amphetamine reptile records
in the rain / spread eagle (feb. 1996, amphetamine reptile records )
way of the world / theme (apr. 1996, amphetamine reptile records )
nasty dogs and funky kings / hdyf (nov. 1996, amphetamine reptile records )
amphetamine reptile records' tom hazelmyer and
the color of noise
director eric robel .
sugar daddy live split series vol. 2 (with cows) (2012, amphetamine reptile records )
sugar daddy live split series vol. 3 (with killdozer) (2012, amphetamine reptile records )
sugar daddy live split series vol. 7 (with mudhoney) (2013, amphetamine reptile records )
sugar daddy live split series vol. 10 (with fantomas) (2013, amphetamine reptile records )
amphetamine reptile records 1111 washington ave. s. minneapolis, mn 55415 usa phone: 612 - 781 - 6120 email: info @ urltoken [ 1994 ] amphetamine reptile records 2645 first avenue south minneapolis, minnesota 55408
sugar daddy live split series vol. 4 (with off !) (2012, amphetamine reptile records )
sugar daddy live split series vol. 6 (with butthole surfers) (2012, amphetamine reptile records )
sugar daddy live split series vol. 8 (with fucked up) (2013, amphetamine reptile records )
nine clowns of the apocalypse vol. 2: a tribute to venom (2013, amphetamine reptile records )
sugar daddy live split series vol. 9 (with napalm death) (2013, amphetamine reptile records )
sugar daddy live split series vol. 11 (with king buzzo) (2014, amphetamine reptile records )
sugar daddy live split series vol. 12 (with melvins 1983) (2014, amphetamine reptile records )
sugar daddy live split series vol. 13) (with karp) (2015, amphetamine reptile records )
sugar daddy live split series vol. 1 (with u - men) (2012, amphetamine reptile records )
nine clowns of the apocalypse vol. 1: a tribute to the scientists (2013, amphetamine reptile records )
nine clowns of the apocalypse vol. 3: a tribute to the kinks (2013, amphetamine reptile records )
nine clowns of the apocalypse vol. 5: a tribute to roxy music (2013, amphetamine reptile records )
nine clowns of the apocalypse vol. 7: a tribute to queen) (2014, amphetamine reptile records )
nine clowns of the apocalypse vol. 6: a tribute to david bowie) (2014, amphetamine reptile records )
unsane collegiate t shirt amphetamine reptile sz. xl amrep noise (2 tiny holes )
original 1988 halo of flies' garbageburn' u. k. amphetamine reptile lp haze xxl
amphetamine reptile records (or amrep) is an independent record label which was founded in 1986 by tom hazelmyer in washington state .
list of amphetamine reptile records artists, listed alphabetically with photos when available. this amphetamine reptile records roster includes both past and present artists. popular amphetamine reptile records bands and artists are all listed here with information such as what genre the bands fall under and what albums they' re known for. if you' re looking for any of these amphetamine reptile records band' s full discographies then click on their name and you can find them here on ranker. the artists and bands on this list might be pop, rap, rock, electronic or any other genre, but what they all have in common is that they were signed by amphetamine reptile records .
sugar daddy live split series vol. 5 (with die kreuzen, necros and negative approach) (2012, amphetamine reptile records )
early on. amphetamine reptile is also known as amrep industries. it was known for its roster of
how - + + - harry lauders walking stick tree / zodiac (split with brutal truth) (dec. 1996, amphetamine reptile records )
nine clowns of the apocalypse vol. 4: a tribute to pop - o - pies / tales of terror (2013, amphetamine reptile records )
if any musical artists are missing from this amphetamine reptile records artists list, you can add them at the bottom of the list. (28 items )
they returned to atlantic one last time for 1996' s stag, which entered the heatseekers chart at number 33. the band was eventually dropped by atlantic records that same year. around the same time amphetamine reptile records put out a single every month featuring oddities and covers by the band, culminating in the compilation singles 1 - 12 .
hold true: : bobby hundreds tours the revelation records office by bobby hundreds .
growing up with revelation records: : how hardcore influenced the hundreds by bobby hundreds, including a lookbook of our the hundreds x revelation records collaboration, shot by julian berman .
due to its experimental nature, the melvins took their next album, prick, to amphetamine reptile records. record label conflicts prevented the band from releasing any records under the name
melvins
, so the album was released with the band name written in mirror as
snivlem
though the album is acknowledged as one of their full - lengths. later that year, the melvins released their second album for atlantic in 1994, stoner witch .
