Epitaph Records

By: Kate Merzke, Matt Schilthuis, and Alex Laine

Epitaph Records was founded in 1981 by Brett Gurewitz, guitarist of Bad Religion. Based out of Hollywood California the label started out as just a P.O. box and the logo seen above. Gurewitz used this "label" to release his band Bad Religion's records.

The label finally became fully functional in 1987 with the release of L7's self titled album. At this point Gurewitz was running the label out of his home studio in Hollywood. The label mainly specialized in the punk rock genre but later expanded it's catalog to include blues, soul, R&B, hip-hop and country. Gurewitz also believed in an "Artist-first" approach which simply means that he thinks he should work for the artist.

In 1994 Epitaph Records finally made it on the map. Although Gurewitz had left Bad Religion to run the label full time he found great success with other artist on the label. In this legendary year the Offspring released "Smash" which has now gone on to sell over 16 million copies making it the largest selling album on an independent label. In that same year Rancid also released "And Out Come The Wolves" which shot them into punk stardom and got them heavy airplay on MTV and the radio.

Gurewitz commented on the release of "Smash" by saying

"It opened doors. I could get a meeting with whoever. Up until that time, we had to scratch and claw our way into whatever nooks and crannies we could. It wasn't easy for an indie to get a record into a chain store. Indies were second-class citizens back then, but from that day forward we could sell any of our titles in any chain in the country. Everything changed" - Washington Post

In 1996 Rancid's leader, Tim Armstrong, started Hellcat Records in partnership with Epitaph Records. He went on to discover such bands as the American celtic punk band the Dropkick Murphys and the punk rock band the Distillers. This established Epitaph as a label built for the long haul.

In 2003 Gurewitz signed hip-hop artist, Atmosphere, and grindcore band, The Locust, which expanded the label's catalog. He then went on to sing pop-punk bands Matchbook Romance and Motion City Soundtrack to keep up with the current younger labels. These signings caused a great deal of controversy and uproar in the punk scene. Many questioned wether or not Epitaph was staying with its true punk roots. Gurewitz responded to the controversy with,

"I anticipated criticism, and I got it, even with emo. Punk rockers hate emo. A lot of the artists on my label have given me a lot of guff about the new signings. They'll say, 'Screw these screaming bands'..."

Later on in mid 2005 Epitaph Records was officially added to the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) list. The reasoning for this move is up in the air, but some say that there was an agreement for peer to peer distribution while others say they wanted to get certified sales awards such as the "Gold" and "Platinum" titles. This also led to many people questioning wether or not Epitaph is still an independent label.

Epitaph Records continues to grow and continues to build an impressive roster of artists. Expect them to prosper in the coming years and continue to lead the industry of independent record labels.

Current Major Artists:
New Found Glory
The Color Of Violence
Bring Me The Horizon
You Me At Six
Every Time I Die
Thursday
I Set My Friends On Fire
Escape The Fate
The Sound Of Animals Fighting
Motion City Soundtrack
Sing It Loud
The Higher
Story Of The Year
Street Dogs
The Matches
Bad Religion
Converge
Our Last Night
Vanna
Gallows
Parkway Drive
Tiger Army
Rancid
I Am Ghost
Set Your Goals

Featured Playlist

References
1. Epitaph Records
2. Martens, Tood. "Epitaph Turns 25" Billboard Jan 27, 2007
3. The Washington Post
4. Wikipedia
5. "Epitaph Records, Bad Religion Goes Good" Punkmusic.about.com
6. "Epitaph Records -1994- The Year When Punk Broke Out" Youtube.com

Domino Records

By: Whitney Calk, Drew Cohen, Chase Plesofsky, and Devon Hodovsky

"Domino stands for everything that music should be about."
Jonathan Dekel, Incendiary Magazine [5]

In the early 90’s, the sound coming out of the UK at the time was “Brit Pop,” which was considered a sub-category of alternative rock. [12] The big names of the time were bands such as Oasis, Blur, and the Boo Radley’s. Not everyone was a fan of this style, however. One man in particular disliked the style so much that he started looking towards the U.S. for inspiration and a sound that made sense to him. Enter Laurence Bell.

Laurence Bell is essentially the founder, current owner, and head of A&R for his made-from-scratch label, Domino Records. He is also a self-proclaimed child of the punk-rock era. Bell became insatiably fanatical about music at an early age, around 11-12 years old. He was so passionate and so desperately eager to get out there and make a name for himself that he started a fanzine at the age of 13 to help promote one of his favorite labels at the time, Black Records. He also began to get very involved with his local music scene in his hometown. Bell was active in helping local bands produce and promote their albums and also organize their tours. Bell even volunteered his time at several merchandise tables just so that he could stay surrounded by everything that was going on at the time. As soon as he was old enough leave home, he moved to London and started working at Tower Records. At the same time he was still helping friends’ bands put out records and promoting bands under the table at Tower. His hard work finally paid off when he was approached by the independent label Fire Records and was asked to come work for them. If this is any indication as to how passionate he was about music and getting involved in the industry, he actually worked at Fire Records for a few years completely unpaid. [2]

As stated earlier, in the early 1990s, the sound coming out of the UK was Brit-Pop, which Laurence absolutely hated. He started looking towards the US for music that he enjoyed. He heard about a band called Sebadoh from the US and knew right then that he must have them in the UK so that “good” music could once again fill the airwaves. Because of his eagerness and persistent hammering of Sebadoh’s American label, SubPop Records, Bell soon after started up Domino for the sole purpose of distributing Sebadoh in the UK. Domino was granted a licensing deal with SubPop to release the bands 4^th album as the first release off of Domino Records. [6] Bell also worked with Drag City Records in the US to get licensing rights from another American band called Royal Trux to also release on his label.

