Mint Records
Encyclopedia
Mint Records is a Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
-based independent record label
founded in January 1991
, by friends and campus radio enthusiasts Randy Iwata and Bill Baker.
Randy Iwata and Bill Baker started working together at CITR-FM
, the University of British Columbia
radio station. Three years after graduation, they decided it was time to move on from the station. However, they wanted to stay connected to new music, so they founded a record label to release the best up-and-coming music of the city. They have been known to sign artists during drinking sessions.
' e-commerce site. One of their earliest successes was a band called cub
who, along side Bunnygrunt
and labelmates Maow
, helped pioneer the vein of indie pop
known as cuddlecore. Mint achieved Billboard chart success in the early noughties with Neko Case
and The New Pornographers
.
In the year 1998, Mint Records album Get Outta Dodge by Huevos Rancheros
was nominated for a Juno Award
in the Best Alternative Album
category, and in 2001, Mint album Mass Romantic
by The New Pornographers
won the Juno Award
for Best Alternative Album
. Mass Romantic
was listed at #17 in the 2001 Village Voice Pazz & Jop
poll, and later ranked at #24 in Blender's 100 Greatest Indie Rock Albums Ever list.
Electric Version
by The New Pornographers
was listed at #7 in the Village Voice Pazz & Jop
poll of 2003. In 2009, the album was ranked at #79 on Rolling Stone's 100 Best Albums of the Decade list. New Pornographers album Twin Cinema
was voted the #9 album of 2005 in the Pazz & Jop
poll of 2005, and PopMatters
ranked the album at #1 on their Best Music of 2005 list. It was later shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize
in 2006, while Pitchfork Media
placed Twin Cinema
at number 150 on their list of the Top 200 Albums of the 2000s.
In October 2006, in conjunction with Exclaim!
magazine and CBC Radio 3
, Mint Records mounted a cross-Canada tour called the "Exclaim! Mint Road Show!" with headliners The New Pornographers
along with Immaculate Machine
and Novillero
(except the final show in Vancouver, which featured Young and Sexy
and Bella).
In 2010, Mint Records album Let's Just Stay Here by Carolyn Mark
& NQ Arbuckle
was nominated for a Juno Award
in the Roots & Traditional Album Of The Year category.
In Fall of 2011, a book about Mint Records by Kaitlin Fontana was published by ECW Press
. It is titled Fresh At Twenty: The Oral History Of Mint Records.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
-based 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 January 1991
1991 in music
See also:* 1991 in music Record labels established in 1991-Summary:The year 1991 is the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. Nirvana's Nevermind, led by the surprise hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit", becomes the most popular U.S. album of the year...
, by friends and campus radio enthusiasts Randy Iwata and Bill Baker.
Randy Iwata and Bill Baker started working together at CITR-FM
CITR-FM
CITR-FM, normally branded CiTR , is a Canadian FM radio station based out of the University of British Columbia's Student Union Building in the University Endowment Lands, just west of the city limits of Vancouver, British Columbia.CiTR is operated by UBC students and community volunteers under the...
, the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
radio station. Three years after graduation, they decided it was time to move on from the station. However, they wanted to stay connected to new music, so they founded a record label to release the best up-and-coming music of the city. They have been known to sign artists during drinking sessions.
History
Since its conception in 1991, Mint has put out over 130 releases. Most of their catalogue is available for sale through MapleMusic RecordingsMapleMusic Recordings
MapleMusic Recordings is a Toronto based record label.The MapleMusic Recordings label is a project of Canadian roots rock band Skydiggers and entrepreneur Grant Dexter...
' e-commerce site. One of their earliest successes was a band called cub
Cub (band)
Cub was an indie rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia that formed in 1992 and disbanded in 1997. They played a melodic, jangly form of pop punk that was dubbed "cuddlecore" by some music critics...
who, along side Bunnygrunt
Bunnygrunt
Bunnygrunt are an American indie pop band from St. Louis, Missouri composed of guitarist/vocalist Matt Harnish and drummer/vocalist Karen Ried.-1993 - 1998:...
and labelmates Maow
Maow
Maow was a Canadian indie rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. A pop punk combo, the band was part of the "cuddlecore" scene led by cub.Maow consisted of guitarist Tobey Black, bassist Corrina Hammond and drummer Neko Case...
