Hello Internaut, traveller of the internet, glad you made it here. So how can we help you? Are you stopping by in search for booking a marvelous holiday retreat, on a tropical island? Do you want to know, how Brigitte Bardot is looking now, beyond her 80s? Do you need spare parts for BlackBerry 7270? I'm sorry you haven't reached your destination, yet. But if you were drawn to BB*ISLAND for music, we have something unique to offer. BB*ISLAND is a record label (with a sister label, named BONE VOYAGE RECORDINGS). BB*ISLAND got founded by Quintus Kannegiesser and Simone Dubberke on the dark cold new years eve 2003/2004. There's been champagne and record spinning and such things, when all in a sudden the New Year's resolution lists merged with the ever changing desert island records lists. Thinking back to this night it might be that this also led to the label's name. A tipsy double vision look on plan B (everyone should have one), the stars, the island... who cares. But since starting out properly we're getting questions frequently asked


photo by Georges Méliès / La Cinematheque Francais

photo by Georges Méliès / La Cinematheque Francais

FAQ

How's the weather on BB*ISLAND?

Yeah, we do have seasons… Or do you mean the spirits? To quote our friends of 22 Pistepirkko: "The mood is good, good is the mood!" 

Where is BB*ISLAND? 

First we spotted it in the upper left corner of our mind map. It's a moving affair. First BB*ISLAND office was in Hamburg. on an island of river Elbe. In the meantime it moved to another deserted part of Hamburg, Moorburg - (translate: moor castle. swampy) again close to natural environment, or greenish fallow land. We have experienced that the colour of green is good for our work flow and we've learned to handle muddy boots.

What are you doing on BB*ISLAND?

You mean apart from lying in the sun... We are an agency and as well a label. Please do some research on our homepage. What you'll find is what we are currently busy with - In general we help our partners to get their music heard. Not only by us..... With passion and affection we are working in the fields of consulting, promotion, marketing, product-, label-, artistmanagement. This may include the organization and handling of publicity throughout Germany, or looking for convenient partners, nationally and internationally, like distribution companies, labels, bookers, and all kind of agencies. Or we even may want to release music through our own label and distribution accounts for all of Europe. Neither we are able to conjure nor we promise heaven and earth. (Be careful if somebody is doing so.) Finally we have to find out together what suites your needs best. 

I would like to write you a postcard from one of my favourite Island. What's your address? 

BB*ISLAND / att. Buzzy Bee
Moorburger Elbdeich 273H
21079 Hamburg/Germany


Who founded BB*ISLAND and for what reasons?

On january 1st, 2004.head honcho Quintus Kannegiesser put it like this " I am in this music business world since 1983, learning by doing. Back then in Germany there were no fancy studies on multi-media (there were no multi-media at all) or music business courses. I've been in a band, while I was learning in a record retail and wholesale store. My band got signed to an independent label, but soon have started our own. After a while in 1993 we've been offered a distribution deal with German CBS turning to Sony, being the first independent label  within their distributed catalogue. Actually after a while we found it was a bit too early, both for them and us. And our label got dissolved. I have produced recordings in the studio, booked gigs, managed bands, worked at an office for music consulting, with a focus on contracts and licensing. Kept playing with bands. Finally in 1995 I've joined EFA Medien, a then big independent record company, being in charge for promotion and product management first, later head of marketing, I was successfully involved in lots of releases, spanning a wide range of music, artists and labels. Some of the artists you'll probably know or heard of, like The Go-Betweens, Bright Eyes, Evan Dando, Belle & Sebastian, Thievery Corporation, Bebel Gilberto. Nevertheless I felt my time at EFA has come to an end (for various reasons). So I quit for my own independent business at the end of 2003. Now with BB*ISLAND I'm working more flexible, again, closer to the music and artists. Together we're trying our best to develope things carefully on a long-term base.  Still it's exciting, to keep going and keep learning in this ever changing music scene."  


Do you commit yourself to a certain music scene? 

Nope, we are not into a specific genre. We know two kinds of music: Country & Western… oops sorry mean Good or Bad music, as Duke Ellington put it. We like Country music only. (if you have Spotify you may shuffle through the moods we are in while at work: here, or here or here or here

Are you accepting demo-tapes?

We love to discover new music, but unfortunately we don't have the capacity to release too much and to give you appropriate feedback every time. If you feel you have something we should hear, please get in touch via email and some streaming links. Then we'll see

I'm a journalist/radio programmer from outside Germany. Can I get a promo copy of...?

Please just send your request, with a bit information on what you're doing and planning. And we'll be right back to you.

Feel free to email any other questions to info AT bbisland.de.