the band would close 2016 with a string of shows alongside redd kross and off! (with steven mcdonald handling triple bass duties). the band would start 2017 with two shows opening for sleep, boner records announcing re - issues of the solo eps (with alternate art editions in the works via amphetamine reptile records and a brand new solo ep in the works) and two more melvins albums in the works alongside the band' s most recent collaboration in crystal fairy. [ 19 ]
the melvins would release a live album via ipecac entitled sugar daddy live on may 31, 2011. it would eventually spawn a split series with eleven other bands in the form of thirteen releases via ammphetamine reptile records over the span of three years .
both goat and roost records were hard - to - find aussie imports until we got our paws on them .
the melvins then released three
solo
eps following the concept and imitating the cover artwork inspired by the four kiss members' solo albums released in 1978. king buzzo, dale crover, and joe preston (joe' s in particular being heavily drone - based, likely a precursor to thrones .) were all released in 1992 on boner records. notably the band would also record a single entitled night goat and release it in 1992, beginning a long - standing relationship with tom hazelmyer' s amphetamine reptile records .
noise rock label from minneapolis, mn, founded by tom hazelmyer, which was associated with bands like melvins, helmet and boss hog. from the late 1980' s to the mid 1990' s, many amphetamine reptile releases were licensed and released through glitterhouse records. the format of the catalog number for these licensed releases will have a
arr
prefix and often a efa distribution number, a glitterhouse label code (lc 8323) and contact address (germany) .
revelation records’ first release, lower east side crew ep by warzone (1987). the white label was a misprint. photo: urltoken
the facetious musical attitudes and approach of both the thrown ups and amphetamine reptile records as a whole is easily summed up by both the title and album art featured on mark arm and steve turner' s debut amrep single. this 7 - inch was the first non - halo of flies release from amrep, and helped launch the label as more than just a vanity project of tom and hof, as well as establish a creative partnership with mark and steve that continues to this day .
kozik: “peter [ davis ] did an article about my stuff in his magazine, and i started doing stuff for either [ davis’s ] creature booking bands or amphetamine reptile. if i had never gotten the articles in your flesh, if i had never done all the posters for tom’s bands, i would never have achieved a certain level of credibility. ”
the same line - up of spencer, martinez, charlie ondras, jerry teel and kurt wolf recorded the mini - album drinkin', lechin' & lyin' for the record label amphetamine reptile in 1989. martinez continued the sexual notoriety by appearing on the cover naked save for thigh - length black leather stilletto boots and arm - length black leather gloves .
the band signed with amphetamine reptile records and released their next full - length album, honky, in 1997. costing $ 3000 and recorded in six days, it turned out to be revered as one of their most experimental efforts. they recorded an august 1997 concert in richmond, melbourne, australia as alive at the f * ckerclub in 1998. the same year, the melvins opened for tool. sometime in 1997, mark deutrom would be fired from the band and replaced by kevin rutmanis, formerly of the cows .
halo of flies was an american noise rock band from minneapolis. named after an alice cooper song from killer, halo of flies was formed in 1986 by tom hazelmyer, john anglim and tim mac. over the next 5 years they released a series of 7 inch singles and mini lps starting with a limited edition, hand numbered single called “rubber room”. these singles were released on hazelmyer’s label amphetamine reptile records and were later compiled on a cd in 1991. the band partially reformed in 2007 under the name h•o•f, and continued to release new material .
atlanta' s hard - rocking, southern psychometal trio nashville pussy came to amrep in the last fully functioning year for the label, and their 1998 debut full - length, let them eat pussy, was one of the final big releases of amrep (until their recent resurgence). it was a fitting way to go out, too, with both title of the album, the cover itself, as well as the unbridled kiss - off nature of the songs themselves all totally capturing the irreverent spirit and reputation of amphetamine reptile records. see also: cover story: under the influence of amphetamine reptile melvins record release party. $ 15, 8 p. m. friday, july 19 at grumpy' s bar & grill. tickets here. bash 13. with mudhoney, the melvins, negative approach, die kreuzen, hepa - titus, honky, and gay witch abortion. $ 35, 12: 30 p. m. saturday, july 20 at grumpy' s bar & grill. tickets here .
amphetamine reptile records is a noise rock / grunge / heavy rock label out of minneapolis, minnesota. active since 1986 and run by tom hazelmyer (halo of flies) the label gained significant notoriety with minnesota noise rock icons cows and releases by helmet, janitor joe and label regulars the melvins. around that time the label used an
arr
prefix for their catalog and had distribution through glitterhouse. by the 2000s the model would change (as indicated by their scale catalog numbers) and their ethos would focus more on limited vinyl with screenprinted covers, selling them just as much for their art as the music .