, helped pioneer the vein of indie pop
Indie pop
Indie pop is a genre of alternative rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid 1980s, with its roots in the Scottish post-punk bands on the Postcard Records label in the early '80s, such as Orange Juice, Josef K and Aztec Camera, and the dominant UK independent band of the mid...
known as cuddlecore. Mint achieved Billboard chart success in the early noughties with Neko Case
Neko Case
Neko Case is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her solo career and her contributions as a member of the Canadian indie rock group The New Pornographers....
and The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1997 in Vancouver, British Columbia.-History:The band's first four albums each ranked in the top 40 on The Village Voices Pazz & Jop year-end poll of hundreds of music reviewers. From 2000 to 2006, either a New Pornographers' album or a...
.
In the year 1998, Mint Records album Get Outta Dodge by Huevos Rancheros
Huevos Rancheros
Huevos Rancheros are a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1990 from Calgary, Alberta, Canada.-History:Huevos Rancheros perform an instrumental blend of rockabilly, surf, Grunge and punk music. The band currently consists of guitarist Brent Cooper, bassist Tommy Kennedy and drummer Richie Ranchero...
was nominated for a Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
in the Best Alternative Album
Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year
The Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year is presented annually at Canada's Juno Awards to honour the best album of the year in the alternative rock and/or indie rock genres...
category, and in 2001, Mint album Mass Romantic
Mass Romantic
Mass Romantic is the debut album by Canadian indie rock band The New Pornographers. Produced by David Carswell and band bassist John Collins, it was released on Mint Records in 2000. The album was three years in the making, with musicians A.C. Newman and Dan Bejar writing songs as early as 1998...
by The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1997 in Vancouver, British Columbia.-History:The band's first four albums each ranked in the top 40 on The Village Voices Pazz & Jop year-end poll of hundreds of music reviewers. From 2000 to 2006, either a New Pornographers' album or a...
won the Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
for Best Alternative Album
Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year
The Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year is presented annually at Canada's Juno Awards to honour the best album of the year in the alternative rock and/or indie rock genres...
. Mass Romantic
Mass Romantic
Mass Romantic is the debut album by Canadian indie rock band The New Pornographers. Produced by David Carswell and band bassist John Collins, it was released on Mint Records in 2000. The album was three years in the making, with musicians A.C. Newman and Dan Bejar writing songs as early as 1998...
was listed at #17 in the 2001 Village Voice Pazz & Jop
Pazz & Jop
The Pazz & Jop critics' poll is a poll of music critics run by The Village Voice newspaper. It is compiled every year from the top ten lists of hundreds of music critics...
poll, and later ranked at #24 in Blender's 100 Greatest Indie Rock Albums Ever list.
Electric Version
Electric Version
Electric Version is the second studio album by the Canadian indie rock group The New Pornographers. It was released on Matador/Mint on May 6, 2003....
by The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1997 in Vancouver, British Columbia.-History:The band's first four albums each ranked in the top 40 on The Village Voices Pazz & Jop year-end poll of hundreds of music reviewers. From 2000 to 2006, either a New Pornographers' album or a...
was listed at #7 in the Village Voice Pazz & Jop
Pazz & Jop
The Pazz & Jop critics' poll is a poll of music critics run by The Village Voice newspaper. It is compiled every year from the top ten lists of hundreds of music critics...
poll of 2003. In 2009, the album was ranked at #79 on Rolling Stone's 100 Best Albums of the Decade list. New Pornographers album Twin Cinema
Twin Cinema
Twin Cinema is the third album by Canadian indie rock group The New Pornographers. It was released on August 23, 2005. The album was shortlisted for the 2006 Polaris Music Prize.-Critical reception:...
was voted the #9 album of 2005 in the Pazz & Jop
Pazz & Jop
The Pazz & Jop critics' poll is a poll of music critics run by The Village Voice newspaper. It is compiled every year from the top ten lists of hundreds of music critics...
poll of 2005, and PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
ranked the album at #1 on their Best Music of 2005 list. It was later shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize
Polaris Music Prize
The Polaris Music Prize is a music award annually given to the best full-length Canadian album based on artistic merit, regardless of genre, sales, or record label...
in 2006, while Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
placed Twin Cinema
Twin Cinema
Twin Cinema is the third album by Canadian indie rock group The New Pornographers. It was released on August 23, 2005. The album was shortlisted for the 2006 Polaris Music Prize.-Critical reception:...
at number 150 on their list of the Top 200 Albums of the 2000s.
