02/26/08
Text: Nik Mercer
Chin Music Press, a small Seattle-/Tokyo-based independent book publisher, founded by Bruce Rutledge in late-2002, has released four beautifully produced books on a wide array of subjects (post-Katrina New Orleans; marriage and sex in Japan) since its inception to the print world, with a fifth, Art Space Tokyo, coming out in April (get a great pre-order deal on it here). Anthem asked Bruce a few questions (with Craig chiming in for two) about the company, its plans for further expansion, and inquired about its overall approach to and outlook on publishing.
How did Chin Music Press get started? When, where, and, most importantly, why?
Bruce: I founded CMP in October 2002. I had worked in Japan for 15 years in just about every media job imaginable. It was a white-collar Louis L'amour existence. I was a newspaper editor, freelance writer, short-wave radio announcer, TV consultant, magazine editor, translator, teacher. I was burnt out on all these media jobs and wanted to do something where I had more editorial control. I watched enviously some of the things going on in small press culture in the US and finally decided to take the plunge and form my own press.
One of the key elements in deciding this was my friendship with Craig Mod, who I had met and briefly worked with in Japan while he was still a university student. As a senior at U Penn, Craig designed the logo and did the branding for CMP. As soon as he graduated, I offered him a low-paying, long-hours job in a fledgling publishing house and he couldn't say no. Actually, he had one condition: He wanted to live in Tokyo. That probably would have been a deal-breaker in any other job he tried to land in the U.S., but for me it was perfect, because I wanted to publish books about Japan. So we had a deal and CMP was formed.
From the beginning, you placed a tremendous amount of importance on the sheer quality of your publications; they're beautiful. They're substantial, use heavy paper, nice inks, and are bound to last a lifetime. I'm sure this is an expensive habit; why do you maintain such a high quality standard?
Bruce: Thank you! It is more expensive, but it also helps us stand out in a crowded industry. While most publishers price their books at 5 or 6 times the cost of publishing, we do it at about 4. It squeezes margins, but it also builds a following and helps us attract attention, especially when we can get the books into prospective readers' hands.
There is some serendipity here too. Craig Mod's vision was a driving force in making the books as beautiful as they are. I've been a bibliophile from a young age, and my Dad had a beautiful collection of books that I admired, so when I met Craig and we started talking, our philosophies about books clicked.
There is something else: in a disposable and increasingly digital world, the sheer tactile pleasure of a well-made book should not be dismissed.
Chin Music Press has published Kuhaku, Goodbye Madame Butterfly, Last Of the Red Hot Poppas, Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?, and soon, Art Space Tokyo. A varied and interesting selection. Is the company a Japanese publisher? American? A little of both? Additionally, how do you choose these authors and what role do you play in the books' publication (do you give the authors complete freedom or are you more stringent editors?)
Bruce: We are an American publisher, and every book we do is meant first for an American audience, then for the world. At first, we planned to start with Japan and tell the stories of modern Asia to Americans. But when the levees broke in New Orleans, we felt compelled to turn our attention there, knowing that eloquence would emerge. We still have a lot of faith in Americans as readers and writers.