once nevermind hit radio, heavy indie - rock concert audiences began filling up with the types of hateful “normals” whom fans of weirdo music had spent their lives trying to avoid, so the more dedicated and tribal noise - ists, whose embrace of post - hardcore was less flannel - and - mtv - oriented, dove deeper. and when sub - pop band after sub - pop band kept shooting for the big time, “deeper” meant amphetamine reptile .
fairey, whose amrep work predates his “obey” and “obama hope” empire by a decade: “frank kozik was doing posters for bands i liked, like mudhoney and the beastie boys and the melvins, especially. he had also done posters for some other bands on a label called amphetamine reptile records, and it was the perfect fusion of subversive pop art, psychedelic art, and punk rock. i think the first one i saw was a helio’s creed poster with lee harvey oswald being shot, but holding a microphone. frank kozik made something like 200 posters in a year, and i thought, ‘man, i’ve gotta get off my ass. ’”
“30 years later, [ revelation records is ] still putting out vital music… maintaining a legacy that’s ripe to be discovered by new audiences ready to get tangled in their family tree. ”
the band relocated to columbus, oh, in 1996 and is still active. they played their 20th anniversary show on sept. 1, 2007. they have released several albums on in the red records .
this week, grumpy' s downtown hosts a celebration of one of minneapolis' s most influential labels, amphetamine reptile. bash 13 features a wealth of artists associated with the label over the years, including mudhoney and the melvins (who play an album release show on friday, as well). this week' s city pages cover story goes in - depth into the label' s beginnings, and includes plenty of commentary from mudhoney' s mark arm, melvins frontman buzz osborne, and amrep founder tom hazelmyer .
the melvins also have a lineup called melvins lite (buzz, dale, and trevor dunn) that toured through parts of 2011, performing songs with double bass including a handful of songs not typical in a melvins setlist. this line - up released an album entitled freak puke on june 15, 2012 on ipecac recordings. the four - piece lineup remained active as well and released a digital ep, the bulls and the bees, in march on scion a / v (with a vinyl edition via amphetamine reptile) .
tom hazelmyer was a founding member of halo of flies as well as, more notably, the proprietor of amphetamine reptile (amrep), the greatest record company in the history of the world. home of such infamous and wonderful noisy rock bands as the cows, helmet, tar, lubricated goat, king snake roost, hammerhead and a jillion others (see urltoken for a full discography), amrep is unfortunately now a label of the past. but that doesn’t mean we can’t all get together and remember it fondly! remember the
the greatest labels in music history are the ones that tell a story and suck you into their catalog. blue note, motown, stax, rough trade, factory, dangerhouse, touch and go, def jam, dischord, sub pop, amphetamine reptile, death row, no limit, and others are more than just businesses that pressed vinyl records, cassettes, and compact discs. each of those labels provided a voice to a place and time that not only resonates today, but explains a part of the history of culture. they also all share the bond of starting independently, creating their own playbook out of growth, necessity, and aspiration. though they all bear deep catalogs, you can extract a “sound” or even “sounds” from each, and that story has more currency than any major label .
— records (abgekürzt: amrep) war ein us amerikanisches plattenlabel, welches in den 1990er jahren platten von bands wie helmet, den melvins und helios creed veröffentlichte. geschichte amrep wurde 1986 von tom hazelmeyer („haze xxl“) in washington… …
sometime after the band' s relocation they would record and ultimately release ozma in 1989. the album would notably be produced by future bassist mark deutrom and also be notable for being the first of many releases on boner records. tom flynn would fill in on bass for the band' s first tour in 1990 when lori was out with health issues. in 1990, the band recorded bullhead, which marked a slower, more drone music style for the band. the melvins would do three tours of the united states that year (at some point boner records owner tom flynn would play a handful of shows with them filling in for lori .). in 1991, the band toured europe for the first time. their january 23, 1991 show in alzey, germany was released by your choice records as your choice live series vol. 12. when they returned to the u. s. , they recorded the eggnog ep, which was released the same year on boner records. lorax would depart from the band shortly after .
like so many indie labels in the ’80s and ’90s, minneapolis - based amphetamine reptile was started by a guy for the sole purpose of putting out his own band’s records. in this case, the guy was a marine named tom hazelmyer, and the band was halo of flies, an angry, in - your - face punk trio with a large chip on its shoulder. after three halo singles (released in 1986 and 1987), hazelmyer started issuing seven - inches—and, eventually, full - lengths—by similar - minded outfits such as the thrown ups, the god bullies and the u - men. by the early ’90s, amrep was the premier label for all things aggressive, with a roster including hard - rocking stalwarts helmet, tar, surgery, boss hog and helios creed. what sub pop had become for grunge, amrep was for noise. (the word was even incorporated into the label’s logo. )
when nirvana' s nevermind became a massive success, the melvins were one of many groups to benefit from nirvana' s support. they were signed by atlantic records, and their first major label release, 1993' s houdini, entered the billboard heatseekers chart at 29 .
