‘I thought it would only last a couple of months’: Illuminated Paths’ Josh Rogers on his anniversary label showcase in Orlando

Josh Rogers is known by many performing aliases — Noob Saibot, Black Wick, Broken Machine Films — but he’s best known as the guiding hand behind milestone-marking label Illuminated Paths.

Did you ever think that Illuminated Paths would last a decade?

In my own personal experiences I’ve noticed that all great and influential things always come to an end eventually. Highs tend to not last as long as the lows. With my luck, I only assumed a few months? Maybe a couple years? Certainly not 10 years and over 900 releases on the label to date.

What is it about cassettes that makes it your preferred medium of expression?

Cassettes are like life, man. Finite. Fragile. They add an aesthetic layer that has been lost to the digital realm. The analog characteristic of existence.

The label is based in Melbourne, but it’s inextricably linked to the Orlando underground …

The label is based on the Space Coast, yes, but most of the shows I have done and attended over the years occurred in Orlando. My first real concert experience as a lad will always be the first time I “borrowed” my parents’ vehicle for the evening at the tender age of 15 to get my Orlando on and check out Scurvy the Clown with D Generation at Fairbanks Inn.

Are there any performers that you’d like to spotlight?

All the artists and performers involved deserve their kudos. All were chosen for very specific and personal reasons. But if I had to really enter some sort of answer, I would have to say I am most excited about Baron Von Yeti. Yes, to most of the Orlando crowd these days, he may not be that known, but this guy was one of the main artists in a huge hip-hop underground outfit called Prophets of Rage back in the early 1990s.

[location-1] [location-2]

Subscribe to Orlando Weekly newsletters.

Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

This article appears in Jul 26 – Aug 1, 2023.