Italy Records is an independent record label

Independent record label

An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...

 founded in Detroit, Michigan

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...

 in 1997, by self-confessed "record geek" Dave Buick. (See 1997 in music

1997 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.-January:*January 9 – David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy...

.)
The label released its first 7" by Rocket 455 on October 31, 1997. shortly after Buick released a single by the Dirtys. Dirtys lead singer Joe Burdick claimed this was the reason Buick founded Italy Records in the first place. The label went on to release the notable 7"s from Detroit rock & roll bands, from the garage rock

Garage rock

Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...

 scene including the first two 7"s by The White Stripes

The White Stripes

The White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...

 (Let's Shake Hands

Let's Shake Hands

"Let's Shake Hands" is the debut 7" single of Detroit-based American garage rock band The White Stripes. It was released in March 1998, and marks their first recording. A live recording of the song is featured on Under Blackpool Lights as well as Under Great White Northern Lights."Let's Shake...

and Lafayette Blues

Lafayette Blues

"Lafayette Blues" is the second 7" single of the Detroit-based American garage rock band The White Stripes. It is backed with "Sugar Never Tasted So Good", a song that appeared on re-releases of the band's eponymous debut album The White Stripes....

), the debut release from the Soledad Brothers ("Soledad), and the first single from The Greenhornes

The Greenhornes

The Greenhornes are an American garage rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio, formed in 1996 by vocalist/guitarist Craig Fox, bass guitarist Jack Lawrence and drummer Patrick Keeler. They released their debut album Gun For You in 1999, followed by a self-titled album in 2001. A third studio album, Dual...

 (Stayed Up Last Night).
In its first incarnation, Italy Records released eleven 45 rpm

Gramophone record

A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...

 singles and a single mini-LP

Mini-LP

A Mini-LP or Mini-album is a short album, usually retailing at a lower price than an album that would be considered "full-length".-History:...

 called Hentch-Forth by The Hentchmen with Jack White

Jack White (musician)

Jack White , often credited as Jack White III, is an American musician, songwriter, record producer and occasional actor...

 of The White Stripes. Out of its twelve releases, Jack White featured in the production or performing of at least six.

Italy's supposed last release was Whirlwind Heat

Whirlwind Heat

Whirlwind Heat is a three-piece band from the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Although they are avid genre-hoppers, they are often categorized as alternative rock.-History:...

's Glaxefusion 7" in 2000. But in 2007, the Italy label was revived with a single from very popular Detroit band The Go

The Go

The Go is an American rock & roll band from Detroit, Michigan. Their sound has evolved from garage punk to a blend of 1960s and 1970s influences, most notably The Beatles....

. Buick and The Hentchmen also re-released the Hentch-Forth album, this time in CD

Compact Disc

The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...

 format (re-titled Hentch-Forth.Five) and digitally on iTunes

ITunes

iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....

.

Discography

Cat No.	Band	Title
IR-001	Rocket 455	Ain't Right Girl
IR-002	The Dirtys	It Ain't Easy
IR-003	The White Stripes The White Stripes The White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...	Let's Shake Hands
IR-004	The Hentchmen	Some Other Guy (feat. Jack White Jack White (musician) Jack White , often credited as Jack White III, is an American musician, songwriter, record producer and occasional actor... )
IR-005	Fells	Close Your Eyes
IR-006	The White Stripes The White Stripes The White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...	Lafayette Blues
IR-007	Soledad Brothers	Soledad
IR-008	The Hentchmen	Hentch-forth
IR-009	The Greenhornes The Greenhornes The Greenhornes are an American garage rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio, formed in 1996 by vocalist/guitarist Craig Fox, bass guitarist Jack Lawrence and drummer Patrick Keeler. They released their debut album Gun For You in 1999, followed by a self-titled album in 2001. A third studio album, Dual...	Stayed Up Last Night
IR-010	Clone Defects	Scissors Chop
IR-011	Clone Defects	Lizard Boy
IR-012	Whirlwind Heat Whirlwind Heat Whirlwind Heat is a three-piece band from the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Although they are avid genre-hoppers, they are often categorized as alternative rock.-History:...	Glaxefusion
IR-013	The Go The Go The Go is an American rock & roll band from Detroit, Michigan. Their sound has evolved from garage punk to a blend of 1960s and 1970s influences, most notably The Beatles....	You Go Banging On
IR-014	The Go The Go The Go is an American rock & roll band from Detroit, Michigan. Their sound has evolved from garage punk to a blend of 1960s and 1970s influences, most notably The Beatles....	Christmas on the Moon
IR-016	F'KE BLOOD	Water Wings
IR-017	Silverghost	So Lost Now
IR-018	Magic Shop	Windy Days
IR-019	Terrible Twos	Grey Ghost Street EP
IR-020	The Go The Go The Go is an American rock & roll band from Detroit, Michigan. Their sound has evolved from garage punk to a blend of 1960s and 1970s influences, most notably The Beatles....	Tracking the Trail of the Haunted Beat LP
IR-021	Druid Perfume	Goat Skin Glue EP
IR-022	The Hentchmen	Claude's Remains
IR-023	Gardens	In Novelty Land
IR-024	Lee Marvin Computer Arm	Delta Water
IR-025	Druid Perfume	Other Worlds
IR-026	Johnny Ill Band	Cars
IR-028	Mirrortwin	Kelly & Fabrizio