I asked my buddy Craig Lewiston, creator of 11a Records to take some time out of his day and answer a few questions about life and the label he runs. Currently he is living in Santa Cruz and working in tech, and he spends his downtime surfing some of the most famous breaks in the world right in his own city. Craig has a small dog named Alfie, which we will cover later and always has a couple projects going at once.
What was the first CD you bought and how old were you?
The Cure - Wish (1992). I think I was 13
Kan"ye" or Kan"not for me?"
more like Kan"ye Crazy", or just Kan"ye Maybe"?
I know you're into surfing, what do you listen to before surfing?
I'm a huge house music fan, so usually a recent track I've found or have been dropping in sets. Stuff like Jesse Bru, Demuja, Mike Dunn.
What was the first record you released on 11a Records and when was it released?
Benjamin Lazar Davis - Nothing Matters. May 2018.
Can you provide a picture of your dog? It's not really a question but I feel it's important.
Why is music important?
I grew up in a music family - my dad was a professional big band jazz musician, trumpet, so music has always been important to me, and a central part of my life. That's for me, in terms of why music is important for everyone? Music serves as the sonic backdrop to the lives we live and that thoughts we inhabit. It's integral, inescapable to the human experience. I know because I can't seem to ever shut it off, no matter how hard I try.
What makes a recording special?
Great song, and then a true expression of that song. Everything else is just noise.
Toaster Strudel or Pop Tarts?
PopTarts
Why did you start 11a Records?
Short answer is music has always been in my life, so this happened naturally from a previous digital platform tech project I had started. Having grown up in music my entire life, I've always had a sense for working with artists and getting shows produced. As I ventured further into the industry, I realized that this was a way that I could support artists and contribute to the community. It also grew out of relationships in my life from my time living in Boston in grad school.
Brooklyn or Santa Cruz, who has the better food?
Brooklyn, of course, but there's not as many waves there.
What's the near future of the record label?
This Fall we're releasing BLD's 2nd solo album (november), releasing WIll Graefe's Marine Life vinyl, and will be introducing a new artist, Elizabeth McBride, to the 11A roster. Beyond that, we're focusing on increasing our social media presence and growing the label with the incredible catalogue of music we're released so far. I'm always looking for singular, distinctive artists to work with, but also looking to grow the brand with the current assets we have. I'm really excited about the next 5 years of growth for the company.