K Records
| K Records | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | Calvin Johnson Candice Pedersen |
| Genre | Twee Pop Indie Rock Punk Rock |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Location | Olympia, Washington |
| Official Website | http://krecs.com |
K Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington, co-founded, owned, and operated by Calvin Johnson, formerly of the bands Cool Rays, Beat Happening, The Go Team, The Halo Benders and presently in the bands Dub Narcotic Sound System and The Hive Dwellers. Inspired by Sun, SST, Rough Trade, Flying Nun Records, CJ Records, Bomp!, Dischord, and many others, Johnson started the label originally with the simple intention of making his friends' music available to the world,[1] but over time its reputation grew.
The K motto is "exploding the teenage underground into passionate revolt against the corporate ogre since 1982." The label has been so influential in anti-corporate independent music and underground DIY punk culture, particularly in the Olympia music scene, that it was the subject of a documentary directed by Heather Rose Dominic entitled The Shield Around the K, with a tagline of "Do It Yourself".[2] Mariella Luz, a long standing employee is currently the general manager.
Contents |
Artists who have worked with K Records [edit]
The following artists have released albums through K Records.
- Gaze
- Gene Defcon
- Generifus
- Girl Trouble
- The Go Team
- The Halo Benders
- Heavenly
- Jason Anderson aka "Wolf Colonel"
- Jeremy Jay
- Calvin Johnson
- Karp
- Kimya Dawson
- Lake
- Landing
- Little Wings
- Lois
- Love as Laughter
- Lync
- Maher Shalal Hash Baz
- Mahjongg
- The Make-up
- Marine Research
- Mecca Normal
- Melvins
- The Microphones / Mount Eerie
Influence [edit]
- Los Campesinos! cite a 'K Records t-shirt' in the song "Knee Deep At ATP", while early single "The International Tweexcore Underground" directly alludes to the label's International Pop Underground.
- Nothing Painted Blue released a song "K for Karnival" which is partially a tribute to K Records; it repeats "Who put the shield around the K?" several times, referring to the interstate-style shield around the letter K in the K Records logo.
- Musician Kurt Cobain had the K Records logo tattooed on his forearm, saying it was to "try and remind me to stay a child." The song "Lounge Act" off of Nevermind references the logo.
- In 2005, Springfield, Illinois indie band Resident Genius recorded a tribute song called "Calvin J", which contains the line "International Pop Underground/unknowingly broke fresh new ground"
- The Hole song "Olympia" (credited as "Rock Star" on Live Through This) is a reference to the influence of Calvin Johnson and K Records on the Olympia music scene.
- The Norwich Pop Underground Convention (2003-2007) was based on the attitudes and ethics of K's International Pop Underground Convention.
See also [edit]
References [edit]
Further reading [edit]
- Baumgarten, Mark; Stella Marrs (foreword) (2012). Love rock revolution : K Records and the rise of independent music. Seattle: Sasquatch Books. ISBN 1570618224.
