Let’s Get Heavy: Meet the Indiana Man Behind Middle Management Records

One Evansville, Indiana native has taken his love of heavy underground punk and metal and turned it into a Midwestern passion project. We had the chance to grab a coffee and chat about his newest endeavor. Meet Middle Management Records.

Just a Midwest Dude with a Love for the Hardcore Music Scene

Kyle Miller is just your normal Midwest dude with a beautiful wife and three adorable kids, but he's also no stranger to the local hardcore music scene. He's been playing since the early 2000s back when clubs like 1123 were still around.

I played bass in a band called Reaction in like the early 2000s, during like the 1123 days... like the first big wave of like underground music in Evansville. And I loved that so much... It's like... it's still a part of my life, you know? It's  ingrained in me at this point. I can't get away from it.

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50 Lime Green Cassettes and the Match Was Lit

Miller has been in a number of bands over the years, including F.O.A.M. (Full On Attack Mode) who he plays with now. After putting out a demo/EP with F.O.A.M. earlier this year, with a limited run of just 50 lime green professionally dubbed cassette tapes, the match was lit in Miller, and that spark started to burn.

Middle Management Was Born

After going through the entire creative process from recording to production to artwork, Miller decided he wanted to do it again, but this time he wanted to help others. It was his desire to facilitate the process for other bands that spawned the name Middle Management which is ironic considering metal and punk music's roots.

I want to do this again and again and again, but I want to help other bands with. Hence the name Middle Management... Like I'm going to facilitate it, you know for everybody else and help them do it, but at the same time, it's kind of a joke because like metal and hardcore punk rock is so anti-establishment.

Working With the Heaviest and Hardest Bands from the Hoosier State

And that is exactly what Miller has done. He has worked with a number of bands all across Indiana dubbing their music onto cassette. One of those projects, Heavy in the Heartland Vol. 1, which is a compilation album featuring music from thirteen "of the heaviest and hardest bands from Indiana", was produced in limited runs in three colors: Midwest Sunset Red, Corn Stalk Green, and Amber Waves Gold. Bands on Heavy in the Heartland Vol. 1 include:

• Piss Ant
• Slur 317
• Use of Force
• Necessary Death
• F.O.A.M. Full On Attack Mode
• Velocity
• Crossfire
• Hamarr
• Avow
• Grow Blind
• God 2
• Thlurm
• Patron Saints of Violence

Work Is Underway on Heavy in the Heartland Vol. 2

While there may still be some available copies at local indie record shop, Atmosphere Collectibles, all three color runs have officially sold out online for Heavy in the Heartland Vol. 1, and now the work has begun on Volume 2 with an expected release date sometime in November or December of this year.

...one of my main goal is is to make compilations of Indiana based bands and put out those compilations as a showcase of what Indiana has to offer because Indiana is so frequently thought as a fly over state.

Miller is currently collecting songs from bands to be included on the next compilation, Heavy in the Heartland Vol. 2.. He tells us the songs may be from old albums or they may be all new songs. He wants to showcase the talents of Indiana musicians with his work.

The Consumer Shift Back to Physical Media

A decade or so ago it seemed that physical media had fallen to the wayside as more and more artists moved to digital streaming releases, but in recent years we have seen a dramatic increase in the demand for music in a physical form. In December 2021, vinyl had its biggest sales week in the United States since 1991. It has become increasingly more clear that consumers want to be able to listen to their music in a way that is tangible.

Why Cassettes Over Vinyl

Of course, vinyl pressing is pricey - especially for a small, mom-and-pop type operation, and even for smaller indie bands themselves. So in the world of the underground music scene cassettes are king, and for Miller, they are his label's preferred medium. Miller tells us that cassettes are a cheaper option for producing tangible music media, especially for bands playing to smaller crowds.

[Cassettes are] a great way to put out their first piece of physical media, and it's affordable.

More Than Just Making Records

In addition to dubbing tracks to cassettes, and creating compilation albums, Middle Management Records are working with other area creatives like Evansville Shows and the folks with Haynie's Corner Arts District.

Keeping It Heavy... and Accessible For All with a Little Help from Some Friends

Miller sings the praises of Evansville Shows who regularly host shows at local brew pub, Damsels. He also shared that it is thanks to HCAD President, Samantha Buente's willingness to truly be inclusive that they were able to come together to organize an outdoor, all-ages metal show for the community featuring six different bands. The event was aptly called Heavy on Haynie's, and was free for the public to attend with all of the proceeds from the event benefited a local animal rescue.

A Little Rain Can't Hamper The Vision

While the event was cut short thanks to a Midwest thunderstorm, they were able raise plenty of money for the homeless animals of Vanderburgh Humane Society, and the turn out was impressively large, giving them a glimpse of what could come in the future. At the end of the day, Miller says it's really all about keeping heavy, indie music accessible.

And I think things like that are always great when you can get community involvement and also free shows because then you're exposing people who maybe can't get into a bar club to see the live music, they get to have that exposure. And I think that's great too... It's all about accessibility... but still keeping it rooted in underground sounds and trying to keep it true to its form, but just available for everybody.

To learn more about Middle Management Records, visit them on Facebook or stream music from the label at BandCamp. You can also keep an eye on Evansville Shows on Facebook to find out when the next local shows are happening.