In October 2006, in conjunction with Exclaim!
Exclaim!
Exclaim! is a monthly Canadian music magazine that features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with special focus on Canadian and cutting-edge artists...
magazine and CBC Radio 3
CBC Radio 3
CBC Radio 3 is a radio station that consists of two parts devoted to Canadian arts and music: a radio service which is available on Sirius Satellite Radio and streaming audio, and several daily and weekly podcasts from the CBC Radio 3 website...
, Mint Records mounted a cross-Canada tour called the "Exclaim! Mint Road Show!" with headliners The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1997 in Vancouver, British Columbia.-History:The band's first four albums each ranked in the top 40 on The Village Voices Pazz & Jop year-end poll of hundreds of music reviewers. From 2000 to 2006, either a New Pornographers' album or a...
along with Immaculate Machine
Immaculate Machine
Immaculate Machine was a Canadian indie pop band from Victoria, British Columbia, active from 2003 to 2011.The band's name is taken from the lyrics of "One-Trick Pony" from the album One-Trick Pony by Paul Simon.-History:...
and Novillero
Novillero
Novillero is a Canadian indie pop band formed in 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Their musical style has been dubbed "mod-pop".Novillero formed in 1999 out of the ashes of Winnipeg lounge pop darlings Transonic, picking up Rod Slaughter , Dave Berthiaume , and Rusty Matyas along the way...
(except the final show in Vancouver, which featured Young and Sexy
Young and Sexy
Young and Sexy is a Canadian indie pop band from Vancouver, British Columbia, consisting of vocalists Paul Pittman and Lucy Brain, guitarist André Lagacé, bassist Brent McDonald and former drummer Alex Brain...
and Bella).
In 2010, Mint Records album Let's Just Stay Here by Carolyn Mark
Carolyn Mark
Carolyn Mark is a Canadian alternative country singer-songwriter. She has recorded as a solo artist and as a member of the duo The Corn Sisters with American colleague Neko Case, as well as with the bands the Vinaigrettes, Jr. Gone Wild, Showbusiness Giants, the Fixin's and the Metronome Cowboys...
& NQ Arbuckle
NQ Arbuckle
NQ Arbuckle is a Canadian alternative country band, consisting of Neville Quinlan , Mark Kesper, Peter Kesper and John Dinsmore...
was nominated for a Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
in the Roots & Traditional Album Of The Year category.
In Fall of 2011, a book about Mint Records by Kaitlin Fontana was published by ECW Press
ECW Press
ECW Press is a North American small press book publisher located in Toronto, Ontario. It was founded by Jack David and Robert Lecker in 1974 as a Canadian literary magazine named Essays on Canadian Writing. Five years later, ECW published its first books - trade and scholarly titles...
. It is titled Fresh At Twenty: The Oral History Of Mint Records.
Current artists
- The Awkward StageThe Awkward StageThe Awkward Stage is a Canadian indie pop band, based in Vancouver, British Columbia and fronted by singer-songwriter Shane Nelken. The band's supporting lineup currently consists of Tygh Runyan on lead guitar, Tony Koelwyn on drums and Chris Mitchell on trumpet and keyboards.Nelken, who works as a...
- BellaBella (band)Bella is a Canadian indie pop band from Vancouver, who formed in 2003, and have released two full-length albums. The band signed to Vancouver's Mint Records in 2006 and released the full-length "No One will Know" featuring guest musicians Roddy Bottum , Will Schwartz , John Collins and Jason...
- The Choir PracticeThe Choir Practice-External links:*...
