A young Ricard Branson probably wouldn’t start Virgin Records now: he’d make more money selling life insurance out of the back of his car than selling music. Running an independent record label isn’t easy—and Adam Bartlett, founder of Gilead Media, isn’t telling anyone otherwise. For him, it’s personal.

“It’s more about putting the music out there that I’m passionate about,” says Adam. Gilead has grown into “working with people, working with individuals that … are doing something special and something that’s worthy of attention, and worthy of release.”

Adam started with a diverse catalogue. Gilead released albums from seminal alternative bands like Appleseed Cast and MewithoutYou, while simultaneously releasing obscure experimental acts like A Scanner Darkly and The Paper Chase. Although money motivates many, Adam felt compelled to focus the label on heavier releases, such as Thou and Krallice.

“I know that I could of made more money releasing more accessible music,” says Adam. “Even though the audience is smaller with heavy music, it’s so passionate; it’s so dedicated. These people buy records. They support the bands.”

With Gilead’s new direction, Adam looks for any opportunity to compensate the community that supports his work. He works around the clock to continue his Gilead Fest, an odd sort of family reunion actually worth going to.

“By festival standards it’s small,” says Adam. “But people have a blast when they are there. They love it. It’s getting this reputation for being like ‘Hey, this is a festival about the music.’”

Music can act as this relic of time and space—that captures a moment when people fall in love with the sounds they hear. In the end, Adam’s work with Gilead isn’t any different.

“As long as something that I have released can elicit that response in someone, that’s the goal achieved. That’s all I want,” says Adam. “The music—like the bands that I have worked with—are going to be the testament to the history of the label. It’s all about that to me.”