the group that most personified amphetamine reptile was the cows, a minneapolis quartet that could make you laugh, cry, puke and crap your pants—all during one of its gloriously bizarre sets. (suffice it to say, if you didn’t enjoy being kicked or having food—or worse—thrown at you by the band, you didn’t want to be in the front row at a cows gig .) led by shannon selberg—who, when not shrieking like a mental patient, added bugle and trombone to his group’s manic mix—the cows released all but the first of their nine albums on amrep. 1992’s cunning stunts was the band’s best lp, as it added some much - needed structure to the cows’ unrelenting anti - pop noise .
“as far as i remember it, warzone was talking about breaking up, and we thought it was something that should be documented, ” cooper says of revelation records number one. “as far as figuring out how to do a record, that was something ray had dealt with before when his band violent children did their 7” and the hardcore scene kind of had a collective knowledge of how everything like that would get done. it seemed like most of the other hardcore labels around got their records done through kane boychuck who worked at a pressing plant in los angeles. we met kane when youth of today toured with 7 seconds in 1985 because he did the pressing for positive force—kevin seconds’ label—which included the first youth of today record. when revelation needed records pressed a couple of years later, ray reached out to kane and that’s how the first couple of releases were pressed. as far as artwork goes, i worked at the school newspaper and had access to the typesetting machine so raybeez and i worked on the layout by phone and mail mostly. ”
to be sure, as “the color of noise” attests time and time again, it’s no stretch to see that what hazelmyer has created could have a similarly lasting impact. just listen to kozik, fairey and coop tell robel, who discovered amrep records as a young vinyl - collecting musichead growing up in baltimore, what hazelmyer has meant to their careers .
on both the
never breathe what you can' t see
and the
pigs of the roman empire
records, we did both those records at the same time because biafra can' t get out of bed. he can' t get to the studio before about six in the after. so what we would do is we would get there about 11 and we would work on lustmord' s stuff' til about six in the afternoon and then biafra would show up and we' d work on his stuff until about 11 at night. that' s what we would do. we' d shift gears and that' s how we recorded both those albums at once. ”
and here’s the trailer. if you’re going to be in nashville around the end of the month, the debut screening is scheduled to be held at third man records on may 30th. if you’re just dying to know more but can’t wait, an official blog has been documenting the process of making the film, and this hazelmyer interview is top - notch .
cappo was already active, having played in several bands including violent children, reflex from pain, and youth of today. this allowed cooper to assume the role of operations and production, while cappo was the charismatic personality who secured the talent. ok, that’s an overly sexy description, but it was very much the dynamic. with their first release lined up, the next challenge was figuring out where to press the actual records and how to distribute them, other than at shows, which was especially challenging, since their first release was a 7” from a band that was allegedly breaking up. there was no defined model or pipeline other than taking out ads in fanzines and asking shops to take records on consignment, only to end up having to chase money. distributors? huh ?
in october 1986 the melvins recorded gluey porch treatments at studio d in sausalito, california. the album was released in 1987 on alchemy records and is considered a landmark in the sludge sub - genre. not long after the release of gluey porch treatments, osborne and crover would relocate to san fransisco, california and recruit lori black (clown alley; daughter of film icon shirley temple .) while lukin stayed in washington to join mudhoney .
flame rite came out of my collecting old 50’s advertising zippos since i was a teenager and wanting to make my own. when we did make an amphetamine reptile one, we could not keep ‘em in stock. from there we took it one step further and decided to make the zippos that would have us salivating if we walked into a store. so i hit up artists i’d been involved with through the label like coop & kozik, and started the ball rolling. the scorched art book through feral house was from having been friends with adam for some years. he headed up the s. w. a. t. release on amrep years before. i really wanted to do an art - based book and he was the obvious choice. also now with hundreds of companies using the same pool of artists to make cool stuff i wanted it documented we were pretty much the first to do so. actually predating flame rite was the research & development series that paired new bands with new “lowbrow” artists, which we started in 1991. some of the artists like chris mars, kozik, coop have gone on to be founding fathers of the “juxtapoz” movement .