An inspiring and admirable thing about the A&R aspect of Domino is that the label only signs bands from word of mouth. Bell has stated that when he goes out and looks for bands to sign, he looks for acts that would still be making music even if labels didn’t exist. Bell has dubbed this quality the garage aesthetic. [5]

Since the creation of the Domino Recording Company in 1993, Laurence Bell has acquired a reputation for taking risks when it comes to building a roster and recording albums. Their first release was by a low-fi rock band named, Sebadoh, that was formed by Lou Barlow previously of Dinosaur Jr. The album was called Bubble and Scrape and the single of that album, Soul and Fire, for Domino fully represents their direction, “A passion for music, a back to basics approach… something home-made that’s put together with love.” [3]

Domino became a home for distinctive and innovative artists when they signed Sebadoh, Royal Trux and Palace. Signing these artists recognized Domino as a label that could understand and work with their artist’s vision and give their artist’s creative control. [1]

This artist friendly approach attracted American bands like Smog, Pavement, Elliot Smith to record their music and release albums. Domino recognized the British music scene revival in the late 90’s and began to sign bands in Britain that were displaying similar musical sound and appeal Domino had been signing in America. [4]

In 1999 Domino signed UK artists Clinic (who toured with Radiohead and Flaming Lips), Four Tet, James Yorkston, Archie Bronson and later on signed the The Kills in the early 2000's. [3] These bands released albums with little recognition, but were able to record with keeping their artistic creativity intact.

Domino records initial success came in the form of a Scottish rock band called Franz Ferdinand. Their self-titled debut album released in 2004 quickly became an indie favorite, debuting at #3 on the UK Albums Chart. As their popularity continued to increase their second album, It Could Have Been So Much Better, released in 2005 gave Domino their first #1 UK album, and worldwide recognition. [18]

Domino’s next big success came from the unknown UK band Arctic Monkeys. The Arctic Monkeys initially launched themselves into the music mainstream by giving away burned demos at gigs and having fans upload these demos to the internet causing a downloading frenzy between fans. They signed with Domino in 2005 because of their Do It Yourself approach to recording music. [19]

After signing with Domino, Arctic Monkeys released their single I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor, which debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart. Because of their large fan base online, their albums release date was moved forward to counteract the album’s leakage onto the internet early. Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not was released in January of 2006, and became the fastest selling debut album in UK chart history and the second fastest selling debut indie album in America, debuting at #24 on Billboard. [19]

After these charting successes, Domino continued to cater to individualistic artists like Juana Molina, Sons & Daughters and Junior Boys. Domino also began to sign electronic artists like Psapp and Animal Collective to expand their eclectic roster. [7]

The success of bands like Franz Ferdinand and Arctic Monkeys also gave Domino a chance to make compilations and reissue the labels earlier catalog of post punk bands from the late 70's and early 80's including artists like Orange Juice, Young Marble Giants, The Fire Engines, Josef K, Sebadoh and Liquid Liquid. [20]

As Domino Records began seeking acts to sign to its roster, Lawrence Bell, both owner and A&R executive, devised an interesting approach to finding new acts. Bell does not listen to any unsolicited material including demo tapes, CD's, or mp3 files. [14] His approach is to personally see an act's live performance before signing them to Domino. Also, another unique approach that Bell takes is Domino only releases twelve albums a year. "One fantastic record a month," he says, "is enough to nourish us." [13]

Domino Records also practices basic online promotion activities including a Flickr account with live performance photos, YouTube channel, Myspace account, free downloads on the label's website, and a constant stream of Domino Artists on the label's websites, Domino Radio.

Additionally, Domino owns a subsidiary label called Geographic Music which is able to focus on more obscure British and World Music. They use this label for releasing music that falls outside the typical indie rock/pop of Domino. Geographic is run by Stephen Pastel and releases more experimental music from bands that may have a hard time getting a record deal on a classic indie label. Geographic Music's artist roster includes Bill Wells Trio, Empress, Future Pilot AKA, Maher Shalal Has Baz, Kama Aina, and International Airport. [15]

The label website, domino.uk.co, also offers some industry rarities. Domino's Twitter-like feeds at the top of each page are an interesting way to connect with fans, tell them new music to check out, and stay on top of current social networking trends.

Domino also offered an industry first with its latest release of Merriweather Post Pavilion by Animal Collective by releasing it early on deluxe 2xLP 180 gram gatefold vinyl and including a full album download with the purchase of a vinyl. Also, Domino hosted vinyl listening parties across the nation two weeks before the release of the 9th Animal Collective album and teamed
up with record stores and college radio stations to promote the album. Domino records also
continues to sell rare 7'' and 10'' on the Domino Records website of a variety of their artists for DJ's or even just the vinyl-loving listener. [16]

As the history of independent labels shows, it is profitable, if not essential for a label to keep all activities in-house. Domino's publishing company allows for Domino to run more effectively by keeping money circulating "in-house".

On Domino Records USA website, they claim to "try to respond to every email you send us". As proof, I personally sent them a message asking for information for a class project. Less than 24 hours later I received a response from the manager of the US offices, Kris Gillespie. [4]

As Domino continues to set themselves apart from other labels, they emphasize on interacting with their fans. With the 3rd album from Franz Ferdinand, Domino sporadically dispersed 20 signed copies of the album into all of the pre-orders. The Junior Boys and Domino Records also partnered with imeem, a social media network, on an interactive music video contest. [11]
The winner receiving a $1000 cash prize and exposure on Video Vinyl, a weekly music video show [10]. Franz Ferdinand, Domino Records, and Beatportal teamed up to challenge aspiring producers and fans to remix the then unreleased track ‘Ulysses.’ [9]

Domino Records has also teamed up with April 77 apparel company to form a deluxe package for those trendy polo-wearing musician types. The box set they offer includes a 12'' vinyl, an April 77 'Manchester' Polo with accompanying pick holder, and a limited edition Domino/April77 guitar pick. [16]

Through Domino's existence of 15 years, Domino has a mound of achievements on which to look back. In October 2005, both Franz Ferdinand became Domino's first #1 album "You Could Have It So Good" and the Arctic Monkeys were also at the top of the singles chart with " I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor." [1] Franz Ferdinand was recently nominated for three Grammy Awards and five Brit Awards. Domino also currently holds the title of one of the longest running and most successful independent record labels in the UK. [7]

References:

[1] http://www.xfm.co.uk/news/2008/the-domino-documentary

[2] http://midemnetblog.typepad.com/midemnet_blog/2008/03/the-2008-conf-1.html

[3] http://www.dominorecordco.com/

[4] http://www.dominorecordco.us/

[5] http://www.incendiarymag.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=30

[6] http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/8144

[7] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domino_Records

[8] http://www.xfm.co.uk/news/2008/the-domino-documentary

[9] http://www.blogcatalog.com/search.frame.php?term=domino+records&

id=093854172c888742f1e3c88217b89144

[10] http://www.imeem.com/juniorboys/blogs

[11] http://www.dominorecordco.com/uk/albums/15-10-08/tonight-franz-ferdinand

[12] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britpop

[13] http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail-retail-stores-not/4659246-1.html

