of bands don’t realize that by helping out their label mates, they help themselves. I think our bands get that though and they are great about getting shows for out-of-town label mates, too.

REAX:  Lujo is a Spanish word meaning luxurious.  How does the name apply to your roster of artists and the general image of your label?
JA:  Oh, you know your Spanish.  Muy bien!  A synonym for luxurious is “high quality” and I think that applies here a little better. Our roster is eclectic, but the common thread throughout is high quality.  That goes not only for the music, but also for the production and the artwork.  We have been fortunate enough to work with great producers like Steve Albini (New Brutalism), J. Robbins (Caverns), Ed Rose (Kidcrash), and Matt Bayles (Verona).  Also, Nigel Evan Dennis (Electricheat.org) has been with us since the label’s inception.  He’s an artist, designer, illustrator (and musician!) and does amazing artwork for Lujo and others, including the new Common record!

REAX:  With the upcoming relocation of the label, what will change in your daily operations?  Is the current staff you have in DC following you down the yellow brick road?
JA:  Man, The Wizard of Oz freaks me out. The DC staff consists of myself, Erik, and Stephen, our “demo filter”.  I suppose we’ll be looking for a new demo person out west. And out there, we’ll be meeting up with Aaron Feibus, our digital and accounting dude.  We’ll probably finagle a few interns, too.  Everything else will remain the same, though, and I don’t expect operations to change much either. Oh, who am I kidding? Nothing ever stays the same for long in this business!  But that’s just another reason I love it.

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