Home | Secret Stash Records

Secret Stash Now Hiring Summer Interns

May 9th, 2013

Secret Stash Now Hiring Summer Interns!

We house all of our own inventory. Learning how orders from distributors are taken, processed, packed, shipped, and billed is one very valuable part of the internship.

That’s right, we are always looking for help here at Secret Stash. As a small burgeoning indie label we are doing big things and this is a great opportunity to get a hands on experience.

A Bit About Secret Stash

Recently declared “Best Record Label of The Twin Cities” by Minnesota Monthly, Secret Stash Records is dedicated to unearthing rare musical gems and sharing them with the world. We research, license, manufacture, and distribute reissues and compilations of historically significant “groove based music” from the US and abroad. Stylistically our releases are deeply rooted in funk and soul of the 60s and 70s. While we utilize all available mediums, we specialize in collectible limited edition vinyl pressings. We are a fiercely independent operation that manages virtually every single aspect of our business in-house. From product assembly, to distribution, PR, radio, and more, we run it all out of our uptown offices.

The Internship

Secret Stash Records is currently searching for non-paid interns. Ideally, this would be about a 15-20 hour a week commitment taking place primarily during normal business hours. We are more than happy to work with your school so you can receive credit for your internship. Now, a little bit about the internship…

You will gain experience in the following areas:

Supply Chain Management
• As a truly independent record label, we are involved in every step of the supply chain. We deal directly with manufacturers, assemble and warehouse our products, sell directly to wholesalers, retail stores, and consumers, and fulfill orders.

Promotion
• Advertising brands and releases through facebook, twitter, youtube, our website, email blasts, print media, and more
• Planning, helping coordinate, and advertising local release parties and events

Music Copyright Law and Licensing
• Hands-on experience with copyright law and licensing, including pulling mechanical licenses.

Project Management
• Sitting in on conversations and meetings and gaining insight into the day-to-day decisions of record labels and artists, as well as the process of setting and evaluating long-term goals.

Street Team
• Dropping off posters and flyers at local record shops.

Production Assistant
• Recently Secret Stash help schedule and plan live events, concerts, and other activities with the label and the musicians featured on its releases.

The day-to-day responsibilities of this internship involve supply chain management, promotion, and music copyright law and licensing. Being in a tight-knit office, the most valuable information you will take away from this internship will be through paying attention to what is going on in the office and by asking questions. This is primarily an office based internship.

If you are interested get in touch with as at sales@secretstashrecords.com

Looking forward to working with some awesome new folks here that can help us grow!

A Great weekend at the Dakota!

May 6th, 2013

Thanks so much to everyone who came out for our two sold out shows at the Dakota this past weekend. We really had a blast. So great to have Chastity Brown with us and to welcome back to the Twin Cities, Mr. “Daddy Soul” himself, Jackie Harris!

Dérobé Dance Band does Mulatu Astatke

April 23rd, 2013

Dig on this practice session tape we managed to fanagle out of one of our new bands, Dérobé Dance Band. Busting out some of the Ehtio-Jazz flavor like only they know how. Check this version of the Mulatu Astatke dance floor gem, “Emnete”!

Twin Cities Funk & Soul mention as “Best Local Music Compilation” in City Pages

April 17th, 2013

Aw shucks, it’s a big honor to receive mention from City Pages Minneapolis for our Twin Cities Funk & Soul collection being named “Best Local Music Compilation”. We’re really proud of it so the mention is an extra feather in our cap fo’ sho’. Glad everyone is still digging the music!!

If you still haven’t nabbed your own copy, it’s never too late! It’s still available at our webstore.

April 8th, 2013

We had such a great time at the Icehouse last week for the debut of Sonny Knight and the Lakers, we’re still kinda recovering. Stay tuned as there are some more gigs coming up with these guys and new music on the way. Like Sonny said, “We got a whole sack of new songs!”

Sonny Knight and the Lakers-mania!!

April 2nd, 2013

Big up to KFAI for having Sonny Knight on the air this week. He was so happy there’s all this great energy behind the big show at Icehouse this week. We’re big fans of the station so it meant a lot to have so much support. It’s fundraising week for the station so take a minute to click on their logo below and contribute to keep such a great independent radio station on the air as they have been for 35 years now!!

In the meantime you can also take a sneak peak at some of the rehearsals Sonny and our new band, The Lakers have been holding to make things extra funky for Wednesday night..

SONNY KNIGHT AND THE LAKERS AT THE ICEHOUSE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3RD!!

March 29th, 2013

Things have been moving ahead at full steam around here at Secret Stash. We have so many projects in the works and shows coming up that we are shaking with anticipation to even just tell you about them. Let’s just get started then as this week will in many ways spark the explosion of sweet funkiness that will be bound to tire all y’all out by Summer’s end around here.