[14] http://www.incendiarymag.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=30

[15] http://musicians.about.com/od/indielabels/p/dominorecs.htm

[16]http://www.bpmmagazine.net/tag/merriweather-post-pavilion/

[17]http://www.blogcatalog.com/search.frame.php?term=domino+records&id=d524216362743f7c94a448ee60b1f1e3

[18]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Ferdinand_(band)

[19]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_Monkeys

[20]http://www.dominorecordco.us/usa/reissues/

Gotee Records

I wanted to do a label that focused on a generation. - Toby McKeehan

By: Christina Adams, Jennifer Chunn, Becky King, and Justin Nations



Gotee - Label History
Founded as a record label in 1994 by Toby McKeehan, Joey Elwood, and Todd Collins, Gotee Records has gone on to become one of the hottest, fastest growing, contemporary Christian labels in the music industry.

Gotee might have never existed had it not been for coincidence and perfect timing. It was in 1992 that ex-dcTalk member, Toby McKeehan (typically referred to as tobyMac), and his partners, Todd Collins and Joey Elwood, were in the business of record production. The three wanted to record the R&B, Christian group Out Of Eden’s debut record, Lovin’ The Day, but were unable to find a label willing to sign the all-sister act. [1] [2]

We all collectively said, 'Let's just give this a shot.' At the risk of sounding unprofessional, it was a very naïve entry into the business. We basically learned every day, on the job, because we had no training for what we were doing, other than we loved music and we produced music. That was the entry point. Three naïve guys, a willing band, and some really good songs. [3]

It was in 1994 that Gotee officially became a record label.

Gotee Artists - Past and Present
Situated in Franklin, Tennessee, just outside of Nashville, Gotee Records is, and has been, home to some of Christian music’s finest:

Jennifer Knapp
· Performing since 1994 [4]
· Most known for her 1994 debut record, Kansas
· Kansas is a RIAA-certified Gold record
· Nominated for two Grammy awards for her albums Lay It Down and The Way I Am [5]

· Suggested Reading: Jennifer Knapp – Christianity Today





Sarah Kelly
· Signed with Gotee stating : “They didn’t want to change me at all.”
· Kelly’s 2004 album, Take Me Away became the highest grossing new artist debut in Gotee’s short, ten year history
· In 2005, she was nominated for a Grammy in the “Best Rock Gospel Album” category alongside Gotee’s co-founder, Toby McKeehan. [6]
· Suggested Reading: Sarah Kelly – Christianity Today





Relient K
· Group’s album All Work and No Play caught attention of Toby McKeehan, and he later signed the band
· Relient K’s last two albums, Mmhmm and Five Score and Seven Years Ago have been distributed by Capitol Records, and caused the group a tremendous amount of mainstream success. [7]
· Suggested Reading: Relient K – Christianity Today

More Gotee Artists:
Family Force 5
SonicFlood
House of Heroes
Stephanie Smith
Ayiesha Woods
Plus many others!

For more information on Gotee’s artists, check its roster here!

There, you will find a listing of Gotee artists, both currently on the roster as well as that who have parted ways with the label, as well as links to their respective MySpaces and websites, and free downloads!


Gotee Records - Blazing Trails
Since 1994, Gotee has always been looking for new ways to connect with the fans of their artists. Gotee offers free digital downloads to better display their ever-ranging roster to those interested.

The label has also been forced to keep abreast of the ever-changing climate of the music industry. With the digitization of music and the easy accessibility of such music, Gotee has changed its efforts in reaching this new audience.

In order to help achieve the desired effect, Gotee has employed the following:

· As a new artist signed with Gotee, your music will only be made available by digital download and at any live performance events you might have. There will be no physical distribution for you. However, if you are a developed artist with an outstanding reputation for having sold records, who has developed a buzz amongst fans, and gotten radio exposure, the cost of physical distribution is, essentially, much less than with new, undeveloped artists. [8] Essentially, the risk of physical distributing hard copies of a developed artist’s music is much less than the actual cost of doing so.

· Gotee (much like Trent Reznor did last year with Nine Inch Nails and like Josh Freese did recently) offers bundled packaging and options. For example, I Am Terrified was offering their EP for $7.00, an exclusive T-Shirt of theirs for $15.00, or you could purchase both for just $20.00. [9]

· Additionally, Gotee, like many other labels, chooses to offer multiple formatting and multiple ways to access its artists’ music. For example, House of Heroes has offered three of their songs free at freeHoH.com as well as a free, three-song sampler at Amazon.com. The group also had their 15-song album available at iTunes for $9.99, or you could pick up the physical copy at their show. [10]

· YouTube is also a very important outlet Gotee chooses to use. Gotee offers all of its current artists’ music videos on its official website here. This makes finding artist’s videos simple, as they can be found in a central location. By heavily employing the use of YouTube, Gotee insures itself that its videos are reaching the target audience – the new audience. Because music videos are getting less and less play on television, YouTube has fast become the go-to spot for watching one’s favorite music videos.



House of Heroes' "In The Valley Of The Dying Sun"

Recent Events For Gotee


Though Gotee Records began as a coincidence by three gentlemen who had no idea as to how a record company should be run, and though Gotee was able to do all of the things a major label could do albeit on an infinitely smaller scale, it functioned extremely well as an independent company during its early days. But, after its formation, EMI would grab up Gotee and place it under its umbrella making the label a part of EMI’s Christian Music Group. [11]

Fortunately for Gotee, in March of 2008, the label bought back the minority share EMI held in it, transforming it back into what it had started out as many years ago – an independent record company. [12] This change-over is an event co-founder Joey Elwood looks fondly on. He states:

We felt like we had an opportunity to go back to where we began. We felt like we kinda lost our way. [...] But it's kinda fun, taking all the lessons you learned in 14 years, and trying to re-apply them to this season that the record business is in.

[13]

Gotee continues to just that – grow and adapt. Fifteen years in the music business and the label is still doing well, still staying true to itself, and still striving to bring out the best in its artists.



