Suburban Home Records
Encyclopedia
Suburban Home Records and Distribution is a record label
based in Denver, Colorado
, United States
. The label was founded in 1995 by Virgil Dickerson, and is known for focusing on vinyl
releases and bands in the pop-punk and alt-country genres. Its roster has included Two Cow Garage
, Drag the River
, Oblivion
, The Gamits
, and Apocalypse Hoboken
. In 2006 the label founded the Vinyl Collective, an online store that serves as a community hub for independent vinyl collectors.
at Colorado University, had started the first pop punk
fanzine
for the local scene in September of 1995. He named the fanzine Suburban Home after the song "Suburban Home" by The Descendents. He then booked shows at the campus-run Club 156 from 1995 to 1997, and began booking shows across Colorado as well.
Some of Dickerson's friends started bands and needed a label to release their first records, so he created a record label under the name Suburban Home in 1996. The label began releasing local pop-punk albums on seven-inch vinyl
and home-burned CDs. The first release was the Orange County
band Overlap in the summer of 1996. The second release was by The Fairlanes. Early on the label also put out the compilation album Punk: It's All About the Orchis Factor, which included early releases by bands such as Blink-182
, Oblivion
, and FOUR!
The label initially operated distribution by mail order
only, advertising in various music magazines.
In 1997 Dickerson moved to work as manager at Hopeless Records
in Los Angeles, who had just signed Against All Authority
. After about a year he moved back to Denver, Colorado
to run Suburban Home full time. In 1998 the label opened a music retail store in Denver called Bakamono, which sold music, clothing, books, and fanzines. The store did well for a time, then closed a year later. The label started selling online in 1999. After the release of It's Crazy by Drag the River
in 2000, the label began branching out from pop-punk and releasing alt-country and Americana
albums as well.
Suburban Home is currently an established distributor and show promoter, and in 2011 the label helped support the creation of the Colorado label Greater Than.
releases from its inception, only to abandon vinyl in the late 1990s and early 2000s when the format went out of style. In 2006 the label again began releasing vinyl, starting with bands like Every Time I Die
and Fear Before the March of Flames. The releases did well and the label started the online vinyl community Vinyl Collective, which quickly grew in popularity. The Vinyl Collective serves as both a blog and a vinyl-only online record store.
The Vinyl Collective has released vinyl by bands such as Minus the Bear
, Every Time I Die
, and Portugal the Man. In January of 2011 the Vinyl Collective was acquired by Fork Radio Inc., Mightier Than Swords Records and Academy Fight Song. It was relaunched in February 2011 as a community for independent vinyl collectors.
Former
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
based in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The label was founded in 1995 by Virgil Dickerson, and is known for focusing on vinyl
Vinyl
A vinyl compound is any organic compound that contains a vinyl group ,which are derivatives of ethene, CH2=CH2, with one hydrogen atom replaced with some other group...
releases and bands in the pop-punk and alt-country genres. Its roster has included Two Cow Garage
Two Cow Garage
-History:The group was formed in September 2001 by singer/guitarist Micah Schnabel, born in Bucyrus Ohio, who began playing with drummer Dustin Harigle in and around Columbus. Guitarist Chris Flint joined the group after seeing one of their early shows, and bassist Shane Sweeney followed soon...
, Drag the River
Drag The River (Colorado band)
Drag the River is an alt-country band hailing from Fort Collins, Colorado, United States. The band formed in 1996 when members Chad Price and Jon Snodgrass recorded 20 or so songs which were released as demos in 2000. All the members of the band come from a punk rock background. Price and ex-member...
, Oblivion
Oblivion (band)
Oblivion was a punk rock group from the Chicago area. The band was composed of Pete Kourim on bass guitar and lead vocals, Scott Ozark on guitar and back-up vocals, and Brian Czarnik on drums.- History :...
, The Gamits
The Gamits
The Gamits are a band from Denver, Colorado who formed in 1996, and were hailed as "America's best hidden pop/punk secret". The band was disbanded in 2005 due to the members wishing to participate in and start other projects, but regrouped in late 2009...
, and Apocalypse Hoboken
Apocalypse Hoboken
Apocalypse Hoboken was an American punk rock band hailing from Chicago, Illinois which toured the US and Europe and released seven albums on various labels, including Rocco Records and Dyslexic Records...
