Mark Fraser (in cap) and soe of the Vi-Nil Records stable christening another INDIE SOUNDS compilation last year.
If you’ve seen gigs by the cooler bands from Wollongong, Newcastle or the Central Coast over the last few years, you would have seen Mark Fraser at the merchandise stand.
His record label Vi-Nil Records has been responsible for releasing some killer records, some of them in a compilation series called “Indie Sounds” showcasing various scenes from Sydney’s environs. Mark has been part of the street level scene now for almost 45 years, as a writer, venue owner, muso and head of his own label.
The first Vi-Nil record I bought was the “Surfing On My Face” single by the Hard-Ons. It dates from 1985, a time when there were 50-plus music venues across Sydney. Then-local radio station Triple-Jay played cool shit and thousands of like minded kids were packing rooms seeing original bands.
After a long break, Mark revived the Vi-Nil imprint in 2022. I was curious what drew back him back and what changes he’d observed. So we sat down and had a yarn.
Vil-Nil Records has been going for decades. Why did you start it?
Mark: I started the label 1983. It was originally called Suspect Records and became Vil Nil in 1984 Suspect Records was launched to release the first Conspirators single. There were a lot of great bands playing in the early to mid’80s and I wanted to capture them on record for posterity.
I was privileged to release debut records from The Conspirators, Psychotic Turnbuckles and Labradogs and more. We used the indie arm of EMI to press the records. Minimum runs back then were 500 copies. Singles were more popular than albums which is the complete reverse of today when albums far out-sell singles.
The 22s with Mark Fraser on guitar at the Mosman Hotel in 1985.
What was scene like for you back then?
Mark: The ‘80s was an era for not only live music but also for great single releases Records were mainly sold at record shops opposed to shows. That has reversed nowadays, with most bands relying on merch sales at gigs to make a buck. We still sell via indie stores and are currently in 30 or so around the country.
The label has been a powerhouse of activity of late. What vibed you up to get really happening again?
Mark: I relaunched the label in 2022, after a very long hiatus. I co-owned the Link and Pin Café at Woy Woy at the time and it made sense to rev up the label given how many bands were crossing my path there, live.
The initial relaunch was a compilation album “INDIE SOUNDS FROM THE HABOUR CITY” and it contained all the bands that I released from the 1980s: Hard Ons, Lipstick Killers, Psychotic Turnbuckles, The Conspirators, Labradogs, Stig Can’t Clap, Gulf Klub, Howling Commandos, The 22s and The Klerks.
It was over a year in the planning. It sold out pretty quick and the “INDIE SOUND” compilations are now an annual thing, with East Coast tours to launch each album. To date we have done compilations of bands from the New South Wales Central Coast, Newcastle and Hunter and Wollongong.
The 2026 “INDIE SOUNDS” is yet to be decided but it might be volume two of the Harbour City collection.
Since relaunching we have released albums by Shacked, DISCGRACEland, Cousin Betty, Lion Island, The Sugar Beats, Forklift Assassins, The 225s, Overtones, RUST, Deadway and the 40th anniversary edition of Hard-Ons’ ” Surfing On My Face” EP.
Vi-Nil band Suspect Device plays Harboard on Sydney's Northern Beaches in 1982.
So what’s changed over the last 40 years?
Mark: Although the demand for indie vinyl is still these, it is not in the same volume that we used to see . Indie stores are not as propellants as in the 1980s, yet those that are still around have been very supportive to date.
The Internet has made it easier to reach an audience and seen international sales grow ten-fold. Pre sales are imperative to not only gauging the popularity of a pending release but taking off a bit of the financial burden of pressing costs.
There are only are only a handful of pressing plants in Australia. After initially pressing in Taiwan and China it’s Suitcase Records in Brisbane and Zenith Records in Melbourne, and they push a great product with a pretty quick turnaround. After Covid, we were waiting up to eight months for international pressings, as opposed to around six weeks locally, nowadays.
The reissue of “Surfing On My Face” really explodes off the turntable. Tell me how the re-issue came about?
Mark: I had an idea to do a 40-year anniversary release of it with the original four songs on one side and three tracks from the same session on the other. The plan was to do it a 45rpm 12-inch with colour variations I kept it under wraps for a long time as I had a number of releases that I didn’t want overshadowed by a new Hard-Ons release The guys were right behind the concept and I set about updating the cover art, working on a new insert, re -creating the record labels, getting the tracks mastered for vinyl and setting release plans in motion.
Two days before opening pre-sales , I put a notice on socials announcing the release and that the record would be up for pre-sale on Friday morning that week. The Interest was immediate. I opened pre -sales at 8am and in less than an hour, 100 copies were sold. In 48 hours that number had grown to almost 300 so I decided to up the pressing numbers to 500.
I set aside a batch for retailers and sent an email to around 90 stores. All the wholesale records sold out in a couple of hours and by the middle of the following week, there was nothing left.
I reckon about 50 sales went to international buyers. The Hard-Ons fan base is fuckin solid. To say I was pretty excited about this project would be a wild understatement.
Tell me about a few other recent releases. Have any really stood out?
Mark: Other recent releases that have gone nuts sales-wise include The Sugar Beats’ excellent debut It features members of The Strike-Outs, Fangin’ Felines and Nitrocis and this was a no brainer to release. They are such a great live band.
The “INDIE SOUNDS FROM NEWY AND THE HUNTER” compilation has completely sold out .
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I suggest that Mark Fraser and his label would not still be going after 40 years if he did not have a deep passion for street-level tough Australian music. If you see him at a gig, pull out a 50 and buy one of his albums or a T-shirt. Better still, get online now and check out his store.