References:
[1] About Gotee
[2] Out Of Eden
[3]About Gotee
[4] Jennifer Knapp Discography
[5]Jennifer Knapp - Wikipedia
[6] Price, Deborah Evans. “Higher Ground: Kelly ‘Honored’ by Grammy Nomination.” Billboard Magazine Online. 5 Feb. 2005. Accessed: 15 Mar. 2009 [7] Relient K – Wikipedia
[8] What’s In A Label? – Gotee Records
[9] Gotee Records’ MySpace
[10] House Of Heroes’ MySpace
[11] What’s In A Label? – Gotee Records
[12] Gotee Records Now Fully Independent Company
[13] About Gotee

*All pictures attributable to Yahoo! Images Search
** “Whole Again,” “Living Hallelujah,” and “Who I Am Hates Who I’ve Been” attributable to Seeqpod.

SST Records

In 1978, SST Records was formed by Greg Ginn to put out his band Black Flag’s original release Nervous Breakdown 7”. After running SST (originally Solid State Tuners) as a mail-order WWII Surplus company, he transformed it into one of the hippest, sought after independent labels of the 1980s. His band had been playing music under the name Panic for nearly 2 years at the time, and finally took the giant step to release something after any and all labels turned it away. (1) Helping Ginn along the way was a man by the name of Joe Carducci, who was the A&R Representative, label producer, and co-owner of the label. He helped shaped the sound during his stay from 1978-1986, and was part of the reason the label had seen its demise after he left.

Often considered the first, and most

prominent hardcore band – it wasn’t all fun and games for Ginn and company after Black Flag had its first official release. Because of the violent nature of the music, the SST offices were being monitored by agents dressed as homeless people, and there phones were tapped, in fear they were causing a large scale uprising of sorts. Black Flag also ran into later problems with signing to Unicorn Records, who shelved the record after refusing to put it out, therefore the labels operations went south until Unicorn (a subsidiary of MCA) went bankrupt in 1983. (2)

Black Flag also went through many

line-up changes, and they are most well known by attaching different vocalists to different eras. The first was the pre-Rollins, Dez Cadena led era, which many considered the most ferocious and primal. The second belonged to Henry Rollins, where they would release their masterpiece, Damaged, which took the punk rock world by storm. The last era is where they saw their fan base diminishing. Greg Ginn started exploring progressive and free-jazz within the bands music, and it lost its simplistic nature that got them to where they were in the first place. Ginn finally called the band of in 1986. (1)

The mid 1980s were the formative years at SST. They would release powerhouse albums by The Minutemen, Husker Du, Saccharine Trust, and Black Flag. Their packaging was very minimalist; therefore they could afford to keep the prices affordable, which was very smart considering their demographic. They also were pioneering long form releases in the punk world – such as The Minutemen’s Double Nickels on the Dime – clocking in at 78 minutes over the course of 48 songs.

Going into the year 1987 the label had a second wave of bands that were just as influential as the first. They managed to sign the likes of Bad Brains, Sonic Youth, Meat Puppets, and Dinosaur Jr – four of the most influential indie rock bands on the planet. All of these bands went on to sign major label deals, showing the influence of SST and its trend setting at that point. But unlike labels such as Touch and Go and later Sub Pop, they weren’t interested in what the “trends” were, they built the trends, and that’s what made them so influential in providing major labels with bands that would later be extremely successful.

The demise of SST came in the late 80s and early 90s with a variety of problems. The accounting department was accused of doing shady business by the likes of Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore as well as Dinosaur Jr’s J Mascis. In Michael Azzerad’s book, This Band Could Be Your Life , Mascis claimed "I like Greg Ginn and stuff, but they wouldn't pay you.” (1) Also, The Meat Puppets and Keith Morris took the label to court for payments.(2) Joe Carducci, one of the key men involved in SST’s operations left for personal conflicts with the label. Husker Du, the labels best seller up until this point, parted ways to hit the major label circuit and sign with Warner Bros in 1986. To top it all off, the aforementioned breakup of Black Flag also took place in 1986 (1)(2)(3)

The thing that finally put the nail in the coffin was a legal battle with one of SST’s most eccentric acts, Negativland and one of the world’s biggest pop powerhouses, U2. The case stemmed from a sampling lawsuit brought by Island Records of Negativland’s usage of U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” and including “U2” on the album cover of their recording. The track features basically a wobbly sample of the entire song, and criticizes it throughout, using another sample from famous radio DJ, Casey Kasem, and his live breakdown on the air. Negativland would then go on to release a book/CD about fair use and was in turn sued by SST for use of confidential information. The book was called Fair Use: The Story of the Letter U and the Numeral 2. Obviously, they weren’t hiding anything. (1)(4)(5)

SST also had a handful of subsidiaries: Homestead, New Alliance, and Cruz. New Alliance was the pet project of Mike Watt and D. Boon from Minutemen, a label they used to release music before they signed with SST. Ginn bought the rights, therefore allowing him to re-issue the music released on that label. New Alliance contained a respectable lineup with Rudolph Grey, Jack Brewer, and Slovenly. Cruz Records released 3 solo records by Ginn, as well as recordings by ALL, Chemical People, and more – equally probably SST’s least quality output. Issues Records put out all spoken word releases, most notably one by legendary NBA Star Bill Walton. (1)

The smartest thing Greg Ginn ever did was hang on to the majority of his catalogue, and kept the bigger titles in print for years after the label stopped putting out records. As of recent, he has signed a digital distribution deal with one of the world’s leading digital distributors, The Orchard, as well signing a physical distribution deal in 2002 with powerhouse Koch. Today, Ginn is stationed in Texas, and still runs The SST Superstore (http://www.sstsuperstore.com). (5)(6)
Key Points for SST Records:- Premier Hardcore Label- Championed the DIY Aesthetic- Built Label Loyalty- Uncompromising in Artistic Vision- Realized value of catalogue titles- Music first, Money second (which artists didn't exactly like)- Realized their demographic

1) Azerrad, Michael. Our Band Could Be Your Life Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991. New York: Back Bay Books, 2002.
"Black Flag." KFTH. 15 Mar. 2009
2) Lang, Dave. "The SST Records Story." Perfect Sound Forever. July 1998. 15 Mar. 2009 .
3) Blush, Steven. American Hardcore A Tribal History. New York: Feral House, 2001.
4) "SST Records - Early Years." Global Oneness. 15 Mar. 2009 .
5) "Negativland." Negativland. 15 Mar. 2009 .