“we were working on the 7” and duane from some records and dylan (walter from gorilla biscuits’ brother) decided that they wanted to start a label and thought they should put out the gb 7”, he says. “dylan called me and asked if i minded if they put it out instead of us and i said, ‘sure, no problem. ’” once ray heard about that, he was incredulous and called walter and made sure we were going to do the record. ”
your choice live vol. 12 • salad of a thousand delights • tora tora tora • alive at the f * cker club • live at slim' s 8 - track tape • colossus of destiny • a live history of gluttony and lust • the end • melvins vs. minneapolis • pick your battles • endless residency • sugar daddy live • melvins live at third man records • around the usa in 51 days: the movie! • the colossus of destiny: a melvins tale
recorded immediately after they severed ties with atlantic records, melvins get really fucking weird on honky, their second full - length released on amrep (after 1994' s prick). the band are all over the musical map on this adventurous album, perhaps reveling in their newfound freedom from major - label expectations, as sludgy drone experiments sit fitfully alongside creepy electronic numbers and brazen, balls - out punk rock. it' s an audacious musical statement from a band who has been making them for years .
amrep eventually began releasing records by groups that didn’t fit into the noise genre, including chokebore, gaunt and nashville pussy. during each month in 1996, the label issued a new single by the melvins (who had released the deliberately obtuse prick on amrep in 1994 under the moniker snivlem) in editions of 800, then compiled all 12 on cd the next year. in 1999, amrep put out its last record while functioning as a working label: a single by the heroine sheiks, selberg’s post - cows band. since, hazelmyer has done a handful of limited - edition seven - inches by billy childish, pre - hold steady outfit lifter puller and others. the most notable of them is a one - sided single of the melvins covering halo of flies’ “spit it out. ” what makes it notable? the fact that the melvins don’t actually appear on it; it’s simply halo of flies playing one of its original songs. which goes back to the reason why hazelmyer started amrep in the first place: to put out his own band’s records .
starting in 1990, the label released a flurry of eps and lps that filled in the voids and spaces that merge, matador, or even sub pop weren’t catering too, with both post - hardcore records and modern hardcore, simultaneously. in a few short years, the bands on the roster that remained active, most notably judge and gorilla biscuits, had become headlining acts. gorilla biscuits specifically were a bit of a breakout for revelation. “there are certain bands that have a kind of excitement about them that is hard to really put into words, ” he says. “gb is one of those bands. ”
the band took a break for over two years, whilst spencer concentrated on the blues explosion, prior to emerging in 1993 with a new, stable line - up of spencer, martinez, jurgensen and hollis queens. the new line - up recorded the girl + ep with martin bisi. it met with some critical acclaim, especially for lead track
ruby
, and proved to be a turning point for the band' s fortunes. they went on to sign a deal with david geffen company. a joke band biography that was circulated by geffen records fictitiously claimed jurgensen came from swans, which is often misreported as fact .
founders ray cappo and jordan cooper felt a near - obligation to preserve the upstart sounds of the new york hardcore scene, which was running hot, while the first wave of american hardcore was starting to fragment and explore new sounds. without a single label truly representing the region, revelation records quickly became the most important new york city vinyl producer for hardcore, while being based in connecticut. at a time when new york was still recovering from economic strife, where the scene was lacking any order other than its unifying sense of camaraderie and passion, it made perfect sense that new haven was a more stable setup for a start up .
the band took a break for over two years, whilst spencer concentrated on the blues explosion, prior to emerging in 1993 with a new, stable line - up of spencer, martinez, jurgensen and hollis queens. the new line - up recorded the girl + ep with martin bisi. it met with some critical acclaim, especially for lead track
ruby
, and proved to be a turning point for the band' s fortunes. they went on to sign a deal with david geffen company. a joke band biography that was circulated by geffen records fictitiously claimed jurgensen came from the swans, which is often misreported as fact .
while blackout and urban style’s contributions are essential chapters in nyc’s story, revelation became the label synonymous with this next iteration of hardcore, as the records slowly became available en masse and through co - branded band merchandise bearing the label’s logo. with matinees happening regularly both in new york as well as in norwalk, ct at the anthrax club, revelation’s presence grew, especially as touring bands frequented the east coast and vice versa. even if it were simple “west coast weekends, ” the bands were following youth of today’s rigorous lead, finding time to tour on school breaks or working disposable jobs in order to tour the us and later europe, where few us punk bands ventured .
in 1985, c / z records was created to document the washington music scene upon which the label would release deep six, featuring the melvins alongside malfunkshun, green river, soundgarden, u - men and skin yard. in 1986 the band released their official debut relase on c / z in the form of six songs. the album was recorded live to a two track at the now closed ironwood studio in seattle on 8 february 1986. eventually six songs would be expanded on into what is described as a
bogus lp
by osborne as 10 songs in 1991. the melvins would tour in 1986 with rkl in what buzz said
wasn' t a very good idea .
