Dashboard Hula Girl Records
Encyclopedia
Dashboard Hulagirl Records is a Seattle-based independent American record label founded in 1989 by Trev Dellinger and Chris Swenson. The label released several LPs, EPs, and singles before folding in 1992. The label's most influential release was an all-local Seattle covers compilation tribute to punk rock group The Damned, Another Damned Seattle Compilation
.
. The two discovered common interests in the local Seattle independent music community, self-deprecating humor, and expendable incomes. The idea of starting a record label was jokingly discussed for several months, with "Business End First", "Shop Boner", and "Fertility Weasel" considered as operating titles.
With the dissolution of Dellinger's band "Toad Hell", the duo decided to release a 7" EP by Swenson's band Big Satan, Inc. (BSI) as the label's first offering. The name Dashboard Hula Girl Records was agreed on after the decision to release that EP was made, when Dellinger produced an 8" plastic Mickey Mouse doll that had been mutilated, painted, and wore a makeshift hula skirt. The BSI EP, titled Force Fed, was pressed three times and sold nearly 1,500 copies, primarily in Germany, Spain, and the West Coast of the United States. The cover of the EP, featuring a "NEW SHIT FROM SEATTLE" sticker, was featured in Doug Pray's
1996 film Hype!
In 1990, power pop punk band Flop's
"Drugs/Action" 7" single was the labels second release. The relationship between the label and band began after Swenson, childhood friends with Flop bassist Paul Schurr and a long time fan of Flop songwriter/singer Rusty Willoughby
(Pure Joy, The Dwindles), heard final cassette mixes of the songs on Schurr's bedroom boombox. Both songs, plus several others, were recorded by Chris Hanzsek
at Reciprocal Recording
in Seattle. Swenson asked to release them all, but reduced the release to 7" vinyl because of budget issues. The band and label agreed to include only two songs on the 7" citing a mutual desire to keep as much quality of the recording as possible, since squeezing more than one song per side would compress the vinyl groove depth and width thus producing lower quality audio. Side A is "Drugs", an original Flop composition, Side B is a cover version of "Action" by The Sweet. The sleeve art of the 7" contains two photos of cadavers in mid-autopsy, taken from one of Schurr's pre-med manuals.
for possible Fastbacks
and Young Fresh Fellows
contributions. Resistance to the source material was met from several members of three out of the four bands, and the idea was shelved. In the following months Swenson learned of Mudhoney's
recent recording at Egg Studios of "Stab Your Back" by The Damned, and quickly reinvisioned the release as a full album Damned covers featuring only Seattle area bands.
Over the next several months, 18 Seattle bands signed on to the project with song choices. In the winter of 1990-1991, 15 of the bands recorded their tracks with Jack Endino
or Chris Hanzsek
at Reciprocal Recording
, with each band allotted 3-4 hours of recording time over several weekends. Young Fresh Fellows and Mudhoney recorded their tracks at Egg Studios, The Purdins recorded theirs at Electric Eel Studios. Three bands originally scheduled to record but not appearing on the compilation were Cat Butt
, Tad
, and Nirvana
: Cat Butt unable to record because of the band's dissolution; Tad declining because of tour conflicts; Nirvana unable to commit due to their signing with DGC Records
and Gold Mountain Entertainment in the midst of recording schedule negotiations.
An early concept of sequencing the album to tell a story in the style of Pink Floyd's The Wall or "Animals" albums was abandoned in favor of creating a compelling, cohesive 72 continuous minutes of music. Using burgeoning digital editing technology that allowed for experimentation with the cross-fading and timed spaces before and after each song, Swenson paid detailed attention to how best to make each track compliment the others during the album's sequencing and mastering.
The title for the album was given by Kurt Bloch and erroneously attributed to Scott McCaughey
on the album's liner notes. The album's cover artwork mimics the pie-in-the-face cover of The Damned's debut album "Damned Damned Damned", and features Kurt Bloch
(Fastbacks
, Young Fresh Fellows
), Dan Peters
(Mudhoney
), Paul Schurr (Flop), Matt Wright (Gas Huffer
), and Blaine Cook (The Accüsed
). The cover photo and many of the interior collage and band pictures were taken by Kirk Jones. Dellinger and Swenson are credited on the album as "Boner #2" and "Boner #1", respectively.