Merge Records

By: Laura Rogers, Nathan Toth, Kelly Townsend, Katie Word

The History

In 1989 singer/guitarist Mac McCaughan, bassist Laura Ballance, drummer Chuck Garrison, and guitarist Jack McCook form The Chunk (later renamed “Superchunk” due to legal issues and/or confusion with a NYC Jazz outfit also known as “the Chunk”) in the college town of Chapel Hill, NC. [1]

That same year, Merge Records was founded by Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan. It was designed as a vehicle for Superchunk releases, as well as other local college favorites like Polvo. A part-time venture, they primarily released limited-run 7” vinyl and cassettes over the next few years on borrowed money from parents and friends.

Superchunk’s first single “What I Do” found local notoriety and helped to establish Merge as a legitimate indie label. Their 1990 follow-up single “Slack Motherfucker” – penned about a local Kinko’s employee, who caught Mac’s ire and frustration – became a national and international sensation, garnering praise and attention from the media and labels alike. It’s timing and style led to Superchunk being heralded as the next in line to carry the torch as many industry insiders were looking for the next big Grunge movement outside of Seattle. Superchunk signed with Matador Records and released their eponymous first full-length later that year. They would go on to record two more records with Matador: “No Pocky for Kitty” – recorded with Steve Albini and released in 1991 – and their 1993 release “On the Mouth”.

With the growing success of Superchunk, Mac and Laura’s focus on Merge waned, as their attention was wholly focused on the band’s success. For the most part, Merge was shelved until 1993, when Matador formed a strange alliance with Atlantic Records. This alliance would give Atlantic a very strong hand in the company, with the more successful, upper-tiered artists being dually released and lower-tiered artists left on Matador with Atlantic taking 50% of the kitty. [2] This added influence soured Superchunk toward working with Matador, who always felt that a major label (and budget) didn’t do much for their style of music, and looked to the lackluster success and treatment by major labels of certain idols like the Replacements and Hüsker Dü as proof. Superchunk decided to opt out of their contract and try and go it alone. This was a good decision on their part, because the Matador/Atlantic agreement would disastrously fall apart three years later.

With the Superchunk DIY aesthetic and network, and the three-year experience with Matador under their belts, Mac and Laura decided to dust off the Merge moniker and make it their full-time label. One of Merge’s first deals wouldn’t be to sign a band (they already had one themselves)- it would be signing a production and distribution deal with Chicago’s Touch and Go Records- one of the bigger indie labels in America at the time, and who’s relationship and mentoring would really keep the fledgling label afloat and focused. “Touch and Go basically allowed Merge to exist as something other than a singles label... We did our first full-length (the Superchunk "Tossing Seeds" comp) in 1992 because Corey [Rusk] agreed to take on Merge as a label under the Touch and Go umbrella.” [3]

Merge’s first full-length release would be the Superchunk Singles collection “Tossing Seeds” 1992. Later that year, they would release Polvo’s first full-length “Cor-Crane Secret.” Neither was a large success, but these releases helped them figure out the mechanics of the business and to shift their focus to the larger picture of full-length releases- not the short run 7” singles they were accustomed to.

Now with a better footing and a sense of the direction, the label began to grow. “Merge started branching out to bands that were not from North Carolina when Superchunk started touring a lot, and we’d meet people and see bands live, and ever since then [our A&R methodology] kind of happened all different ways,” said McCaughan. “It’s really a matter of whether we like the music or not. We’re not looking at the commercial potential or the bottom line. We don’t try and narrow it down to one thing that we’re looking for. We appreciate experimental bands and in some ways… it’s a gut feeling about the music.” [4]

1993 would see the release of Polvo’s “Today’s Active Lifestyles” – while not largely successful, it was a critically acclaimed album. [5] Its difficulty was in the blend of “mathrock” and dissonant pop output. It was too angular for the now-popular “grunge” movement, but not conceptual enough for some of the more fringe art-rock styles. This would be Polvo’s last full-length release on Merge, opting to release future output through Touch and Go.

In 1993, Merge also signs Nashville favorites Lambchop, who would be one of Merge’s more prolific and stable acts throughout the coming decade.

In 1994, Merge signs singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist du-jour Stephen Merritt who releases material under the moniker Magnetic Fields. This sometimes group collaborative becomes one of the Merge mainstay artists. Both “Holiday” and “The Charm of the Highway Strip” are released to high reviews. Lambchop’s “I Hope You’re Sitting Down [AKA Jack’s Tulips]” is released in 1994, as well. Featuring the dark but funny “Soaky in the Pooper” – a song about a suicidal toilet drowning- it garnered the band instant notoriety and helped to establish Merge’s reputation as a home for quirky, talented music.

Portastatic – the acclaimed side project of Mac McCaughn’s comes to Merge after being brought to life in 1992 by a friend asking about old 4-track material that didn’t quite fit with the Superchunk sound. [4]

Merge signs quirky songwriter Jeff Mangum, part of the Elephant 6 collective that produced The Apples in Stereo and Olivia Tremor Control, 1996. Magnum, writing self-proclaimed “fuzz folk” music, goes by the moniker Neutral Milk Hotel, and releases “On Avery Island”. [6]

1997 – Lambchop releases “Thriller”. Brooklyn artists Ladybug Transistor are signed to Merge, releasing “Beverly Atonale.”

In 1998, Neutral Milk Hotel’s “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” is released. It’s quirky charm and bizarre, catchy songs garner great reviews and high praise throughout the snobbish indie community. Through word of mouth, it becomes Merge’s best-selling record to date.

1999 was a very large year for Merge. Merge added “…And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead” to the roster– a successful band out of Austin, TX whose previous label went under the year before. They are known for their wild, raucous style, and even wilder live performances. [7] Their release, “Madonna,” becomes a calling card for the band, brandishing a series of brash, vulgar, angsty and powerfully catchy songs that barely contain their unbridled sound. Their growing national success and the success of “Madonna” procures a major label deal with Interscope Records shortly after. The Interscope-released “Source Tags and Codes” would be the band’s most critically acclaimed and most commercially successful record, leaving a slightly sour, though not unexpected, taste in the mouths of Merge.

