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Both of the Roes work day jobs: Bill, 35, is production manager for Chicago Independent Distribution (formerly part of Southern), where he oversees the manufacture of CDs and LPs. Lisa, 33, is a librarian at the Chicago Public Library’s Logan Square branch. But CoCoComa’s second album, Things Are Not All Right, is due October 20 on Memphis label Goner Records, and they’re going on a European tour in December and January—hoping their bassist’s girlfriend will nanny for plane tickets. They plan to make weekend trips around the midwest as well. How will they manage all this on top of the full-time task of raising a baby?
Lisa says starting a label just after Ronnie’s birth was a way to make sure they didn’t let music fall out of their lives. It’s easy to neglect a band when you and your husband are the only two constant members. But when you’re running a label, even if you don’t do a thing, you’ll still be hearing from artists, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers.
“We want this to be the way singles used to be,” Bill says, “with one song only on each side.”