The CD version contained 19 songs, and the vinyl version was released with 17 songs. Limited edition gatefold colored vinyl (500 US, 500 Germany, 500 Asia, 500 Europe) was issued with a bonus 7" featuring songs by Gruntruck
and Motorhoney, neither of which appear on the regular vinyl release. Dashboard Hula Girl pressed all the CDs, and entered into a contract with Musical Tragedies Records in Germany, who pressed the vinyl and distributed both versions outside the US.
with plans to release a full length album on the label. During the recording sessions, Bloch shared a demo tape containing several of the songs with Frontier Records
owner Lisa Fancher, who offered the band a recording contract. The album, named after a poker game coined by friend and artist of two Flop albums Ed Fotheringham, was released in 1992 on Frontier Records with the vinyl pressed and distributed by Dashboard Hula Girl Records.
During this period, Dellinger pursued the signing of Seattle rock/fusion band IMIJ. The band declined, later signing with Capitol Records.
, the label recorded The Posies
, Flop
, Young Fresh Fellows
, and the Fastbacks
playing cover versions of songs by '60s pop group The Zombies
in 1992, with expectations of releasing a double 7". During the Zombies recording sessions, Swenson moved on from his job at the metal fabrication company and was now managing Flop, while Dellinger left the metal fabrication company and journeyed overseas for a months-long Thailand/Asia trip. The label was quickly dissolved, and plans to release of the Zombies double 7" ended. Scott McCaughey
and Conrad Uno
of PopLlama Records
purchased the recordings, recorded several other bands including Zumpano
and The Model Rockets, and released them as a CD titled "World of the Zombies".
Another Damned Seattle Compilation
Another Damned Seattle Compilation is a musical tribute to 1970s punk band The Damned, featuring tracks recorded in 1990 to 1991 by 18 Seattle area bands and released on Seattle's Dashboard Hula Girl Records.-History of the Compilation:...
.
7" Releases (1989-1990)
Co-founders Trev Dellinger and Chris Swenson met in 1989 while working at a metal fabrication shop in South Park, Seattle, WashingtonSouth Park, Seattle, Washington
South Park is a neighborhood in the city of Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington. It is located just south of Georgetown across the Duwamish River, and just north of the city of Tukwila. Its main thoroughfares are West Marginal Way S. , S. Cloverdale Street and 14th Ave. S...
. The two discovered common interests in the local Seattle independent music community, self-deprecating humor, and expendable incomes. The idea of starting a record label was jokingly discussed for several months, with "Business End First", "Shop Boner", and "Fertility Weasel" considered as operating titles.
With the dissolution of Dellinger's band "Toad Hell", the duo decided to release a 7" EP by Swenson's band Big Satan, Inc. (BSI) as the label's first offering. The name Dashboard Hula Girl Records was agreed on after the decision to release that EP was made, when Dellinger produced an 8" plastic Mickey Mouse doll that had been mutilated, painted, and wore a makeshift hula skirt. The BSI EP, titled Force Fed, was pressed three times and sold nearly 1,500 copies, primarily in Germany, Spain, and the West Coast of the United States. The cover of the EP, featuring a "NEW SHIT FROM SEATTLE" sticker, was featured in Doug Pray's
Doug Pray
Doug Pray is an American documentary film director, cinematographer, and editor who often explores unique subcultures in his films. His work includes Surfwise a portrait of the nomadic, 11-member Doc Paskowitz family ; Big Rig , a documentary about truck drivers; Infamy , a documentary about...
1996 film Hype!
Hype!
Hype! is a documentary directed by Doug Pray about the popularity of grunge rock in the early to mid-1990s United States. It incorporates interviews and rare concert footage to trace the steps of grunge, from its subversive inception in neighborhood basements, to its explosion as a pop culture...
In 1990, power pop punk band Flop's
Flop (band)
Flop was an early-1990s pop punk band from Seattle, Washington. The band gained some exposure as a result of a brief appearance in Doug Pray's motion picture documentary Hype!.-The Beginning :...
"Drugs/Action" 7" single was the labels second release. The relationship between the label and band began after Swenson, childhood friends with Flop bassist Paul Schurr and a long time fan of Flop songwriter/singer Rusty Willoughby
Rusty Willoughby
Rusty Willoughby is an active American musician born in Staten Island and currently living in Redmond, Washington, a suburb of Seattle. , he has been vocalist, songwriter and guitarist or bass guitarist for several Seattle based bands: Pure Joy , Flop , Llama , and Cobirds Unite...