In 1999, the Magnetic Fields release their highly ambitious magnum opus “69 Lovesongs”- a whopping 3 disc collection of quirky pop focused around the joys and heartaches of sex, love and desire. This massive concept record was well regarded upon its release and is the band’s most notorious (and probably most well-loved) material.
The Ladybug Transistor would also release one if its classic albums in 1999. Arguably their finest album, “The Abemarle Sound” has a throwback sound reminiscent of the late 60’s pop, owing as much to the Beatles and the Beach Boys as they do ELO.
1999 would also mark the 10-year anniversary of Merge. And with Mac and Laura being the artistically and musically minded people they are, they decided that the best way to mark the occasion was to put on a big show in celebration. Hosted at Cat’s Cradle, the night contained sets from the entire Merge roster, including The Magnetic Fields, Lambchop, Portastatic, and Superchunk. [8]

Lambchop releases “Nixon” in 2000 to large critical acclaim and success. It is considered to be one of the band’s best record’s to date. Spoon, after releasing one record on Elektra before being dropped, signed with Merge and released their “Love Ways” EP in 2000. Spoon would go on to be one of the biggest successes on Merge.

In 2002, Destroyer (predominantly the solo project of Vancouver’s Dan Bejar, it has a constantly changing lineup) signs to Merge and releases “This Night”.

2003 sees the release of Camera Obscura's (a Scottish “twee” band) “Underachievers Please Try Harder.” M. Ward signs with Merge.

This is also when Merge decides to start using contracts with artists. Up to this point, Merge had the ethos of letting their personal associations, high work ethic and quality output stand for themselves. They figured a contract would not be necessary if they were doing things right, and it allowed them to appear more artist-friendly - the artists would want to work with them due to their success and relationship, instead of having to force them through a contractual obligation. But after a few higher profile artists left Merge abruptly (Trail of Dead on bad terms, Magnetic Fields on good terms) and recognizing that the industry had shifted toward a more indie-focused output, they felt they needed a more secure and stable method of dealing with artists.

The Arcade Fire sign to Merge Records in May of 2004, due in part to their successful roster and image. Win Butler, the lead singer of the Arcade Fire, is rumored to have been significantly swayed by the fact that Merge is home to both the Magnetic Fields and Neutral Milk Hotel- two artists he adores. [5] The Arcade Fire announce their first album “Funeral” will be released nationwide that September.
The summer of 2004 saw another big celebration- the 15-year anniversary of Merge Records. In 15 years, Merge has grown from a bedroom affair to a business with a full-fledged office building in Durham, NC and a staff of 12. This time, instead of a single show to celebrate, the label held a five-day festival at various venues throughout the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area. Again, it was a who's who of the Merge roster- Spoon, Superchunk, Destroyer, Camera Obscura, the Arcade Fire, M. Ward, The Rosebuds, and Lambchop, among the notable acts.

Spoon releases “Gimme Fiction” in 2005. It debuts at #44 on the Billboard charts and sells more than 160,000 copies. The same year, M. Ward releases “Transistor Radio” and becomes a darling of the NPR crowd.

2006 would be another successful year for Merge. Camera Obscura’s “Let’s Get Out of This Country” is released to international critical acclaim and minor success. M. Ward’s release “Post War” again is well-received to the indie public, and his sales and notoriety continue to grow. Destroyer 2006 release “Destroyer’s Rubies”, is considered to be one of the year’s best releases by a variety of indie publications.

In 2007 Merge courts and signs Caribou (ie. Dan Snaith) and releases “Andorra” later in the year.

2008 sees the collaboration of M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel on a track for the film “The Go-Getter” (Deschanel was one of the stars). This unlikely collaboration would lead to a creative spark that would produce the group She and Him. Merge courts and signs Connor Oberst (also known as Bright Eyes).

In 2009, Merge Records are celebrating their 20th Anniversary with a specially culled, limited-edition box set entitled “SCORE! Merge Records: The First 20 Years”. It is a subscription series that can only be purchased online through their web store. For $199, the set includes 14 mix CDs compiled by celebrity fans and past artists, including David Byrne, Amy Poehler, Zach Galifianakis, Johnathan Lethem and Miranda July. [3] It also comes with a Merge covers album, a 350 page book featuring past album artwork, a comedy record, and a covers album- songs from the Merge catalog performed by a variety of indie powerhouses- Death Cab for Cutie, the Shins, Ryan Adams, Broken Social Scene, the New Pornographers and Bright Eyes, just to name a few. [10] It is all included in a specially designed case and contains a few other secretive goodies as well. They are also hosting the XX Merge Festival to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the label.


Current Popular Artists

M. Ward – Known not only as an artist, but also a producer and engineer, M. Ward began his career with Merge in 2003 with his release “Transfiguration of Vincent.” The former member of Rodriguez from Portland, Oregon had a slow rise to fame in his hometown. After releasing two albums on separate labels, Ward signed with Merge and became a hit for many industry favorites. Not being a fan of the spotlight, Ward has played as somewhat of a sideman for Conor Oberst, Norah Jones, Jenny Lewis, Cat Power, Neko Case, and the White Stripes. His most recent release, “Hold Time,” released in February 2009, featuring collaborations with Jason Lytle, Lucinda Williams, Tom Hagerman off DeVotchka, and Zooey Deschanel, whom Ward duets with in the side project She & Him. [12] [13]

She & Him – Originally recording a duet for a movie soundtrack, M. Ward met Zooey Deschanel in 2006. Deschanel had secretly been recording home demos of herself for years, but had never told anyone about them. Once Ward was finally given the demos to hear, these songs became the basis of She and Him’s first album, “Volume One.” Released on Merge in 2008, “Volume One” was written “as a love letter to the musicians who inspired it.” Ward and Deschanel continue their musical collaborations – Deschanel writing and singing songs, while Ward produces, arranges, and plays guitar – and are currently working on their next album “Volume Two.” [14]



Spoon – Beginning in Austin, Texas in 1993, Spoon has always seemed to be the underdog (ironically enough, the title to one of their most popular songs) of the indie scene. Their first full-length album, “Telephono,” was release on Matador Records in 1996. Seeing potential in the little-known band, Elektra signed Spoon in 1998. The band’s major label debut, “A Series of Sneaks,” did not sell as well as Elektra had anticipated – the album was a big enough disappointment for the label that the band was dropped only four months after releasing the album.
Following their major label disappointment, Spoon signed with Merge and released their album “Girls Can Tell” in 2001, which outsold all of their previous recordings combined. This was followed by “Kill The Moonlight” in 2002, which surpassed their previous album sales. When a song from “Kill The Moonlight” was used on an episode of The O.C., mainstream popularity was thrust upon the band. With the excitement from the previous two albums and the popularity from The O.C., “Gimme Friction” was released in 2005 to an astounding number of sales for Spoon – over 160,000 copies – followed by the band’s latest release, “Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga,” in 2007. Their most recent success put Spoon at #10 on the pop charts in 2007, and produced two charting singles – “The Underdog” (#26 in 2007) and “Don’t You Evah” (#33 in 2007). [15] [16]



