The Rambling Man Interviews OOB records CEO Kathy Keller

 

Interview conducted by Anselm Anderson

The Rambling Man seized the opportunity to speak with OOB Records and Friendly Folk Records founder Kathy Keller about her tenth anniversary, marking the creation of the ventures, which celebrate the best in folk and prog music from unsigned bands. I talked to her about the companies, their impacts, how she got started, and what it's like to spend ten years doing what she loves.

Congratulations on your tenth anniversary with OOB Records and Friendly Folk Records. What are your thoughts on achieving this milestone at this stage in your journey?   

Well, hitting the 10-year mark has been surprisingly emotional, filled with nostalgia and “what if” moments. I began with a passion for music as a journalist and by running My Music Matters Management and booking company, along with hosting Prog Core Radio shows. The pivotal moment came in 2017 when I was getting a bit too busy and had to choose between Prog and Folk while balancing a full-time teaching job. Ultimately, I chose to go part-time teaching and launched Friendly Folk Records, but I now wish I had trusted my instinct to embrace all genres from the start with Out of the Box (OOB) Records. The folk journey was adventurous, leading to festivals and hosting stages, but I soon realised that OOB could encompass a broader spectrum of seasoned artists. In 2026, the labels merger under the OOB banner feels like attainment.

You began My Music Matters Management (MMMM) in 2015. What inspired its concept?  

In 2014, after teaching English Language & Literature and Journalism to high school students in the Netherlands, one of my students challenged me to conduct an interview with their band. Although I’d graduated from London School of Journalism in 2005, I’d actually never done a live interview. So, I accepted the student’s challenge and enjoyed the backstage vibe and interviewing process so much that I adopted music journalism as a new hobby. After reviewing and interviewing many local and touring bands, mostly in the progressive and folk genres, a local folk punk band asked if I would be their manager. I investigated the requirements for music management and promotion, and with my first diploma in business management, combined with journalist and teaching qualifications, and years working as an entrepreneur,  it appeared that I had all the qualifications needed. So, I placed a message in a group chat of everyone I’d ever interviewed, and surprisingly, many up-and-coming as well as seasoned musicians were looking for a manager and promotion company, and the rest is history, as they say.

You renamed MMMM to Friendly Folk Records to support emerging folk musicians. How significant was this change for your career?

In 2017, I was approached by a company that assumed MMMM was already a label, as we offered everything except distribution. Within months, MMMM became Friendly Folk Records. The main benefit for musicians was access to worldwide wholesale distribution and increased exposure—opportunities most distributors don’t offer independent artists. The challenge was personal. After two decades working with teenagers and having a nurturing nature, it was hard to say no to young artists who wanted to join the label. In the early years, I invested considerable time, energy, and money often without return. Younger bands frequently broke up, lacked working capital, or misunderstood the role of a record label, expecting a booking agent. Those first years became an intense learning period and helped me grow as a label owner. I experienced every scenario imaginable—good, bad, and downright ugly—but they ultimately laid the foundation for the label. Four seasoned folk acts from those early years remain with Friendly Folk Records: Greenrose Faire (FI), The Midnight (IT), Drusuna (PT), and Jyoti Verhoeff (NL), all of whom began with my management services in 2015.

What can you tell me regarding the 2020 inception of OOB Records and discuss its impact on the subsequent merger with Friendly Folk Records?

 OOB Records, which stands for "Out Of the Box," embodies my belief that not all musicians fit into a single genre. The name was partially inspired by a request from a prog metal band I had managed in 2015 who asked if I could release their music via FFR. I hesitated, thinking it wouldn’t fit the FFR roster, but I didn't want to turn friends away. The idea of launching a second label had been brewing in my mind for years, and that request became the push I needed. I wanted to create a label that welcomed various genres, extending beyond just folk. Since 2020, distribution, promotion, and production for both labels have all been managed in-house, leading to a reduction in costs and an increase in control over our artistry. In the early years, FFR relied heavily on a network of labels, which took a significant portion of our profits to provide these services, and kept the label suppressed as an underling to the parent label. Now, with an in-house administrative team, OOB is self-sufficient and process music submissions from around the globe. Importantly, I’ve maintained a strong focus on A&R, ensuring that all artists have a direct open line to me for any questions or concerns. I limit releases to a maximum of two albums and three singles per month to give each release my full attention during production and release week. The OOB logo was designed by my dear friend, professional graphic designer Henk Bol (Philhelmon), whom I managed in 2015. It’s been touching to reconnect with many artists I managed back then, including Philhelmon, who signed their 2024 release with us. Receiving demo submissions from world-renowned artists adds to my optimism for the future of OOB.

