Traffic Violation Records

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Traffic Violation Records was a punk record label based on Long Island, New York. While an underground hardcore scene was already established on Long Island at its inception in 1995, Traffic Violation was ambitious about networking with an international DIY community - a loose network of people around the world who shared an interest in music, and an aversion to major or "mock-major" record labels. Wells Tipley, the labels founder, officially retired the label in 2002, after 28 releases. Typical of the sub-genre of DIY punk, no release numbered much more than 2,000 copies, and most of the bands affiliated with the label made their biggest impact on a local level. Early TVR bands like Splurge and the Striped Basstards spent very little time on tour compared to later bands like On the Might of Princes and Latterman. Both On the Might of Princes and Latterman eventually signed to larger independent labels who followed, on a smaller scale, the same marketing protocol as major, or corporate, record labels. Though affording those bands the opportunity for a larger fan base and underground success, some argue that the bands had betrayed their roots as a result, arguing that by signing contracts with larger labels, they were no longer building an alternative to that paradigm. This conflict is touched on in the 2002 documentary film "Between Resistance and Community."

[edit] Discography

1- Striped Basstards / Splurge - split EP - 7" EP - 1995
2 - Splurge - Tales From the Me Generation - 7" EP - 1996
3 - V/A - Six Band Compilation - 7" EP - 1996
4 - the Howards / Checkerboard Charlie - Kinda Port Jeff's Fnest - 7" EP - 1996
5 - Striped Basstards - Lessons Learned - 7" EP - 1997
6 - Splurge - exit/stretch - 7" EP - 1997
7 - the Disenchanted / Striped Basstards - Je Suis le Firestarter - 7" EP - 1997
8 - I Farm / Operation Cliff Clavin - split EP - 7" EP / CDEP - 1998
9 - De La Hoya - Has No Credibility - CDEP - 1999
10 - V/A - Tape Compilation - cassette - 1999
11 - Striped Basstards - Best Of - (blank) LP - 1999
12 - Contra / Splurge - split LP - CD - 1999
13 - Striped Basstards - di(y)scography - CD - 1999
14 - All The Answers - The One Forgotten - CD - 1999
15 - Operation: Cliff Clavin - When Everythings Been Said - 2xCD - 1999
16 - Splurge - Please Bring Cider... - 2x7" - 2000
17 - Contra - Boys Club Anthems - LP/CD - 2000
18 - Divide and Conquer / Robotnika - split LP - 2002
19 - V/A - What Has Two Thumbs... - 7" EP - 2000
20 - the Insurgent - Inside Every Kid... - 10" - 2000
21 - Contra / J Church - split 7" - 2001
22 - On the Might of Princes - Where You Are and Where You Want To Be - LP / CD - 2002
23 - Sometimes Walking, Sometimes Running / Insurgent - split EP - 7" - 2002
24 - Sometimes Walking, Sometimes Running - untitled: 5 - CDEP - 2002
25 - V/A - Commercial Sampler - CD - 2002
26 - I Farm - Two Selected Works - CD - 2002
27 - V/A - Between Resistance and Community - VHS - 2002
28 - Latterman - Turn Up the Punk, We'll Be Singing - CD - 2002