This Wednesday we’ll be returning once again to the Icehouse with another new band we’ve recently assembled to kick off the season for Secret Stash Records Presents: Sonny Knight and the Lakers.

Sonny Knight has a long history as a singer in the Twin Cities. Sonny cut his first 45′, “Tears on My Pillow” b/w “My Darling” as Little Sonny Knight and the Cymbals in 1965. His youthful energy and dynamic voice come across wonderously on the swinging track of vintage vocal soul that Sonny recorded when he was just 15 years old. Similarily, the flip side slows things down allowing Sonny to lead his band with a soft soulful ballad that no doubt made the audience swoon. Eventually Sonny would be a part of several other groups in the 60′s and the 70′s Twin Cities cult favorite funk band, Haze.

Last year when it came time to put our Twin Cities Funk & Soul revue band together for the release of that compilation we became good friends and really close to Sonny Knight as he was enlisted to be a part of the reformed Valdons. With his vocal chops stronger than ever he’s been a key part of the group and helped bridge the 60′s soul spirit with 70′s funkiness singing on several other songs from the era including crowd favorites originally done by Prophets of Peace.

We’ve been long wanting to showcase Sonny’s energy and talents on his own and so it was with great inspiration that we’ve put together a band to back him up and allow for him to dominate the stage. Things really came together after the Secret Stash Soul Revue were invited to record a song, “Sorry” for the Beck “Song Reader” project where Sonny applied his signature voice to some new music for the first time.

Eventually it became necessary to assemble a group of budding talents to surround Sonny’s own unique abilities and bridge the past and present generations to resurrect those early songs but to create new grooves and melodies in what has turned out to be an inspiring combination that we can’t be more eager to share.

Thus it is with great pleasure we are able to introduce for the first time to the stage, Sonny Knight and the Lakers This Wednesday night, April 3rd at the Icehouse in Minneapolis.

As rehearsals have indicated it will be an amazing debut and particularly historic night not only for Secret Stash, but in Twin Cities music as well.

A look at “I (Who Have Nothing)”

March 25th, 2013

Our intern Joe McKenzie checks in with some cool history of the song “I (Who Have Nothing)”.

Recently we received a phone call from a friend saying they heard an American Idol performance that totally reminded them of us. As it turns out, Candice Glover had just performed “I (Who Have Nothing),” a song The Valdons have been performing around town with the Secret Stash Soul Revue. This is one of those songs that has been done a million times. We thought it’d be fun to share a little info about the history of this timeless tune.

“I (Who Have Nothing)” began life as “Uno Dei Tanti,” an Italian saying which means roughly “One of many.” This version was released by the Italian singer Joe Sentieri in 1961. In 1963 the songwriting duo of Leiber & Stoller wrote new lyrics over the original music, which became the song “I (Who Have Nothing)”. This updated version was sung by Ben E. King, which became a top 40 hit in 1963.

Tom Jones scored a top 20 hit with the song in 1970. This version features lush strings, reverb-drenched guitar, and the signature vocal acrobatics of the Welsh wonder himself.

Gladys Knight did her own version in 1979. Knight adds real bite to the delivery, along with the addition of prominent background vocals and a flute that has 70s written all over it.

The song has also been performed twice on American Idol, once by Jordin Sparks in 2007 and again by Candice Glover this year. Sparks stays mostly true to the Ben E. King original, with a few modern R&B updates from Glover.

The song was also heavily sampled by Jedi Mind Tricks, with added drums and new verses.

Hometown heroes The Valdons cut a killer version in ’71. They bring tangible energy to the song, adding a new intro, powerful organ and auxiliary percussion.

Finally, here are the Valdons performing the song with the Secret Stash Soul Revue to a sold out First Avenue at the Current’s 8th Birthday Party, January 2013.

Dérobé Dance Band and Black Market Brass playing the Icehouse

February 27th, 2013

Wednesday night, March 6 we are back on track with our monthly “Secret Stash Presents..” series at the Icehouse in Minneapolis. As things start to thaw out around here we are bringing in the Spring with 2 great local Afrobeat bands.

Dérobé Dance Band is our own recent creation. Having just a few gigs under our belts, this now finely tuned machine is ready to rock the Spring season with heavy duty traditional Afrobeat sounds and will be doing so Wednesday at the Icehouse. Warming things up will be Black Market Brass. Having been bringing their own version of funky dance floor West African music to many on the West Bank scene and all over town these guys are seasoned in the soulful big beat sounds that will get the crowd moving and grooving right out of the gate. Check out this wicked video of Black Market Brass from a recent gig during their weekly residency at the Nomad.

Icehouse is located at 2526 Nicollet Ave S. Music begins at 10pm. $6 at the door.

Pictures from 89.3 The Current’s 8th Birthday Party

January 23rd, 2013

We’re still coming down from a great night last week at the Current’s 8th Birthday Party at First Avenue. Check out some great photos courtesy of our friend Meredith Westin from the night!