(Pure Joy, The Dwindles), heard final cassette mixes of the songs on Schurr's bedroom boombox. Both songs, plus several others, were recorded by Chris Hanzsek
Chris Hanzsek
Chris Hanzsek is an American musical engineer and record producer currently living in Snohomish, Washington. He was co-founder, with then partner Tina Casale, of C/Z Records and their recording studio, Reciprocal Recording, in 1984...
at Reciprocal Recording
Reciprocal Recording
Reciprocal Recording was the name of a recording studio in Seattle, Washington, USA, that was founded in 1984 and officially closed in July 1991.-History:Chris Hanzsek and Tina Casale opened Reciprocal Recording in Seattle in 1984...
in Seattle. Swenson asked to release them all, but reduced the release to 7" vinyl because of budget issues. The band and label agreed to include only two songs on the 7" citing a mutual desire to keep as much quality of the recording as possible, since squeezing more than one song per side would compress the vinyl groove depth and width thus producing lower quality audio. Side A is "Drugs", an original Flop composition, Side B is a cover version of "Action" by The Sweet. The sleeve art of the 7" contains two photos of cadavers in mid-autopsy, taken from one of Schurr's pre-med manuals.
Another Damned Seattle Compilation (1991)
Upon hearing Flop's cover of The Sweet's "Action" in 1989, Swenson and Schurr discussed releasing a Flop/Big Satan, Inc. split 7" single of The Sweet cover songs. Dellinger suggested including other bands on the release and Swenson approached guitarist Kurt BlochKurt Bloch
Kurt Bloch is an American songwriter, guitarist, engineer and producer, best known as songwriter and lead guitarist of Fastbacks. He has also been a member of The Young Fresh Fellows and has recorded tracks and produced albums for Tokyo Dragons, Robyn Hitchcock, Les Thugs, Flop, Sicko , The Minus...
for possible Fastbacks
Fastbacks
The Fastbacks were a Seattle punk rock band. Formed in 1979 by songwriter/guitarist Kurt Bloch , and friends Lulu Gargiulo and Kim Warnick , they disbanded in 2001...
and Young Fresh Fellows
Young Fresh Fellows
The Young Fresh Fellows are an American alternative rock group that was formed in 1981 in Seattle, Washington, by Scott McCaughey and Chuck Carroll; Tad Hutchison, Chuck Carroll's first cousin, joined for the recording of the group's debut album in 1983....
contributions. Resistance to the source material was met from several members of three out of the four bands, and the idea was shelved. In the following months Swenson learned of Mudhoney's
Mudhoney
Mudhoney is an American alternative rock band. Formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1988 following the demise of Green River, Mudhoney's members are vocalist and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison, and drummer Dan Peters. Original bassist Matt Lukin left the...
recent recording at Egg Studios of "Stab Your Back" by The Damned, and quickly reinvisioned the release as a full album Damned covers featuring only Seattle area bands.
Over the next several months, 18 Seattle bands signed on to the project with song choices. In the winter of 1990-1991, 15 of the bands recorded their tracks with Jack Endino
Jack Endino
Jack Endino is a producer and musician based in Seattle. Long associated with Seattle label Sub Pop and the grunge movement, Endino worked on seminal albums from bands such as Mudhoney, Soundgarden, and Nirvana...
or Chris Hanzsek
Chris Hanzsek
Chris Hanzsek is an American musical engineer and record producer currently living in Snohomish, Washington. He was co-founder, with then partner Tina Casale, of C/Z Records and their recording studio, Reciprocal Recording, in 1984...
at Reciprocal Recording
Reciprocal Recording
Reciprocal Recording was the name of a recording studio in Seattle, Washington, USA, that was founded in 1984 and officially closed in July 1991.-History:Chris Hanzsek and Tina Casale opened Reciprocal Recording in Seattle in 1984...
, with each band allotted 3-4 hours of recording time over several weekends. Young Fresh Fellows and Mudhoney recorded their tracks at Egg Studios, The Purdins recorded theirs at Electric Eel Studios. Three bands originally scheduled to record but not appearing on the compilation were Cat Butt
Cat Butt
Cat Butt was a Seattle, Washington rock group formed in 1987. The band did a short west coast tour, and then went on to record their first full-length album, "Journey to the Center Of." It was produced by Jack Endino of Skin Yard. To promote the album the band did a large U.S. tour, before...
, Tad
Tad (band)
Tad was an American grunge band from Seattle, Washington led by Tad Doyle. Among the first of the many bands which came out of Seattle in the grunge era, Tad was notable for the fact that its music had a noticeable 1970s metal influence, rather than the punk which influenced most other grunge bands...
, and Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
: Cat Butt unable to record because of the band's dissolution; Tad declining because of tour conflicts; Nirvana unable to commit due to their signing with DGC Records
DGC Records
DGC Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and currently operates as an auxiliary label of Interscope Records.-Company history:...
and Gold Mountain Entertainment in the midst of recording schedule negotiations.
