Vagrant Records
| Vagrant Records | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Rich Egan, Jon Cohen |
| Distributor(s) | Fontana Distribution |
| Genre | Rock, indie rock |
| Country of origin | USA |
| Location | Santa Monica, California |
| Official Website | http://www.vagrant.com |
Vagrant Records is an indie rock label based in Los Angeles, California and is home to such artists as Horse the Band, The Hold Steady, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Active Child, PJ Harvey, Reptar, School of Seven Bells, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Thrice, James Vincent McMorrow, Placebo, Band of Skulls, and many more.
Rich Egan and President Jon Cohen founded Vagrant Records in 1996. The label’s original roots were in punk rock, pop punk, and emo and included artists such as Dashboard Confessional, Saves The Day, The Get Up Kids, and Alkaline Trio.
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[edit] History
The first band signed by Vagrant Records was Boxer with their album The Hurt Process released on May 5, 1998. In 1999 Vagrant Records signed Kansas City, Missouri band The Get Up Kids who released their Vagrant debut Something to Write Home About in September 1999. Label founders Rich Egan and John Cohen took a large gamble on the band, borrowing $50,000 from Cohen's parents, who mortgaged their house to fund the album's production.[1] The album was wildly successful, and single-handedly made Vagrant Records one of the top indie labels in the country.[2][3] They signed Los Angeles punk rock trio Automatic 7 and released the bands 2nd album "Begger's Life" on July 25, 2000.They followed this by signing and releasing albums from heavyweights in the emo scene like Alkaline Trio, Saves the Day, and Dashboard Confessional. Dashboard Confessional's video for "Screaming Infidelities", directed by Egan's sister Maureen and her partner Matthew Barry, earned Vagrant the MTV2 award at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards.[4]
The label then went on to release solo material from The Replacements frontman Paul Westerberg, beginning the label's transition away from their roots of punk and emo.[citation needed] They soon signed Eels and released their album Blinking Lights and Other Revelations. In 2005 the label acquired New York City indie label Startime International, with whom they co-released albums from The French Kicks and The Futureheads. During that time Vagrant signed The Hold Steady and The Lemonheads.
In 2006 Vagrant formed a children's label imprint, Poquito Records and released Vagrant artist The New Amsterdams' side-project The Terrible Twos' debut album "If You Ever See an Owl". In 2007 Vagrant formed another imprint label, Density Records, which will release heavier material than has traditionally been released on the label.
On August 5, 2009 RAMMSTEIN, the Berlin-based industrial metal sextet well known for their controversial and fiery live performances, returns with their first new album in four years, having signed a marketing and distribution deal in the U.S. with Vagrant Records.[5]
[edit] Current bands
[edit] Former bands
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- Ace Enders and a Million Different People
- Alkaline Trio
- Alexisonfire
- The Anniversary
- The Appleseed Cast
- The A-Sides
- Audio Learning Center
- Automatic 7
- Biology
- The Bled
- Boxer
- The Comas
- A Cursive Memory
- Dashboard Confessional
- Down To Earth Approach
- Dr Manhattan
- Eels
- Emanuel
- Face to Face
- FACT
- Far
- From Autumn To Ashes
- The Futureheads
- The Get Up Kids
- Gotohells
- Hey Mercedes
- The Hippos
- Horse the Band
- Hot Rod Circuit
- The (International) Noise Conspiracy
- John Ralston
- Koufax
- The Lemonheads
- Matt Pryor
- Moneen
- The New Amsterdams
- The Night Marchers
- No Motiv
- Olivia Broadfield
- Ocuban
- Paul Westerberg
- Rammstein
- Reggie and the Full Effect
- Rocket From The Crypt
- Saves the Day
- School Boy Humor
- Two Tongues
- Viva Death
- Warship
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Alternative Press Issue 204 "Say Goodnight, Mean Goodbye: The Oral History of The Get Up Kids"
- ^ Paul, Aubin, About Vagrant Records, Punk News, http://www.punknews.org/labels/vagrant, retrieved 2008-03-02
- ^ Grubbs, Eric (2008), Post: A Look at the Influence of Post-Hardcore-1985-2007, iUniverse, pp. 224–266, ISBN 0595518354
- ^ Heller, Greg (2000-09-10), Bands Seek Emotional Rescue, San Francisco Chronicle, http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article/article?f=/c/a/2000/09/10/PK92338.DTL, retrieved 2008-03-02
- ^ http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=124741