. [ 2 ]
more highlights abound: we learn that hazelmyer discovered helmet, the new york noise boys who inspired a post - nirvana major label bidding war, via twin / tone records’ jill fonaas, who heard the band’s demo tape and passed it along to hazelmyer. god bullies singer mike hard comes off like a jacked - up pulp fiction writer and preacher gone to hell and back and back again. the footage of hazelmyer’s band halo of flies performing their last show in europe is invaluable, as are the interviews with the many musicians who talk candidly and angrily about the heroin abuse that permeated the punk and grunge subcultures of the day and claimed the lives of amrep artists kristen pfaff (janitor joe) and sean mcdonnell (surgery) .
founded in 1987 in new haven, connecticut, revelation records was able to spread the narrative of the neighboring hardcore punk bands in new york city, but not through an urban lens. with much of nyc still in economic turmoil, independent labels in, especially thoughts tangential to punk were hardly sustainable or able to fully support a roster of bands. fledgling singles were released, as were compilations, but the lifespan of most labels was just a few years. with one toe in manhattan and another in new haven, revelation was able to not only provide an outlet for a crop of bands in the tristate area to shine, but also a platform for them to spread their sound and message globally, one small pressing at a time .
a label “sampler, ” especially for a punk label, is key—not only because it’s a lower production cost and functioned as a commercial for the entire catalog, but it’s an affordable entry point for a fan. without the benefit of streaming, you’d be able to actually hear an upwards of 10 or even 15 bands for the price of one lp, exponentially increasing your palate, while still staying on budget. for new york city, compilations basically created the holy trinity or trifecta of the late - ’80s, starting with together / the way it is, blackout records’ compilation “where the wild things are” and urban style’s cassette release “the new breed compilation (1989), ” with every borough, style, and even westchester and connecticut being represented .
“revelation’s success came simply from the fact they cornered a wide - open market that was being neglected in the hardcore scene at the time, ” explains author and writer tony rettman, who wrote 2014’s critically acclaimed nyhc: new york hardcore 1980–1990 and a fan of the label since its inception. “other than maybe wishingwell, there were no record labels at the time showing this utter dedication to the second—or whatever number you wanna put on it—wave of straight edge. and since wishingwell kinda spun out of control after the release of break down the walls, it left rev as the only label on the block. they cribbed some notes from the ww marketing scheme by making t - shirts and making that a big part of their package. they really were selling a lifestyle in a way. wear the shirt! listen to the records! belong! ”
while the “sound” of early revelation records is more united by the ethos of the bands than the actual chords, the overarching message was what was so magnetic to city and ‘burb areas alike. bands such as youth of today, sick of it all, gorilla biscuits, judge, side by side, and warzone were not just inspired by the first wave of american hardcore, they tapped back into that energy with their own unique imprint and voice, rather than letting that spirit and verve fizzle out. most of the labels such as dischord, touch and go, and sst had abandoned releasing straightforward hardcore years before revelation had formed—but that didn’t mean there was no audience for it. in fact, the new audience centered in the northeast was in some ways more diverse, networked, and larger, thanks to the blue collar inroads made by the first generation .
as the decade turned, several of revelation’s artists started to see their runs winding down. three years in hardcore was typical, five years was epic, and anything more was almost longer than the genre itself, so you break up or form something new. for some of rev’s original bands, new translated into actual innovation, creating new genres and factions, loosely lumped into “post - hardcore. ” for the label, it was also a transitional time, as cappo had broken up youth of today for seemingly the last time to pursue his hare krishna faith, later forming shelter and equal vision records as vehicle for the message. cooper moved the operation to huntington beach, california, where they still maintain operations and ultimately grew into a business, including a distribution network. most importantly, the new setting and cappo’s departure became a catalyst for one of revelation’s most successful periods .
revelation achieved acclaim by being present and supporting the ideas of their network. when underground music became a quest for the next cobain, rev was an incubator, with quicksand, into another, orange 9mm, civ, sense field, and shades apart all securing major label contracts. and when a third, fourth, or whatever wind of hardcore came back in the mid - ’90s, revelation records was there to release it, alongside the new noise happening around them—to this day, they continue to do so. in the 2000s, when hardcore suddenly became “ok” for labels too “mature” to release it initially, revelation was still sticking to their playbook, releasing new bands (hardcore and non -), as well as keeping old titles in print, curating expansive reissues, while maintaining a massive distribution network for outside labels, albeit with a small respite from pressing vinyl. 30 years later, they’re still putting out vital music, but more importantly, they’re maintaining a legacy that’s ripe to be discovered by new audiences ready to get tangled in their family tree .
