File Thirteen Records

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File Thirteen Records has been a communal and musician-run independent record label since 1989. File Thirteen was founded in Little Rock, Arkansas by David Burns and was more utilitarian than a business. It provided a medium for musicians that found time and money in their usually fleeting careers to put together hand-screened 7-inch singles (music), albums, and then finally compact discs. File Thirteen was introduced to a national audience and somewhat legitimate distribution with bands like Chino Horde and Thumbnail (band) touring and self-releasing records through the label. Interestingly, other early key contributors to File Thirteen's formation went on to play in bands like !!!, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, and Green Day.

After being run by various Arkansas scene supporters, Matt Werth became the manager of File Thirteen and moved to Philadelphia for college. File Thirteen became a centerpiece of Philly's independent music scene. Matt Werth of the band Aspera partnered with fellow musicians Atom Goren of Atom and His Package and Brian Sokel of AM/FM and Franklin (band) to release albums from groups like Lenola (band), Matt Pond PA, National Skyline, Antarctica (band) Burning Brides, Bent Leg Fatima, and Lilys.

Matt, Brian, and Atom all decided to retire label ownership in 2002 after releasing the debut from Need New Body and an Atom and his Package EP (music CD). Longtime contributors Stephen Schmidt (Chino Horde and Thumbnail (band) member) and Justin Sinkovich (Thumbnail (band), Sterling (band), The Poison Arrows, and Atombombpocketknife member, co founder of Epitonic.com and betterPropaganda.com) resurrected File Thirteen in their home city of Chicago, Illinois that year. By 2005’s end, Stephen and Justin released music by the Chicago, Illinois groups Red Eyed Legends, Sterling (band), The Dishes, Atombombpocketknife, The Poison Arrows and TRS-80 (group); plus albums by New York City's Martin Rev (of Suicide (band)), Odiorne (band) The Silent League and Philadelphia's Need New Body. 2005 also found File Thirteen releasing albums by bands from abroad for the first time -- Tokyo’s My Way My Love and Bologna Italy’s Franklin Delano (band).