Plan-It-X Records
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Plan-It-X Records | |||
Parent company | independent |
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Founded | 1994 | ||
Founder(s) | Chris Johnston, Sam | ||
Distributing label | No Idea Records, as well as other independent channels | ||
Genre(s) | Punk rock, Pop-punk, folk-punk, folk | ||
Country | US | ||
Web address | http://www.plan-it-x.com/ |
Plan-It-X Records is an independent record label in the United States. Originally based in Bloomington, Indiana, it is now located in Gainesville, Florida. They are most notable for having released one EP by the band Against Me! (Crime As Forgiven By), which was later removed from the label's catalog at the band's request after Against Me! signed to major label Sire Records, as well as re-issuing the album Buzz by the highly acclaimed Fifteen. Other notable releases include albums by Japanther, Defiance, Ohio, The Bananas, This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb, Operation: Cliff Clavin, and Antsy Pants (a project featuring Kimya Dawson of the Moldy Peaches), among others. Plan-It-X is one of the longest lasting DIY record labels, especially of those within the punk community.
Founded in 1994 with a strict DIY punk ethic, the label refuses to sell any CDs for more than five dollars. Plan-It-X has a philosophy that is summed up in their slogan: "If it ain't cheap, it ain't punk". Plan-It-X strives to illustrate that the practices of the major record labels do not need to be duplicated by the independent record labels in order for smaller labels to be successful. They support other small labels and encourage others to do so as well (and even go as far as to suggest starting your own label - and many have done so, following the example set by Plan-It-X).
The label is run by Chris Johnston and his friends. Johnston currently plays in the band Ghost Mice, and is a former band member of Operation: Cliff Clavin, The Devil is Electric, The Ted Dancin' Machine, Peanucle, and The Sissies.
Beyond the release of musical albums, Plan-It-X has released a book by author Greg Wells (Complete Control: An Anthology 1997-2005), as well as a DVD featuring live performances of bands filmed during Plan-It-X Fest 2004 (see below).
Contents |
[edit] Plan-It-X Fest
In 2004 Plan-It-X Records celebrated its 10-year anniversary with a three day festival in Bloomington, Indiana. A large portion of the bands involved with the label performed throughout the three day event.
With the success of the 2004 fest, Plan-It-X decided to take the festival on the road the following year in 2005 with a number of their bands in one schoolbus. The school bus toured throughout the eastern and midwestern United States.
2006 saw the third Plan-It-X fest return to Bloomington, Indiana as a six-day "Punk Rock Summer Camp," with bands playing every night and workshops and other activities throughout the afternoon. Like the two previous fests, 2006's fest raised money for charity. This year a total of $8,200 was split amongst three different charities.
[edit] Bands
The following is an alphabetized list of bands that have worked with Plan-It-X to release albums or split-albums on the label. It also includes Plan-It-X South bands (see below regarding PIX South).
- Abe Froman
- Against Me!
- Andrew Jackson Jihad
- Antsy Pants
- The Bananas
- The Blank Fight
- Best Friends Forever
- Captain Chaos
- Carrie Nations
- The Connie Dungs
- Dave Dean's Musical Forklift
- The Dauntless Elite
- Dead Bird
- Defiance, Ohio
- Delay
- The Devil Is Electric
- Disarm (precursor to The Devil Is Electric)
- The Door-Keys
- Erin Tobey
- Fifteen
- The Four Eyes
- Ghost Mice
- Henry Rollins and the Sweater Band
- I Like Japanese Hardcore
- Japanther
- Kickball
- Lava Lava
- Left Out
- Los Gatos Negros
- Madeline
- Matty Pop Chart
- The Max Levine Ensemble
- Michael Jordan Touchdown Pass
- One Reason (PIX South)
- Operation: Cliff Clavin
- Paul Baribeau
- Peanucle
- Punkin Pie
- Rosa
- Saw Wheel
- Sexy (PIX South)
- Shotwell
- The Sissies
- Soophie Nun Squad
- Spoonboy
- Stressface
- The Ted Dancin' Machine
- This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb
- Turn Pale
- Your Heart Breaks
[edit] Plan-It-X South
Plan-It-X South is a part of the main Plan-It-X label, but is run by Teddy Helmick of This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb. Plan-It-X carries all of the Plan-It-X South releases in their main catalog. This arrangement benefits Chris Johnston, as Teddy operates and finances PIX South, so the burden is taken off of Johnston. And since the releases are distributed through the main PIX catalog, it allows Teddy the opportunity to take part in the production and release of more music, distributed through a channel already proven successful.
PIX South shares the same DIY punk ethic of its mother label.