“The future will be more artist-run labels like mine,” said Simon Raymonde, a Bella Union co-founder and former Cocteau Twins bass player. “Our role is to be friend and ally, to nurse and to listen, and to do what we say we’ll do. Ten years ago, we had the same desires. Maybe now, we’re just a little better at it.”

The full blog post, on London’s 2009 independent music festival, is at the NEW YORK TIMES.