in 1998, kevin rutmanis would join the band after deutrom was fired. the melvins would record a multitude of albums in the next couple of years in the beginnings of a long - standing partnership with mike patton' s label ipecac, notably the trilogy (1999' s the maggot and the bootlicker along with 2000' s the crybaby which featured multiple guests such as j. g. thirlwell, hank williams iii, kevin sharp, david yow, bliss blood and tool to name a few .). colossus of destiny, a live show from 1998 was intended to be the third part of the trilogy, ended up being put aside in favor of the guests album though it was released in 2001. around the same time as the trilogy recordings the band would work with mike kunka for an album but this album would not be finished or released until 2016 when kunka approached the band to finish the album. electroretard would come out around the same time in 2001 on the now - defunct man' s ruin records, featuring re - recordings, covers and two of the songs from the interstellar overdrive ep .
that being said, this was still a diy business in the late - ’80s, when no one took what was considered a dead genre seriously—especially 10 years removed from the johnny thunders - romanticized bowery. conversely, revelation’s early acts weren’t about excess, but rather a lean model of (mostly) straight edge leaning bands, bent on message over madness. initially, the singles and 12”s were predominantly sold via mail order, with the majority of the early adopters being rewarded with limited colored vinyl pressings of said release. not only did the records sound urgent, but their simple, bold layouts were equally direct and powerful. in a stroke of accidental marketing, most releases were accompanied with order forms for other releases as well as t - shirts, stickers, and sweatshirts. with no way to hear these bands, save small college radio stations, it was worth $ 3. 50 post paid to gamble on the catalog. serving as the pu - pu platter was the label’s first compilation, later repurposed and expanded into an lp, providing the gold standard snapshot of new york city, titled new york city hardcore: the way it is .
i think there was only one instance of me refusing to release a record. it was love 666 who midstream decided they wanted to take their advance and record a pure white noise lp. it was the only time in the decade plus where i gave bands 100% creative control that it came back to bite me in the ass. i know the purists out there will be aghast with that decision, but they never have to write the checks for manufacturing and promotion on a lp you’ll sell 2 copies of, and with limited resources it’s not a hard choice to make. they then went back in the studio and cut “please kill yourself so i can rock, ” which i thought was amazing. i can’t think of any band that evolved in a direction i didn’t care for. chokebore’s last lp that they did a year or two ago was the most sedate and least like their amrep debut, and one of my favorite recent records by anyone. the only reason amrep and chokebore parted paths (on friendly terms) was their refusal to tour the u. s. and their shrinking presence as a result. i was recently asked about bands i didn’t sign and wish i had, and honestly none come to mind. i never passed on a nirvana that went on to do amazing shit that i know of .
7” compilations? oh, i do indeed! we all do! but in retrospect, they were right. and by “they, ” i mean “he. ” and by “he, ” i’ve finally gotten back to the point. tom hazelmyer agreed to an email interview in mid - september 2005, and i was just the guy to do it. which is fortunate, since i’m the one who asked. my questions are in bold print; his answers are in regular .
i’ve always had a problem with musicians, artists, actors and others from the arts using public platforms to spout off politically. i personally find the opinions of my plumber, bartender, or accountant more informed and rational. let’s talk about the most dysfunctional group in america and i’m supposed to turn to them for guidance and knowledge? that’s fucking laughable. that said, whatever microscopic sliver of celebrity / notoriety i ever achieved, i’d be a hypocrite to do likewise. we’re sitting in a bar, gloves are off and it’s another story. i may slip up once in a while and spout off in a format like this, and when i do, i’m an asshole too .
everybody had something better to do (ha - ha). basically the same friction that created a sense of energy and dynamic to the band that i think made us stand out, also made it impossible to be a long - term thing. gear jammer lasted about 10 minutes, and that was long enough for me to realize i wasn’t able to mine the same vein without the other 2 flies. also during halo’s the label became more important to me than the band, and i didn’t see how you could split time effectively to give both 100% .
no. if i liked it, then i considered it amrep worthy. i honestly never thought of our sound as that singular or confined, but at some point you have to deal with that as a reality when the entire music world thinks that’s the case. also started running into bands that would hesitate out of concern for being lumped in, as no original band wants to be pigeonholed. on the second part of your question, no but i wish i had. for biz reasons solely we should have become the helmet label, and only worked with bands that were ripping off helmet. i would have likely wound up with that whole late 90’s generation of bands like limp bizkit that still owe page hamilton “influence royalties” and sold millions of units ha - ha. i would be talking to you from poolside in beverly hills instead of from an office above a small bar in northeast minneapolis. unfortunately my a. d. d. - based “been there, done that” attitude always got the best of me .