An early concept of sequencing the album to tell a story in the style of Pink Floyd's The Wall or "Animals" albums was abandoned in favor of creating a compelling, cohesive 72 continuous minutes of music. Using burgeoning digital editing technology that allowed for experimentation with the cross-fading and timed spaces before and after each song, Swenson paid detailed attention to how best to make each track compliment the others during the album's sequencing and mastering.
The title for the album was given by Kurt Bloch and erroneously attributed to Scott McCaughey
Scott McCaughey
As a singer and songwriter, Scott McCaughey is the leader of the Seattle and Portland-based bands The Young Fresh Fellows and The Minus 5.He is also bassist for Robyn Hitchcock's most recent touring band, The Venus 3, along with Bill Rieflin and Peter Buck....
on the album's liner notes. The album's cover artwork mimics the pie-in-the-face cover of The Damned's debut album "Damned Damned Damned", and features Kurt Bloch
Kurt Bloch
Kurt Bloch is an American songwriter, guitarist, engineer and producer, best known as songwriter and lead guitarist of Fastbacks. He has also been a member of The Young Fresh Fellows and has recorded tracks and produced albums for Tokyo Dragons, Robyn Hitchcock, Les Thugs, Flop, Sicko , The Minus...
(Fastbacks
Fastbacks
The Fastbacks were a Seattle punk rock band. Formed in 1979 by songwriter/guitarist Kurt Bloch , and friends Lulu Gargiulo and Kim Warnick , they disbanded in 2001...
, Young Fresh Fellows
Young Fresh Fellows
The Young Fresh Fellows are an American alternative rock group that was formed in 1981 in Seattle, Washington, by Scott McCaughey and Chuck Carroll; Tad Hutchison, Chuck Carroll's first cousin, joined for the recording of the group's debut album in 1983....
), Dan Peters
Dan Peters
Daniel Joe Peters is the drummer for Mudhoney. He joined Bundle of Hiss when he was fifteen years old. He also played drums for Nirvana, appearing on one single, "Sliver". Peters' only live appearance with Nirvana was on September 22, 1990, in Seattle, Washington, at the Motor Sports International...
(Mudhoney
Mudhoney
Mudhoney is an American alternative rock band. Formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1988 following the demise of Green River, Mudhoney's members are vocalist and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison, and drummer Dan Peters. Original bassist Matt Lukin left the...
), Paul Schurr (Flop), Matt Wright (Gas Huffer
Gas Huffer
Gas Huffer was an American garage rock band from Washington state. They were known for their formal and comical lyrics and their antic stage presence.-History:Gas Huffer classified themselves loosely in the Garage punk genre...
), and Blaine Cook (The Accüsed
The Accüsed
The Accüsed is a crossover thrash band from Seattle, WA, founded in 1981. They are considered to be an important progenitor of the crossover style that bridged the gap between thrashcore and thrash metal, later influencing grindcore and some crust punk bands; as well as an influential band in the...
). The cover photo and many of the interior collage and band pictures were taken by Kirk Jones. Dellinger and Swenson are credited on the album as "Boner #2" and "Boner #1", respectively.
The CD version contained 19 songs, and the vinyl version was released with 17 songs. Limited edition gatefold colored vinyl (500 US, 500 Germany, 500 Asia, 500 Europe) was issued with a bonus 7" featuring songs by Gruntruck
Gruntruck
Gruntruck was a grunge band formed in 1989 in Seattle, Washington by Ben McMillan and Scott McCullum, both previously from Skin Yard. Tommy Niemeyer from The Accüsed and Tim Paul, previously of Napalm Beach and Final Warning, rounded out the initial, classic line-up...
and Motorhoney, neither of which appear on the regular vinyl release. Dashboard Hula Girl pressed all the CDs, and entered into a contract with Musical Tragedies Records in Germany, who pressed the vinyl and distributed both versions outside the US.
Flop & The Fall of the Mopsqueezer (1992)
In 1991, Flop began recording songs with producer Kurt BlochKurt Bloch
Kurt Bloch is an American songwriter, guitarist, engineer and producer, best known as songwriter and lead guitarist of Fastbacks. He has also been a member of The Young Fresh Fellows and has recorded tracks and produced albums for Tokyo Dragons, Robyn Hitchcock, Les Thugs, Flop, Sicko , The Minus...
with plans to release a full length album on the label. During the recording sessions, Bloch shared a demo tape containing several of the songs with Frontier Records
Frontier Records
Frontier Records is an independent record label, started in 1980 in Los Angeles by Lisa Fancher, a former employee of Bomp! Records and writer of the liner notes for the first album by The Runaways....
owner Lisa Fancher, who offered the band a recording contract. The album, named after a poker game coined by friend and artist of two Flop albums Ed Fotheringham, was released in 1992 on Frontier Records with the vinyl pressed and distributed by Dashboard Hula Girl Records.