Which other music genres do the labels support?  

That’s actually a good question, because a question like that implies that genres define the music, when our belief is that music can and should be free from genre tags. However, in the digital world, it’s essential to categorize music—it's often the first box to tick on aggregator upload screens. Our slogan, "Out Of the Box Records, for music that doesn’t fit in a genre box," reflects our commitment to avoiding the pigeonholing of artists. We focus on Folk, Progressive Rock, Hard Rock, Soft Rock, Metal, Blues, Jazz, Pop, Indie, Singer-songwriter, Neo-classical, Cinematic, World Music, Ambient Music, and Reggae, although I wish we could support every genre, our genre focus needs to be where we have promotion and radio associates.

Which bands are you most proud of, and which do you think will achieve greater success?  

That is a bit like asking a mother to choose her favourite child. I am proud of all our artists and their talents. What I cherish most is that they have chosen OOB Records as their label. Unlike many labels that actively solicit new artists, all our artists have approached us with demo submissions and requested to join our growing family. Some of our artists had substantial followings before signing with us, such as Ton Scherpenzeel (Kayak), Mark Truey Trueack (Unitopia, UPF), and Philhelmon. Additionally, Tom Portman and Jamie Toomey have garnered international followings and received grants and support from music and cultural arts councils in Ireland. I genuinely hope all our musicians achieve greater success, but I’m particularly intrigued by newcomers like Flight Recorder, Marcel Singor, Counter’s Creek, and Aeldfire.

What is essential for developing effective labels and helping bands achieve mainstream success? 

That is indeed the million-dollar question that all artists and labels worldwide wish they could answer. On our FAQ page, I mention that if artists expect to be ‘discovered’ and become overnight sensations, their expectations might exceed what we can offer as an indie label. Fame and fortune generally happen to only a handful of artists each decade, primarily in the mainstream music arena and often backed by major labels. The focus of mainstream music shifts from decade to decade with changing fanbase trends; right now, R&B/Hip Hop, Pop, and EDM still dominate the scene. While signed artists typically receive more attention, which helps boost music sales, fan engagement, and visibility, achieving success requires a mix of paid promotion and finding oneself in the right place at the right time. Therefore, I always advise artists to have realistic expectations and to not get carried away with dreams of worldwide stardom.

You are known for collaborating with internationally recognized artists such as the progressive rock group Kayak and co-founder Ton Scherpenzeel. How did that come about, and what is it like working with them?  

Our collaboration officially began in 2021 with Ton’s solo album Velvet Armour, though the story of how it came about goes back to 2018. I attended Kayak’s ‘Seventeen’ album release party to see my friend Kristoffer Gildenlöw as their new bass player. While being repeatedly nudged out of the autograph line, (it happens often in crowds due to my 148cm petite stature) Kristoffer laughed and told me to grab his hand and “duck under the table.” In a flash, I was standing in the middle of Kayak, and unintentionally ended up in countless fan photos. A year later, Ton approached me at a Kayak concert for ‘Out of This World’ and said, “you look familiar.” I explained how I’d accidentally photo-bombed his release party, and we shared a good laugh. It was incredibly humbling when Ton chose Friendly Folk Records for Velvet Armour in 2021, and we’ve been his label home ever since. We’ve released four solo albums across OOB and Friendly Folk Records, with his next album, A Fleeting Light, scheduled for March 2026. Over the years, we’ve built a wonderful working relationship and friendship. Alongside his immense talent, Ton is kind, honest, generous with advice, he has a great sense of humour, and it is a true pleasure to work with him. I’ve learned a lot about the music industry, and his stories from over 50 years in the spotlight are unforgettable. When Kayak released their 2022 farewell tour on DVD and double CD, Ton chose OOB Records, leading to further collaborations, including signing Kayak guitarist Marcel Singor, his duo project ‘Flight Recorder’ with Robin van Vliet, and the duo project Scherpenzeel & Singor. Also, after signing Kayak, we received many demos from many established prog artists who wanted to join OOB Records.

What are your expectations for the next ten years? 

It’s impossible to predict. The industry evolves constantly—who would have imagined that vinyl and cassettes would have a comeback returned—streaming has become contentious, and AI is now embraced for artistic and technical enhancement, so who knows what the future brings. Our focus is to continue growing the OOB label post FFR merger while nurturing our current roster. In 2026 and 2027, we’ll prioritize signing established artists, with only a select new signings each year. We offer fair, competitive contracts and aim to expand our prog rock roster in 2026. With 30 artists and over 100 releases so far, it’s been a strong decade. I think we’ll simply wait, watch, and remain grateful