. In 2006 the label founded the Vinyl Collective, an online store that serves as a community hub for independent vinyl collectors.
History
Suburban Home was founded and continues to be operated by Virgil Dickerson. Dickerson, who was attending college in Boulder, ColoradoBoulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
at Colorado University, had started the first pop punk
Pop punk
Pop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
for the local scene in September of 1995. He named the fanzine Suburban Home after the song "Suburban Home" by The Descendents. He then booked shows at the campus-run Club 156 from 1995 to 1997, and began booking shows across Colorado as well.
Some of Dickerson's friends started bands and needed a label to release their first records, so he created a record label under the name Suburban Home in 1996. The label began releasing local pop-punk albums on seven-inch vinyl
Vinyl
A vinyl compound is any organic compound that contains a vinyl group ,which are derivatives of ethene, CH2=CH2, with one hydrogen atom replaced with some other group...
and home-burned CDs. The first release was the Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
band Overlap in the summer of 1996. The second release was by The Fairlanes. Early on the label also put out the compilation album Punk: It's All About the Orchis Factor, which included early releases by bands such as Blink-182
Blink-182
Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
, Oblivion
Oblivion (band)
Oblivion was a punk rock group from the Chicago area. The band was composed of Pete Kourim on bass guitar and lead vocals, Scott Ozark on guitar and back-up vocals, and Brian Czarnik on drums.- History :...
, and FOUR!
George Fraska (Hosni)
George Fraska is a songwriter and producer, who was born in Monrovia, Liberia, Africa. He is known for his role as lead vocalist, guitarist, and drummer for several underground bands such as Startled Calf, The Smiley Kids, Four!, the Scooterz and many other projects.-Biography:Fraska is a...
The label initially operated distribution by mail order
Mail order
Mail order is a term which describes the buying of goods or services by mail delivery. The buyer places an order for the desired products with the merchant through some remote method such as through a telephone call or web site. Then, the products are delivered to the customer...
only, advertising in various music magazines.
In 1997 Dickerson moved to work as manager at Hopeless Records
Hopeless Records
Hopeless Records is an independent record label located in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California. The label was started in 1993 by Louis Posen and financed by a group of private investors. Hopeless's artists are generally considered punk rock, pop punk, post-hardcore, or alternative rock, but some...
in Los Angeles, who had just signed Against All Authority
Against All Authority
Against All Authority is an American punk band, formed in Florida in 1992. Playing in the ska punk style, their business practice follows a stringent DIY ethic.-History:...
. After about a year he moved back to Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
to run Suburban Home full time. In 1998 the label opened a music retail store in Denver called Bakamono, which sold music, clothing, books, and fanzines. The store did well for a time, then closed a year later. The label started selling online in 1999. After the release of It's Crazy by Drag the River
Drag The River (Colorado band)
Drag the River is an alt-country band hailing from Fort Collins, Colorado, United States. The band formed in 1996 when members Chad Price and Jon Snodgrass recorded 20 or so songs which were released as demos in 2000. All the members of the band come from a punk rock background. Price and ex-member...
in 2000, the label began branching out from pop-punk and releasing alt-country and Americana
Americana
Americana refers to artifacts, or a collection of artifacts, related to the history, geography, folklore and cultural heritage of the United States. Many kinds of material fall within the definition of Americana: paintings, prints and drawings; license plates or entire vehicles, household objects,...
albums as well.
Suburban Home is currently an established distributor and show promoter, and in 2011 the label helped support the creation of the Colorado label Greater Than.
The Vinyl Collective
Suburban Home Records focused on vinylVinyl
A vinyl compound is any organic compound that contains a vinyl group ,which are derivatives of ethene, CH2=CH2, with one hydrogen atom replaced with some other group...
releases from its inception, only to abandon vinyl in the late 1990s and early 2000s when the format went out of style. In 2006 the label again began releasing vinyl, starting with bands like Every Time I Die
Every Time I Die
Every Time I Die is a metalcore band from Buffalo, New York, formed in 1998. Their musical style is rooted in technical hardcore with strong southern metal and mathcore elements, and is also characterised by their cryptic, bitingly sarcastic lyrics. The band announced on July 14, 2008 that they had...
and Fear Before the March of Flames. The releases did well and the label started the online vinyl community Vinyl Collective, which quickly grew in popularity. The Vinyl Collective serves as both a blog and a vinyl-only online record store.