- Duplex!Duplex! (Canadian band)Duplex! is a children's music band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada that claims influences from urban folk to punk rock. The members range in birth years from 1967 to 2002; both toddler Abe Caruso and noted Canadian musician Veda Hille played on the debut album.-Members:Ages given are as of...
- The EvaporatorsThe EvaporatorsThe Evaporators is a Canadian punk rock band formed in 1986 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Nardwuar, its founding member, is known for interviewing politicians and celebrities.-History:...
- fanshaw
- Geoff BernerGeoff BernerGeoff Berner is a Canadian singer-songwriter and accordion player from Vancouver, British Columbia.Due to his insightful humor, politically inflammatory compositions and showmanship, Berner has gained a cult following over the years, especially in Canada and Norway, where he recorded his first...
- The Handsome FamilyThe Handsome FamilyThe Handsome Family is an alternative country band, formed in Chicago, Illinois.-History:The band was formed in 1993 by husband-and-wife duo Brett Sparks and Rennie Sparks and drummer Mike Werner, although the band would later revolve around Rennie, who writes the lyrics, and Brett, who writes...
- Hot PandaHot PandaHot Panda is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 2006 based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.-History:Hot Panda formed in 2006 naming themselves after a Chinese restaurant in Edmonton. The band released their debut EP Whale Headed Girl July 2007. They subsequently signed to Mint Records and released...
- Immaculate MachineImmaculate MachineImmaculate Machine was a Canadian indie pop band from Victoria, British Columbia, active from 2003 to 2011.The band's name is taken from the lyrics of "One-Trick Pony" from the album One-Trick Pony by Paul Simon.-History:...
- Kellarissa
- Carolyn MarkCarolyn MarkCarolyn Mark is a Canadian alternative country singer-songwriter. She has recorded as a solo artist and as a member of the duo The Corn Sisters with American colleague Neko Case, as well as with the bands the Vinaigrettes, Jr. Gone Wild, Showbusiness Giants, the Fixin's and the Metronome Cowboys...
- Nardwuar
- NovilleroNovilleroNovillero is a Canadian indie pop band formed in 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Their musical style has been dubbed "mod-pop".Novillero formed in 1999 out of the ashes of Winnipeg lounge pop darlings Transonic, picking up Rod Slaughter , Dave Berthiaume , and Rusty Matyas along the way...
- The Pack A.D.The Pack A.D.The Pack A.D. is a garage rock duo from Vancouver, Canada. Formed in 2006, The Pack A.D. consists of singer/songwriter/guitarist Becky Black and drummer/songwriter Maya Miller. The Pack A.D...
- The Ramblin' Ambassadors
- Young and SexyYoung and SexyYoung and Sexy is a Canadian indie pop band from Vancouver, British Columbia, consisting of vocalists Paul Pittman and Lucy Brain, guitarist André Lagacé, bassist Brent McDonald and former drummer Alex Brain...
Past artists
- Atomic 7Atomic 7Atomic 7 is a Canadian instrumental rock trio formed in 1998, led by its only constant member, former Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet guitarist Brian Connelly. While Shadowy Men rarely used vocals, Atomic 7's music is completely instrumental...
- The Buttless ChapsThe Buttless ChapsThe Buttless Chaps were a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1998 from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The group played a hybrid of punk, new wave and alternative country music.-History:...
- The Corn Sisters
- cubCub (band)Cub was an indie rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia that formed in 1992 and disbanded in 1997. They played a melodic, jangly form of pop punk that was dubbed "cuddlecore" by some music critics...
- DuotangDuotang (band)Duotang was a two piece power pop band from Winnipeg, Manitoba composed of Rod Slaughter and Sean Allum.-History:They formed sometime in the summer of 1995. Their respective bands Zen Bungalow and Bovine shared a practice space. They began staying behind to craft their own music.They played a show...
- The Gay
- gobGob (band)Gob is a Canadian punk band from Langley, British Columbia formed in 1993, The Band consists of Tom Thacker, Theo Goutzinakis, Gabe Mantle and Steven Fairweather. Gob's most successful album is World According to Gob and their most successful song to date is I Hear You Calling...
