Z.K.   So tell me a little bit about Lazer Palace. Is there only one person behind the label? How many releases does Lazer Palace have, and from who?  What acts/bands are on the label and why did you chose them?

L.P.   Laser Palace consists of my wife (Kristi Schaefer) and I (Ryan) who are Hideous Men.  The idea for the label was essentially to be a production unit for artists and musicians in Denver to put out physical releases.  Right now we are a tape label and have put out three releases. BDRMPPL/ALPHABETS, HIDEOUS MEN/VIA, IUENGLISS/HOLLAGRAMZ.  Each release is paired up with visual artists throughout the community to do the packaging. They are in limited releases of 20 and are individually hand painted and designed.

Z.K.   Are you looking for any specific genre when asking projects to join the label? Is Lazer Palace a cassette release label only?

L.P.   The bands on the label right now have been in the vein of a more DIY electronic sound. We are definitely not exclusive to that sound.  They were chosen out of a sincere admiration for each performers sound and perspective.  We try to pair up acts that have a similar aesthetic but also a different approach.  We feel that by doing these split tapes it makes the releases more diverse and vibrant, possibly exposing people to new artists.

Z.K.   What was the idea and purpose for starting the label?

L.P.   Right now the label stands for collaboration and community. We really strive to make Denver a more diverse and dynamic place through our releases. Outside of our initial releases we also have plans for a Pictureplane tape and a 7" split with Modern Witch and Hideous Men.  We are also teamed up with Bocumast and hold a sort of sister label status. They handle most of our digital distribution through itunes. We realize that tapes are not always the most accessible means and want the music to survive outside of the tape realm so we opened up to the digital aspect as well. The unique part of owning the tape is that it has been personally hand painted/crafted/designed, it has a unique sound and a physical presence.

Z.K.   Where can i purchase/trade releases from?

L.P.   You can purchase the cassettes at our shows or through our website @ www.laserpalace.com it's currently being developed by me but should be up by the end of this coming weekend.

Z.K.   What does Rhinoceropolis mean to you?

L.P.   We love the community that we exist in, especially Rhinoceropolis. Denver is so fortunate to have a space like Rhino and the community that exists around it. It enables people to experiment and grow while being active.  As much as we love it, we can't be ignorant to the fact that it isn't perfect, there is still plenty of room for denver to grow especially the DIY scene here.  Our song Holodeck was written about Rhinoceropolis, and how we must all be conscious about our intentions and be aware to the fact that art like this isn't permanent and one day it could no longer exist here.  We need a supportive community to make it permanent, financially and physically.  On a more positive note we hope that the song and our label become a source of empowerment for people who need to feel that sense of belonging, because that is our intention.

Z.K.   What is in the future for Lazer Palace?

L.P.   Laser Palace will continue to grow and put out more releases. We have seen so much positive response to what we are doing and are truly inspired to do more at a greater level.