Bloodshot Records

Bloodshot Records
Founded 1993
Founder Nan Warshaw
Rob Miller
Eric Babcock (former partner)
Genre Alternative country
Insurgent country
Roots
Twang
Americana
Country of origin United States
Location Chicago, Illinois
United States
Official website bloodshotrecords.com

Bloodshot Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois that specializes in roots-infused indie rock, punk rock, and alternative country.

History

Bloodshot Records was founded in 1993 by Nan Warshaw,[1] Rob Miller and (former partner) Eric Babcock.[2][3] The first release was a compilation called For A Life of Sin: A Compilation of Insurgent Chicago Country (1994) that Warshaw, Miller and Babcock self-funded in an effort to document the local insurgent-country scene that had grown up around a network of artist-friendly clubs and independent record labels in Chicago at that time.[4][5] The label began as "a list of bands scrawled on a cocktail napkin" in a bar, and now has released over 200 albums.[6]

"We were living hand-to-mouth for the first two or three years," says Miller. "We didn't put out a new record until that last one had paid for itself. We had to stick by our guns and establish with media, radio, and booking agents that this punk-and-country thing could exist and develop a critical language around it."[7][8] The name of the music genre was a point of contention, with some grouping the unique, hard-to-classify singer-songwriter music under the alternative country and some grouping it under the Americana label.[9]

Artist roster

Some of the early artists who started out on Bloodshot went on to sign with larger major record labels, specifically Old 97's and Ryan Adams. Ryan Adams continues to have the best selling album on the label with the 2000 release "Heartbreaker," having sold almost 500,000 copies. [10] Neko Case had a licensing deal with Bloodshot Records in the United States and Mint Records in Canada before she signed with ANTI-.[11]

Music on Bloodshot Records

Artists

Listed alphabetically

‡ denotes active Bloodshot artists

Bloodshot Compilations & Various Artists

Bloodshot Records began its life as a label by releasing compilations.[12]

Bloodshot Revival

Bloodshot Revival/Soundies: A series of historic transcription acetate recordings that were leased to radio stations for airplay but never sold at the time of recording.[13]

Partnerships

DVD

The label had planned to release a 10th anniversary DVD (Bloodied But Unbowed: Bloodshot Records' Life In The Trenches) in 2004, but it was not released until late 2006.[14][15]

Showcases

Bloodshot puts on a free bar-b-que and music day-long showcase at both Austin, Texas' SXSW and New York City's CMJ music festivals yearly.[16][17]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Meet an FMC fan: Nan Warshaw of Bloodshot Records". Future of Music Coalition. 20 August 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  2. ↑ Chamberlain, Dave (11 April 2002). "So you wanna start a record label? Bloodshot Records shares the inside information on starting--and keeping--a music business.". New City Chicago. Archived from the original on 10 February 2003. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  3. ↑ Chipps, William (17 September 2009). "Bloodshot Records: An Indie Music Label’s Take On Sponsorship". Sponsorship.com. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  4. ↑ Finn, Timothy (12 October 2000). "Country Confessions: Oh, it's country time again for industry". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on 18 January 2001. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  5. ↑ Smith-Lindall, Anders (11 October 2000). "Sweethearts of the Rodeo: Chicago transplants Neko Case and Kelly Hogan carry the torch for 21st-century twang". City Pages (Minneapolis/St. Paul). Archived from the original on 4 February 2001. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  6. ↑ Kot, Greg (28 December 2014). "Bloodshot duo hits 20 without compromise". Chicago Tribune.
  7. ↑ Margasak, Peter (15 June 2000). "Bloodshot Eyes the Future". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  8. ↑ "Bloodshot Records Week // Rob Miller on 10 Years Since Heartbreaker". The Line Of Best Fit. 14 September 2010. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  9. ↑ Wener, Ben (29 July 2001). "Americana, what art thou? Pop: The word has replaced alt-country and No Depression as the new label for roots music - but does that mean it's a real genre?". The Orange County Register. Archived from the original on 5 August 2001. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  10. ↑ Kot, Greg (28 December 2014). "Bloodshot duo hits 20 without compromise". Chicago Tribune.
  11. ↑ Hill, David (23 August 2001). "A Special Case: Neko Case has yet to make the Opry, but her reputation as a new country pioneer is grand.". Denver Westword. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  12. ↑ "Label Spotlight: Bloodshot Records". plug in music. 11 August 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  13. ↑ "Bloodshot Revival at Bloodshot Records". Bloodshot Records. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  14. ↑ Carlozo, Louis R. (7 November 2006). "Bloodshot DVD celebrates label that's insurgent". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  15. ↑ Perlich, Tim (19–26 October 2006). "Bloodied but unbowed". Now (Toronto). Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  16. ↑ Bishop, Robert (29 March 2001). "Split Decision". The Pitch (Kansas City). Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  17. ↑ "Bloodshot Records Week Interview // Elia Einhorn (Scotland Yard Gospel Choir) interviews Jon Langford". The Line Of Best Fit. 15 September 2010. Retrieved 4 May 2013.

External links