Arcade Fire – Beginning in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 2003, the seven-piece band Arcade Fire has turned into one of Merge’s most well known acts. Their first album, “Funeral,” was released on Merge in 2004 to a surprising amount of success – concert ticket sales increased for every Arcade Fire show to follow. In order to promote their new success, the band began to tour extensively. “Funeral” would go on to be a watershed album for the band, the label, and indie music as a whole, garnering high praise from indie zines and corporate publications alike. Along with its accolades, the album would be nominated for a Grammy in the “Best Alternative Music Album” category in 2005. “Funeral” expanded the Arcade Fire’s notoriety and cult following, which would lead to a major tour extension and land them prominent slots on major American festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza. [9] The Arcade Fire would become the first Merge artist to have an album hit #1 on the Billboard Chart, and be one of their largest successes (and largest challenges for promotion and distribution as well.)
The band eventually took time off in order to focus on writing their newest album. A church in a small town outside of Montreal was the site of their next recording – using influences from their surroundings in the newly made recording studio/church, “Neon Bible” featured new and interesting arrangements and instruments. The band uses their many different instrumental abilities and the excitement of their live show to develop their fame. [17]

Telekinesis – Merge’s newest act, consisting of Michael Benjamin Lerner (drums, guitar & vocals) with Chris Staples (guitar), David Broecker (electric, acoustic & bass guitar), and Jonie Broecker (bass guitar & keyboards) joining him on tour. The album was produced, engineered, and mixed by Chris Walla (Death Cab for Cutie, The Decemberists, Tegan & Sara). Walla and Lerner tracked and mixed each of its songs to analog tape in a single day before moving on to the next song, with the ambitious goal of never over-thinking or sabotaging the spontaneous enthusiasm of the music.





The Ethos

“The key to our longevity has been to not look too far ahead and to really concentrate on each release. We never think about where we’re going to be in five years.” [4] Many labels take a different approach to their business, but Merge tries to focus on the here and now of their label, not what it will eventually turn into.

“Our deal is a profit-split between Merge and the artists. We tend to do two-record deals, or sometimes just one record deal. Our thinking is that if we do a great job then the band won’t have a reason to want to leave.” [11]

“Our focus has always been on the art and not the medium.” [11] The Merge website allows fans to listen to complete songs, via Merge Radio, and also allows fans to view music videos through the main website. (As a way to keep the new generation of Merge employees involved, the music video for their newest group, Telekinesis, was directed by Merge intern, Dianna Potter.

Ways of keeping fans involved:
1) "Make Your Own SCORE" Contest! – In light of Merge’s 20th anniversary year, the label is releasing a score box set with compilations from various merge artists from over the years. Fans were invited to make a list of their top 20 Merge songs, and post them to the website forums. The compilation that they believe is the best will be featured on the website and available for sale – the winner will receive a Merge t-shirt or tote bag.
2) XX Merge: July 22-26, 2009 – Merge will be hosting a five-day summer festival in Chapel Hill, NC to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the label. “Five days of music by Merge artists past and present in the summer heat of sunny North Carolina." [18]
3) March 21 SXSW Showcase – Saturday, March 21 at The Parish (214 E. 6th St., Austin) – co-hosting a showcase with Barsuk Records.

“I think cautious sustainability is a pretty accurate description of our approach to the music business, and the reason that we’re still here. We’ve certainly grown over the years, but in an organic way… it’s true that you have to grow to accommodate success, but that success on that scale may not roll around every year, so you’ve got to be prepared for that somehow.” [11]

“There is no way to explain why certain things hit and others don’t,” said McCaughan. “It’s easier to explain why a band like Arcade Fire or Spoon becomes popular because they have great songs and they’re a great band. It’s harder to explain why other bands don’t become popular, because you feel like they’re just as great. We don’t sign a band if we don’t think they’re great, and don’t think that other people will love them as well.” [4]

Merge Records

Sources:

[1] http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:w9fqxqe5ld0e~TI
[2] http://musicians.about.com/od/indielabels/p/matadorrecords.htm
[3] http://blogs.newsobserver.com/category/tags/Mac-McCaughan
[4] http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/70277-its-a-gut-feeling-about-the-music-an-interview-with-mac-mccaughan/
[5] http://www.treblezine.com/features/179.html
[6] http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:hiftxq9hld6e~T1
[7] http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:0nfpxq8hldse~TI
[8] http://music.mync.com/2009/01/merge-announces-five-day-xx-merge-music-festival/
[9] http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:wbfpxqwald0e~T1
[10] http://www.popwreckoning.com
[11] http://www.adequacy.net/2008/02/interview-with-mac-mccaughan-merge-records-superchunk-portastatic/
[12]Royal Magnet. “M. Ward Records.” MWardMusic.com. 15 Mar. 2009 .
[13] Ryzik, Melena. “A Four-Track Guy in a Digital World.” The New York Times 15 Feb. 2009: 23. 15 Mar. 2009.
[14] “She & Him Biography.” SheandHim.com. 15 Mar. 2009. .
[15] Wenner, Jann S. “Spoon: Biography.” Rolling Stone 2009. 15 Mar. 2009 .
[16] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoon_(band)
[17] “Arcade Fire.” Last.fm. 15 Mar. 2009 http://www.last.fm/music/Arcade+Fire
[18] Lankford, Loren. “Merge Records Announces XX Festival for July 22-26.” 8 Jan 2009. Paste Magazine. 15 Mar. 2009 www.pastemagazine.com

Supplemental Sources:
• Lambchop - http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg &sql=11:gvftxq8gldfe~T1
• Magnetic Fields - http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg& sql=11:dxfwxqwgldhe~TI
• Polvo - http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:gpfwxqq5ld6e~T1
• Camera Obscura - http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:fxfyxqq0ldhe~T1
• M. Ward - http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:0nfyxqekld6e~T1
• http://altmusic.about.com/od/recordlabels/a/merge.htm
• http://prod1.cmj.com/articles/display_article.php?id=3047185
• http://www.motherjones.com/riff/2007/10/senate-investigates-lack-radio-love-arcade-fire-really

Images taken from the Merge Website.
**Multiple portions of the Merge Records website were used – for any other information that may or may not have been included, visit http://www.mergerecords.com.

