Shaozhuo Cui | The Roanoke Times

Josh Peebles, one of the founders of Chimneysweep Records, holds up the label's first compilation called "5-4-Whoa!" featuring Southwest Virginia bands.

Josh Peebles, one of the founders of the Chimneysweep Records holds up the label's first compilation called "5-4-Whoa!" Peebles is a 2006 graduate of Virginia Tech with a degree in physics.

BLACKSBURG -- There's no family rivalry between the Peebles brothers.

Josh and Ben Peebles, brothers from Richmond now based in Blacksburg and Alexandria, have realized their dream of starting their own record label, called Chimneysweep Records.

Their first release, "5-4-Whoa!" is a compilation of Southwest Virginia bands released in March, said Josh Peebles, the Blacksburg-based brother.

"That's the area that, number one, we were most in tune with," said Ben Peebles, the Alexandria-based brother. "Also I've been listening to independent music in Virginia since high school." He said a compilation of Southwest Virginia bands is "something that I really haven't seen done in recent memory. It's kind of cool to put a spotlight on it, because there's so many active bands in that area."

Forming a record company is something the Peebles brothers had talked about for years, Josh Peebles said, but didn't have the time or money to form one until last year. Josh Peebles is a graduate of Virginia Tech, which is how they ended up being involved in the Southwest Virginia music scene.

"What we want to do is help out other small labels and promote independent bands," Peebles said.

They're not trying to become the next multimillion-dollar record label but just want to make enough to be able to promote good bands, Peebles said.

"For right now, we just want to try to put out as many releases as we can," Ben Peebles said about the label.

In April, they released a cassette called "itsokay" by Florida-based artist imadethismistake and are working to release a CD by Blacksburg band Lee Street Riots later this year.

"It took almost a whole year from the conception," Josh Peebles said of "5-4-Whoa!." "It was our first thing, so it took us awhile to work it out. And when you're dealing with that many bands, it takes awhile."

They also wanted to make sure it was a quality product by having real CDs made instead of burning recordable CDs at home, and by using all eco-friendly products, meaning no plastic packaging, Peebles said.

"5-4-Whoa!" has music from 20 local artists, including the Wading Girl, the Two Funerals, False Hope and the Makeout.

In exchange for a track on "5-4-Whoa!," Chimneysweep Records gave the artists copies of the CD to sell or give away at shows.

Sarah Everton, a member of the band Forensic Teens, said the members of the band were friends with the Peebles brothers, so it was only natural that they contribute a track to "5-4-Whoa!"

She also designed all the artwork for the CD, and would like to contribute more to Chimneysweep Records. She also designed the label's logo.

"I am definitely into doing more album art for different bands and projects they put out," Everton said. "I like having my work being mass produced and distributed. It's very satisfying."

The brothers also perform on the CD -- Josh Peebles is part of the bands Hostile 17 and Mark Zander, and Ben Peebles performs under the name Against the Norm.