Erik Brandon Aucoin
Boss (Accounting, Online Sales & Marketing)
erik
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Jocelyn Marie Aucoin
Boss (Press, Retail Sales & Marketing)
jocelyn
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Aaron Nathan Feibus
Accounting, Digital Music
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Joseph Michael Jakuta
DB Admin
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Ana Maria Villar Aucoin
Mailorder, Label Mom
ana
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Stephen J. Perron Guidry
Viceroy Filter King
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Nigel Evan Dennis
Art Director
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Eric Collins
A&R / Graphic Design
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Boss (Accounting, Online Sales & Marketing)

Hometown: Morgan City, LA
Current Residence: Washington DC

1. How long have you been involved with Lujo?
Since the begining (April 2002).

2. What do you do for Lujo?
Half of Everything! (although i have a lot of wonderful people helping)

3. What is the one thing you don't like about each of your staff members?
Despite their rudeness in the way each of them has stated why they don't like me, I actually love each of them and like everything about them.

4. Current Top 5 Albums

Mew "And The Glass Handed Kites"

Modest Mouse "We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank"

!!! "Myth Takes"

Palnes Mistaken For Stars "Mercy"

Boris "Pink"

5. Do you play in any Lujo bands?
Well I haven't told Eric, Carla, Dean, Amanda or Fifi yet but I've decided that on the next Dark Romantics record I'll be contributing my amazing harp playing skills.

6. So you used to work for Congress right? How are laws made?
Well its sort of a lengthy process...let me break it down into nine steps for you.

1. A bill can only be introduced by a member of Congress. That member becomes the bill's sponsor. A bill introduced in the House is given an "H.R." number (such as HR 1403). A bill introduced in the Senate is given an "S" number (such as S 1209). You can track a bill at THOMAS.

2. Once a bill is formally introduced, it is referred to a standing committee that has the appropriate jurisdiction. A subcommittee will usually consider the bill first. Hearings may be held at the subcommittee or full committee level, and amendments to propose changes to the original bill are voted on. This is called the mark-up stage.

House Committees

Senate Committees

3. Once a bill is voted on and passed at subcommittee and committee level, it is "reported" and placed on the calendar for action by the full chamber. When floor action begins, the full chamber (House or Senate) debates the bill and may make additional changes through the amendment process. The full chamber then votes on the new version of the bill.

4. Once passed by one chamber, the bill is sent to the other chamber for consideration.

5. The bill is again considered at subcommittee and/or committee level. Hearings may be held, and amendments to propose changes are voted on. Sometimes the other chamber will simply substitute the bill with a similar version they have already proposed.

6. Once the bill is voted on and passed at subcommittee and committee level, it is debated by the full chamber. The full chamber may vote on additional amendments. The full chamber then votes to pass the bill in its newest version.

7. Most of the time, bills passed by one chamber go through substantial changes by the time they are passed by the other chamber. When this happens, a conference committee is appointed including delegates from each chamber to reconcile the differences and draft a compromise bill.

8. The compromise bill (designated as a "conference report") is then sent to both chambers for one last vote. No amendments can be added at this stage.

9. Once both chambers have passed the compromise bill, it becomes an "enrolled" bill, and is sent to the President for signing into law. Once the President signs the bill, it becomes a Public Law (such as P.L. 108-56 indicating the 56th law passed by the 108th Congress).

And thats the way a law is made.

There are two types of people in the world.

Actually thats not true. There are many types of people in the world, but for our purposes here allow me to delineate two: dreamers and doers. People tend to fall into one category or the other, and once in a rare while they encompass both. Erik Aucoin is one of these.

In 2001 at a ripe, young age of 19, Erik started indie rock label, Lujo Records. A small town void of rock shows and flanked by swamps and gators isn't the most conducive environment for starting a record label, or even dreaming of starting one. But his love for music and determination to do overcame this and brought his dream to life.

Inspired by labels founded on the DIY ethic -labels like Dischord, Touch & Go, and Jade Tree - Erik first put his dream into action by contacting his favorite musical luminaries. He enquired to work with Jeff Bettger (Suffering & The Hideous Thieves), Shelby Cinca (Frodus), and Nathan Burke (Frodus), his enthusiasm proving enough to bring the artists quickly into the fold.

In 2002, Lujo overcame near downfall due to a brief dealing with a well-intentioned non-profit organization that capsized. Wading through the wreckage, energies were refocused, and the label was able to regain the stability necessary to move forward as an independent company, now with complete creative control.

With this newfound creative control, Lujo began to unleash a conglomerate of strong records, all of which served to spread the label name and grow the company in new directions. This series included critically acclaimed records from bands such as: The Fall of Troy, Suffering & The Hideous Thieves, Baby Teeth, The Out-Circuit, In Praise of Folly, and more.

In 2004, Erik relocated his base of operations to Washington, DC. Not long after that, he solicited the help of former Lujo press girl, Jocelyn Toews, to be his partner. At the time, Jocelyn was working as a marketing coordinator at Caroline Distribution in Los Angeles. Persuading her to come back to Lujo did not take much persuasion, however. She had always felt a connection with the label and knew she belonged on the label side of the industry, as opposed to distribution.

So with Erik and Jocelyn in co-command, Nigel Dennis as art director, Stephen Guidry in charge of finding new talent, Aaron Feibus ruling over accounting and the digital world, Ana Aucoin operating mailorder, Joseph Jakuta mastering the www, and Riot Act and Guerilla on press, the Lujo ship was strong and the time was right to bring in some more players. Musical players, that is.

In 2005 the label signed Roy, Summer Darling, The Dark Romantics. Coho, The Drugstore Cowboys and Look Mexico soon followed suit, rounding out the roster for 2006. These bands along with new records from A Lull (ex-members of The Evaluation), Baby Teeth and Silence The Foe, position the label for great things in the future.

And through all the changes, one thing remains constant: Lujo's commitment to maintaining a high aesthetic standard. Afterall, Lujo (a Spanish word pronounced lou-hoe), means high-quality or luxurious. This ethic has been there from the labels' conception and serves as the common thread throughout the company, from sound to design to composition to fans!

Thank you for reading. Thank you for listening. You are a part of the Lujo legacy and we love you!