UNC Student Struggles to Capture Local Music Scene in Compilation

In partnership with UNC senior Cam Carrithers, the senior photojournalism major financed Patchwork, a compilation record that sews together the music of little-known local and bigger-name bands.

"These are rock songs which wouldn't have been heard if it hadn't been made," Arthurs said.

"Two of the bands have broken up, some are just starting, and some are in the middle. It's a rare combination, and that's why it's called Patchwork."

Patchwork began to piece together shortly after Arthurs launched his Web site, mereexposure.com, as his Journalism 88, "Introduction to Multimedia," project Dec. 8, 2001.

Arthurs said Mere Exposure provided a way for him to combine what he loved -- photography, video and writing -- with music.

As he formed more relationships with bands, Arthurs nourished a desire to help smaller, less-established groups.

"That was the general idea behind deciding to put together a compilation, to have some bigger-name bands that would make people take notice but also an equal number of new bands that deserve the attention," he said.

With friend and Mere Exposure collaborator Carrithers, Arthurs plunged into the financial risk of initiating an indie music label.

"The independent music scene is cluttered with indie labels that go under after one record," he said.

Arthurs said getting taken seriously has been a challenge with handling business and publicity and also initially when contacting bands hesitant about the project.

"Bands are used to being promised things which never materialize," he commented.

Arthurs and Carrithers pumped their own impressive contact lists to draw the groups on Patchwork. Only one band, Vroom, didn't appear in their little black books and required Arthurs to struggle through red tape for a song.

While he and Carrithers knew the other 13 bands previously, Arthurs explained that the CD did not just come from a group of friends, but from professional relationships -- but even with these established contacts, Arthurs still met logistical difficulties.

He played musical ping-pong while trying to garner each song -- getting the band to choose a song, then listening to, approving, recording the song -- "It's the hardest thing I've ever done," he said.

And he's proud of it.

Once the finished product arrived, Arthurs simply admired it after having slept on his couch to hear the UPS man.

"When it was finally in my hands, it was so gratifying," he said.

The success of last weekend's launch party and live performances augmented his satisfaction, especially when he saw people discovering and enjoying music they wouldn't usually hear.

"People take for granted the really great bands that are here," he said. "It wasn't necessarily the scene that fed the compilation but the compilation that fed the scene.

"Why would I go somewhere else when there's so much right here?"

The Arts & Entertainment Editor can be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.