Building a Better Label

If the Galvezes sound a tad harried these days, consider that the brothers just launched their own distribution company, There When Down. Formed earlier this year with Kapin, it's envisioned as a way to cut costs and control how Space Cadette music is marketed and sold. The company's catalogue began with Florida bands but has grown to include national and international acts such as Jawbox and Velocity Girls. "We wanted to handle bands we believe in," Kapin says. "We don't see a lot of creativity out there, so we push the bands that we think people should be listening to." In typical Space Cadette fashion, There When Down's catalogue, released this spring, is as much a work of art as a listing -- its pages contain artwork from Alfredo's series of paintings Nightmares Home, as well as creative text by Rafael.

And the renovations at Space Cadette Central (7339 SW 45th St.) continue. The gallery has just been expanded in preparation for two upcoming shows. On Tuesday, September 2, Space Cadette hosts a Latin rock night with the Fun People from Argentina and local bands Cavity, Inmundo Mundo, and Enemigo Sol. On September 16, A Kite Is a Victim and Machete perform with two out-of-town bands, Tsunami and Sonora Pine; the evening will also feature the opening of the exhibition Sediments of Occasion, showcasing works by the Galvez brothers, Kapin, and other Space Cadette collaborators. "We're really excited because we have been totally inspired by Simple Machines," Kapin says, referring to Tsunami's pioneering indie label. "We've been in touch with them for years, so it's really exciting for them to finally see our space. The national bands that come through are amazed that we really do this all ourselves."

While Space Cadette has accomplished a lot in three years, the Galvezes insist the homegrown conglomerate has a long way to go. "We know that maybe nobody will hear these records, but maybe they will become popular in five years; maybe one band will become popular," Rafael says. "We know nothing becomes truly worthwhile and whole in one day or one year. You have to work it through until you get the results you want. And we're getting there little by little. Maybe we'll get there in five years, maybe in ten, but we are willing to wait.