6. how did it make you as label owner feel when a band would decide to leave amrep for' greener pastures'? ex. tar going to t & g; , gaunt signing to a major, etc. did this hurt your feelings personally or did you just see it as a natural business progression (or big mistake ?)? were there ever hard feelings? and one last semi - question: did you agree with interscope that helmet had a chance of being the next nirvana? or was it just a pipe dream ?
it depends on each incident and how it was handled. with tar it really pissed me off as at that moment in time amrep could do everything touch & go could; we had the same sized staffs and capabilities in promotions and distribution. i felt it was a lateral move based solely on their chicago - based worship of albini and touch & go, that i felt did not take into account that i had busted balls for them when touch & go was nowhere to be found and had literally passed on them. once they started making headway, and at that moment in time things were looking good for them, here comes corey rusk to make ‘em an offer. it was also the first time it happened which made it sting all the worse. basically a public vote of no confidence from a group of guys you considered friends and allies. later on i came to better comprehend band dynamics and realized that the label was at the top of the list for being sited as to why any given band hadn’t sold a million copies. if they ever get to the point where they’ve blamed the manager, label, booking agent, etc. and finally come to realize that they themselves have something to do with what’s stopping their march to mass acceptance and recognition, odds are they aren’t long for this world. by the time unsane did damn near the same thing i was far less emotional about it, and even getting to say “i told you so” held no interest. with helmet we actually worked together to achieve their move as we found with limited staff we were quickly devoting a majority of our time to one band and they obviously far outstripped our abilities. as far as them being the “next nirvana” i never thought of it that way, but they came damn close. with a band like gaunt, it was always understood that the release we did was a one - off. with others like servotron when they left for lookout, i willingly tore up the contract as it made sense and we’d given it a shot with limited success and i saw the logic in them trying to make it through a completely different channel. i was usually very reasonable about these things for the most part, and in the back of mind knew i never wanted to force a band to work with me. how shitty would that make day - to - day life. it’s a hard enough business even without excessive in - house fighting and sniping .
pretty much always was interested in the graphics. it was one of the key elements that drew me to punk rock in the first place. i was every bit as enamored of the graphics of say jamie reid for the sex pistols or danzig with the misfits as i was the music itself. i loved how a chrome record had such a distinctive look that seemingly matched the vibe laid down in the grooves. folks have to realize that the opposite was true in the mainstream at the time. go look at a toto lp cover and realize that the graphics in the music world at the time were as dismal as the music they were pumping out. so when you saw something as stunning as early gang of four graphics or early hardcore it was a one - two punch combo. my biggest regret was that i wish i had been able to devote more time to the process. i used to joke that a majority of the graphics were a result of the “fifteen minute school of design” as at times it felt like that was all i could spend on stuff when running the rest of the operations as well. as a result there wasn’t enough time to be as thoughtful as you envisioned in the question .
best sellers, not really sure exactly. helmet, melvins, cows, boss hog, unsane most likely up there. melvins should make the above list, but by the time we started working together they had firmly created their own independent identity.
amphetamine reptile records ( or amrep industries ) is a nationally renowned record label which was founded in 1986 by then-us marine tom hazelmyer in washington state , us . the label is best known for its roster of noise rock artists , and its dope , guns 'n' fucking in the streets series of compilations . the label also released the debut album by alternative metal band helmet , strap it on , which sold more than 40,000 records . according to hazelmyer , the success of the album was vital to keeping amrep going throughout the 1990s , as it " helped support the other things that sold less . " the label was the subject for the 2014 documentary the color of noise , which goes over the label 's origins , some of the bands that made releases through the label , and the current affairs of tom hazelmyer . 
amphetamine reptile records (or amrep industries) is a nationally renowned record label which was founded in 1986 by then-us marine tom hazelmyer in washington state, us. the label is best known for its roster of noise rock artists, and its dope, guns'n' fucking in the streets series of compilations. the label also released the debut album by alternative metal band helmet, strap it on, which sold more than 40,000 records. according to hazelmyer, the success of the album was vital to keeping amrep going throughout the 1990s, as it " helped support the other things that sold less. " the label was the subject for the 2014 documentary the color of noise, which goes over the label's origins, some of the bands that made releases through the label, and the current affairs of tom hazelmyer.
amphetamine reptile records (or amrep industries) is a nationally renowned record label which was founded in 1986 by then-us marine tom hazelmyer in washington state, us. the label is best known for its roster of noise rock artists, and its dope, guns'n' fucking in the streets series of compilations. the label also released the debut album by alternative metal band helmet, strap it on, which sold more than 40,000 records. according to hazelmyer, the success of the album was vital to keeping amrep going throughout the 1990s, as it " helped support the other things that sold less. " the label was the subject for the 2014 documentary the color of noise, which goes over the label's origins, some of the bands that made releases through the label, and the current affairs of tom hazelmyer.