No Pain in Pop throw monthly parties in South London’s New Cross-- the home of Goldsmiths University and knock-off KFC fast food joints. Known for being messy and chaotic explosions of youthful revelry, you can hear anything there from Wiley’s electro-grime to Friendly Fires’ glistening indie-pop. Their recent New Cross-based festival “Nail The Cross” has gone down in the history books as the most lively events that’s ever happened in New Cross. The party collective of four also have their own record label, which has released tracks by acts such as Health and Telepathe, as well as a compilation featuring No Age and Crystal Castles.

psychoPEDIA spoke with No Pain's Tom, who filled us in the parties and his love of 7-inch Vinyl records:

Where does the name "No Pain In Pop" come from?
We came up with it on a rainy day in a New Cross tube station. We were trying to fit the word "pop" in our name. It’s less about "pop" as a genre, but more about how music is perceived by others. We'd like good music to become the mainstream, so everyone can enjoy it. No Pain In Pop is all about inspiring people with the music and art we like, so others will go out and make more music themselves.

What projects are you up to at the moment?
Currently, we're sorting out our "Gentle Friendly" and "Banjo or Freakout" 7"s, which are due out at the end of November and January respectively. Beyond that, we're compiling the track listing for our next compilation album and slowly building up our blog.

What was the idea behind your Nail The Cross festival?
Basically, everywhere else in London seemed to have a festival, apart from New Cross. We wanted to throw a memorable party on our doorstep with acts and art we were proud of. We also wanted to match the melting pot tradition of the area by including a wide range of genres.

How would you explain your nights to someone who's never been?
They're really eclectic-- often not by design-- and range from anything noisy to the more dancey stuff, but there’s always with a party vibe.

Do you have any wild stories from one of your nights?
At a show with Wiley, security caught a couple fucking in the corner of the dance floor. They didn't even get thrown out.

Where do you see No Pain in Pop in five years?
Learning from the kids.

How long have you been into 7 inch vinyl and how many do you own?
Between the whole of NPIP, we probably have a couple thousand. Our dads all had big collections, and I guess we grew up playing with them.

Can you talk us through three of your favorite 7 inches?
I honestly don't think I could do that. There’s too many. But, if you interpret favoritism as remembering the experience of buying the record and getting a kick out of owning and holding it, then probably a dewy-eyed nostalgia trip trio of Dinosaur Jr's "Just Like Heaven," Pavement's "Gold Soundz" and the Jesus and Mary Chain's "Just Like Honey."

Which are your favorite Vinyl cover sleeves?
Old Lead Belly EP with a bizarre characature of him smoking and playing guitar. It looks like it could have been made yesterday.

What’s the worst vinyl cover sleeve you have?
Anything with a blank sleeve that isn't a white label. Blank canvases are to be filled.

If you were making your own Vinyl cover, what would it look like?
I'd probably pass up the opportunity and instead get someone who's actually talented. Tobias Warwick Jones, our designer, for example.

What’s the one piece of vinyl that you wish you owned?
Joe Crow's "Compulsion."

~Donald Crunk @ Styleslut