Stones Throw

by Chris Bell, Josh Campbell, Laura Connair, and Thomas Stalknecht

The Los Angeles, California based Stones Throw Records was founded in 1996 as a vehicle for founder DJ Peanut Butter Wolf (Chris Manak) to pursuit his passion: music [1]. Since its inception, Stones Throw has amassed an impressive catalogue from some of the most critically acclaimed names in hip hop [2].

The seeds of the label’s flowering were planted in Manak’s childhood, when he would spend his allowance on new records. He soon found himself getting into hip hop and DJing, even managing put out a record of his own with PMR Records while in college. Not long after, Manak met and became good friends with Charles Hicks, aka Charizma, and they quickly became a group. Together, they shopped themselves around looking to get signed by a label, and they were, by Walt Disney’s short-lived Hollywood Basics. Unfortunately, Disney’s lack of experience in hip hop and the lack of creative freedom afforded to Wolf and Charizma ultimately led to nothing; the duo was able to get out of their deal with Hollywood Basics just before the label folded [1].

Two months after leaving Disney, in December of 1993, Charizma was killed in a mugging [2]. Heartbroken at the lost of his friend, Manak initially quit music altogether. However, he eventually found music to be a way of healing, and he was soon DJing and producing again, with the goal of getting the work he and Charizma had done released. He would release solo work in the form of compilations, instrumentals, and even an EP on Southpaw Records, “Step On Our Egos.” Spurred on by his own success and the desire to release Charizma’s work, Manak started Stones Throw Records in 1996, releasing Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf’s My World Premier [1].



As an artist with experience being signed to a label, Manak has made it a point to work closely with the artists he signs, involving them in all aspects of the process, from the music to setting up budgets. After recouping costs, the label splits profits with the artists 50/50. Also, as a DJ, Manak is sensitive to and committed to addressing the demand for vinyl and break beat records, instrumental versions of albums, and the preservation of 45’s [1].

From the very beginning, Manak’s business method has been rather simple: he releases what he likes and believes in. So far, that ideology has worked. It’s also responsible for the signing of major figures in the hip hop community and the label’s impressive catalogue, which includes Lootpack, Madlib, J Rocc, and the late J Dilla to name only a few [2].

Lootpack




The Lootpack - trio DJ Romes, Wildchild, and Madlib – originally signed to Crate Digga’s Palace, a label started by Madlib’s father, Otis Jackson, Sr., to promote Lootpack as well as a few other artists, including Jackson’s other son, Oh No [3]. The Lootpack first arrived on the scene on Tha Alkaholiks’ 1993 debut 21 & Over [4]. The group’s own debut EP, Ill Psych Move, in 1996 caught the attention of Peanut Butter Wolf, and the group eventually signed with Stones Throw and released Soundpieces: Da Antidote in 1999 [3]. While a follow up has yet to come, the three have gone on to release solo projects, and the three continue to collaborate on an assortment of projects, including their own [5].

Madlib

Madlib (Otis Jackson, Jr.) [6] quickly launched into the midst of a seemingly never-ending work flow right after the release of Da Antidote with the Lootpack. 1999 saw the debut the first of his many alter egos, Quasimoto, with the release of the critically acclaimed The Unseen. The next year, Madlib introduced his jazz-based hip hop quintet, Yesterday’s New Quintet, with Angles Without Edges. He played all the instruments himself, posing under fictitious personas. He soon began to expand on his exploration of jazz by further expanding the Yesterday’s Universe with “solo” albums for each of the original members over the next several years [7].






Still not content to rest, Madlib would go on to produce for and collaborate with an assortment of artists on and off the Stones Throw roster, including Talib Kweli and Erykah Badu [6]. 2003 was one of his busiest years, with the collaborations Jaylib and Madvillain (with legendary producer/emcees J Dilla and MF DOOM respectively) that birthed Champion Sound and Madvillainy, both critical hits, as well as a separate tribute and remix album celebrating Blue Note jazz entitled Shades of Blue, released on Blue Note [6].

J Rocc

Jason Jackson, aka J Rocc, began his legacy as a DJ with a group named PSK in California in the 1980s [8]. In 1992, Rocc established the Beat Junkies in Orange County, California with Melo-D and Rhettmatic, and would enlist new recruits in the likes of Curse, Icy Ice, Symphony, & What?!. Shortkut, D-Styles, Red-Jay, Havik, Tommy Gun, DJ Babu, and newest member Mr. Choc. The group has gone on to win many awards and have worked with major acts like Jurassic 5, Cypress Hill, and Dilated Peoples [9]. J Rocc has continued with his own productions for Stones Throw, including a solo album currently in the works. He was also DJ for Madlib and J Dilla for live Jaylib shows, and he collaborated with Madlib for the recent Beat Konducta Vol. 5-6: A Tribute to J Dilla [8].

J Dilla

Throughout the mid 1990s, J Dilla grew to become a major hip hop talent, with a catalogue of mixtapes, singles, and remixes for artists like Janet Jackson, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest, and Q-Tip. In 2003, he traded beats with Madlib in Los Angeles in a collaboration that became known as Jaylib, Champion Sound. Unfortunately, in 2005, it was revealed that Jay Dee was suffering from a rare blood disease, TTP, and potentially Lupus. He died in February of 2006, three days after the release of his last album, Donuts, on Stones Throw [10].






The Music


Stones Throw Vids

Stones Throw Sampler



References

1. http://www.stonesthrow.com/
2. McDonald, Heather. Stones Throw Records Profile. About.com http://musicians.about.com/od/indielabels/p/stonesthrowrecs.htm
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MF_DOOM
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tha_Alkaholiks
5. http://www.stonesthrow.com/lootpack
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewc1hixzYPY
7. http://www.stonesthrow.com/madlib
8. http://www.stonesthrow.com/jrocc
9. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J_Rocc
10. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lootpack