CHICAGO — Charlie Greengoss believes in the power and mystique of vinyl records.
The company he and partner Adam Victorn founded, Vinyl For A Cause, is launching a $25,000 Indiegogo campaign Monday morning that will fund the pressing of 500 vinyl records for six Chicago-based bands. Vinyl For A Cause is partnering with VH1's Save The Music program, which supports music education throughout the United States.
"Adam and I have been going to concerts since before we should have been able to," said Greengoss, 27. "It developed into a real passion for music, and we just kind of saw making it as a touring musician is really tough, and we wanted to give a lifeline to up-and-coming artists who want to take it to the next level."
The six bands — Jesse W. Johnson, Coed Pageant, Railway Gamblers, The Leadfoot Band, IndigoSun and The Heard — are based in Edgewater, Beverly and Humboldt Park. The records were all recorded at Treehouse Records' studio in Belmont Cragin, Greengoss said. Each record will have about 6-7 minutes of music on each side, he said.
IndigoSun "always hoped to do something positive with our music,” IndigoSun keyboard player Kyle Liss said. “In the nature of touring, you don’t really make a lot in order to give too much. To actually be able to contribute to a good cause through a music project was really inspiring.”
Matt Fricks of Railway Gamblers said the project showed "that music truly can institute societal progress in the right direction."
If the $25,000 isn't raised, Greengoss said the records will still be made. The Indiegogo campaign will provide perks to those who make donations. If the allotted 500 records for an artist are sold, the digital rights to the music go to the artists, Greengoss said.
Greengoss said his company is dedicated to producing "small-batch vinyl" with artists who want to give back to the community. Future fundraisers will allow recording artists to work with their choice of charitable causes, Greengoss said.
"We've been working on this for a year and a half, and we're excited to share it with the city," Greengoss said.
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