- The Groovie GhouliesThe Groovie GhouliesThe Groovie Ghoulies were an American pop punk band from Sacramento, California whose music took inspiration from horror movies. They released numerous albums, EPs, and singles, and toured internationally...
- The Hanson BrothersThe Hanson BrothersThe Hanson Brothers are a Canadian punk rock band based in Vancouver, British Columbia and led by John and Rob Wright and Tom Holliston, all members of the punk rock band Nomeansno....
- Huevos RancherosHuevos RancherosHuevos Rancheros are a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1990 from Calgary, Alberta, Canada.-History:Huevos Rancheros perform an instrumental blend of rockabilly, surf, Grunge and punk music. The band currently consists of guitarist Brent Cooper, bassist Tommy Kennedy and drummer Richie Ranchero...
- I Am SpoonbenderI Am SpoonbenderI Am Spoonbender is an American/Canadian multimedia group formed in San Francisco in early 1997 by composer/multi-instrumentalist/producer Dustin Donaldson, with Brian Jackson and cub guitarist Robynn Iwata I Am Spoonbender is an American/Canadian multimedia group formed in San Francisco in early...
- John Guliak
- Kid Champion
- Lou BarlowLou BarlowLouis Knox Barlow is an American alternative rock musician and songwriter. A founding member of the groups Deep Wound, Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh and The Folk Implosion. Barlow is credited with helping to pioneer the lo-fi style of rock music in the late 1980s and early 1990s...
- MaowMaowMaow was a Canadian indie rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. A pop punk combo, the band was part of the "cuddlecore" scene led by cub.Maow consisted of guitarist Tobey Black, bassist Corrina Hammond and drummer Neko Case...
- Mark Kleiner Power Trio
- The Mr. T ExperienceThe Mr. T ExperienceThe Mr. T Experience is an American punk rock band formed in 1985 in Berkeley, California and currently recording for Lookout! Records. They have released ten full-length albums along with numerous EPs and singles and have toured internationally...
- Neko CaseNeko CaseNeko Case is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her solo career and her contributions as a member of the Canadian indie rock group The New Pornographers....
- The New PornographersThe New PornographersThe New Pornographers is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1997 in Vancouver, British Columbia.-History:The band's first four albums each ranked in the top 40 on The Village Voices Pazz & Jop year-end poll of hundreds of music reviewers. From 2000 to 2006, either a New Pornographers' album or a...
- New Town Animals
- Operation Makeout
- The OrganThe OrganThe Organ was a Canadian indie pop band formed in 2001 in Vancouver, British Columbia. They officially broke up on December 7, 2006, due to illness and personal conflicts in the band.-Early years:...
- P:ano
- Pansy DivisionPansy DivisionPansy Division is an American punk rock band that formed in San Francisco, California in 1991. Featuring primarily gay musicians and focusing mostly on gay-related themes, Pansy Division is one of the more melodic-oriented bands to emerge from the "queercore" movement that began in the 1980s.-Early...
- PlutoPluto (Canadian band)Pluto was a Canadian alternative rock band from in Vancouver, British Columbia. They were nominated for a Juno at the Juno Awards of 1997. The band consisted of vocalist and guitarist Ian Jones, guitarist Rolf Hetherington, bassist John Ounpuu and, drummer Justin Leigh.-History:Pluto formed in...
- Riff Randells
- The SadiesThe SadiesThe Sadies are a Canadian indie rock and alternative country band from Toronto, Ontario.-Background:The band consists of Dallas Good , Travis Good, Sean Dean and Mike Belitsky...
- The SmugglersThe Smugglers (band)The Smugglers are a Canadian indie rock band. The band consists of vocalist Grant Lawrence, guitarists Nick Thomas and David Carswell, bassist Beez and drummers Graham Watson and Bryce Dunn.-Discography:* 1990: Up and Down...
- The Stand GT
- Tankhog
- The Tennessee Twin
- Vancougar
- VolumizerVolumizerVolumizer is 2 Skinnee J's second major-label album. It was originally completed and set to be released on September 12, 2000 through Capricorn Records. However, once Capricorn was absorbed by Volcano Records, Volumizer was shelved...
- Windwalker