During this period, Dellinger pursued the signing of Seattle rock/fusion band IMIJ. The band declined, later signing with Capitol Records.
Label dissolution
With the success of Another Damned Seattle CompilationAnother Damned Seattle Compilation
Another Damned Seattle Compilation is a musical tribute to 1970s punk band The Damned, featuring tracks recorded in 1990 to 1991 by 18 Seattle area bands and released on Seattle's Dashboard Hula Girl Records.-History of the Compilation:...
, the label recorded The Posies
The Posies
The Posies are an alternative rock/power pop group. The band was formed in 1987 in Bellingham, Washington by primary songwriters Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow. They are best known for their radio hits "Golden Blunders" , as well as "Dream All Day", "Solar Sister" and "Flavor of the Month"...
, Flop
Flop (band)
Flop was an early-1990s pop punk band from Seattle, Washington. The band gained some exposure as a result of a brief appearance in Doug Pray's motion picture documentary Hype!.-The Beginning :...
, Young Fresh Fellows
Young Fresh Fellows
The Young Fresh Fellows are an American alternative rock group that was formed in 1981 in Seattle, Washington, by Scott McCaughey and Chuck Carroll; Tad Hutchison, Chuck Carroll's first cousin, joined for the recording of the group's debut album in 1983....
, and the Fastbacks
Fastbacks
The Fastbacks were a Seattle punk rock band. Formed in 1979 by songwriter/guitarist Kurt Bloch , and friends Lulu Gargiulo and Kim Warnick , they disbanded in 2001...
playing cover versions of songs by '60s pop group The Zombies
The Zombies
The Zombies are an English rock band, formed in 1961 in St Albans and led by Rod Argent, on piano and keyboards, and vocalist Colin Blunstone. The group scored a UK and US hit in 1964 with "She's Not There"...
in 1992, with expectations of releasing a double 7". During the Zombies recording sessions, Swenson moved on from his job at the metal fabrication company and was now managing Flop, while Dellinger left the metal fabrication company and journeyed overseas for a months-long Thailand/Asia trip. The label was quickly dissolved, and plans to release of the Zombies double 7" ended. Scott McCaughey
Scott McCaughey
As a singer and songwriter, Scott McCaughey is the leader of the Seattle and Portland-based bands The Young Fresh Fellows and The Minus 5.He is also bassist for Robyn Hitchcock's most recent touring band, The Venus 3, along with Bill Rieflin and Peter Buck....
and Conrad Uno
Conrad Uno
Conrad Uno is an American record producer and founder of the independent record label PopLlama Records. Uno began his career making his own music as a teenager in his makeshift basement studio. At the request of his friends, the Young Fresh Fellows, Uno produced their debut album The Fabulous...
of PopLlama Records
PopLlama Records
PopLlama Records is an independent record label founded by record producer Conrad Uno in Seattle, Washington, in 1984. After making several of his own demos in his basement studio, Uno would produce the Young Fresh Fellows' debut album The Fabulous Sounds of the Pacific Northwest at the bands request...
purchased the recordings, recorded several other bands including Zumpano
Zumpano
Zumpano was a Canadian indie rock group in the 1990s.The band, whose power pop style resembled such contemporaries as Sloan and The Super Friendz, comprised vocalist/guitarist Carl Newman, keyboardist Michael Ledwidge, bassist Stefan Niemann and drummer Jason Zumpano.The band formed in 1992 after...
and The Model Rockets, and released them as a CD titled "World of the Zombies".
Releases
- "Force Fed" EP by Big Satan, Inc. - 1989
- "Drugs/Action" 7" Single by FlopFlop (band)Flop was an early-1990s pop punk band from Seattle, Washington. The band gained some exposure as a result of a brief appearance in Doug Pray's motion picture documentary Hype!.-The Beginning :...
- 1990 - Another Damned Seattle CompilationAnother Damned Seattle CompilationAnother Damned Seattle Compilation is a musical tribute to 1970s punk band The Damned, featuring tracks recorded in 1990 to 1991 by 18 Seattle area bands and released on Seattle's Dashboard Hula Girl Records.-History of the Compilation:...
LP by Various Artists - 1991 - Flop & The Fall of the Mopsqueezer LP (vinyl only) by FlopFlop (band)Flop was an early-1990s pop punk band from Seattle, Washington. The band gained some exposure as a result of a brief appearance in Doug Pray's motion picture documentary Hype!.-The Beginning :...
- 1992