The Vinyl Collective has released vinyl by bands such as Minus the Bear
Minus the Bear
Minus the Bear is an American indie rock band from Seattle, Washington. Founded in 2001, the group features current and former members of Botch, Kill Sadie, and Sharks Keep Moving...
, Every Time I Die
Every Time I Die
Every Time I Die is a metalcore band from Buffalo, New York, formed in 1998. Their musical style is rooted in technical hardcore with strong southern metal and mathcore elements, and is also characterised by their cryptic, bitingly sarcastic lyrics. The band announced on July 14, 2008 that they had...
, and Portugal the Man. In January of 2011 the Vinyl Collective was acquired by Fork Radio Inc., Mightier Than Swords Records and Academy Fight Song. It was relaunched in February 2011 as a community for independent vinyl collectors.
Artists
Current- Armchair MartianArmchair martianArmchair Martian, formed in the early 1990s, is a trio based out of Fort Collins, CO. They are a punk and Alt-Country band influenced by Descendents, Husker Du, and Uncle Tupelo...
- Austin LucasAustin Lucas-Early years:Austin grew up in Bloomington, IN the United States, but moved to the Czech Republic in 2003. In 2008, Austin relocated back to the United States. Contrary to some uninformed sources, Austin was never a Czech citizen. He is the son of Bob Lucas who is a producer/songwriter best known...
- Chad PriceChad PriceChad Price is best known for being the lead singer for the pop-punk band All and alt-country band Drag the River.He joined ALL in 1993 as the band's third singer, after Dave Smalley and Scott Reynolds. He has appeared on the four most recent studio albums, as well as one live album...
- Drag The RiverDrag The River (Colorado band)Drag the River is an alt-country band hailing from Fort Collins, Colorado, United States. The band formed in 1996 when members Chad Price and Jon Snodgrass recorded 20 or so songs which were released as demos in 2000. All the members of the band come from a punk rock background. Price and ex-member...
- The GamitsThe GamitsThe Gamits are a band from Denver, Colorado who formed in 1996, and were hailed as "America's best hidden pop/punk secret". The band was disbanded in 2005 due to the members wishing to participate in and start other projects, but regrouped in late 2009...
- In The RedIn the RedIn the Red is a 1989 novel by Mark Tavener, a black comedy revolving around murder, finance, and intrigue in the halls of the BBC.Despite this, it is the BBC that successfully adapted it for both radio and television....
- Joey CapeJoey CapeRandal "Joey" Cape is an American singer, songwriter and producer. Active since 1989, Cape is best known as the frontman of the seminal California punk rock band Lagwagon....
of LagwagonLagwagonLagwagon is an American punk rock band originally from Goleta, just outside Santa Barbara, California. They formed in 1990 and went on hiatus and reunited several times over the years... - Jon SnodgrassJon SnodgrassJon Snodgrass is a Panamanian author, born on July 27, 1941 in Colón, Panama to John Alphonso and Olivia Jane Snodgrass. He received Ph.D. Sociology 1972 at the University of Pennsylvania...
of Armchair MartianArmchair martianArmchair Martian, formed in the early 1990s, is a trio based out of Fort Collins, CO. They are a punk and Alt-Country band influenced by Descendents, Husker Du, and Uncle Tupelo... - Josh Small
- Kay Kay and His Weathered UndergroundKay Kay and His Weathered UndergroundKay Kay and His Weathered Underground is an indie band started by Kirk Huffman and Kyle O'Quin of Gatsbys American Dream. Like Gatsbys, the band draws influence from a wide variety of musical genres...
- Lizzie Huffman
- Look MexicoLook MexicoLook Mexico is a rock band from Tallahassee, Florida, now residing in Austin, Texas. The band is composed of Matt Agrella, Ryan Slate, Ryan Smith and Nick Chambers...
- Michael Dean Damon
- Mike Hale
- Ninja Gun
- OblivionOblivion (band)Oblivion was a punk rock group from the Chicago area. The band was composed of Pete Kourim on bass guitar and lead vocals, Scott Ozark on guitar and back-up vocals, and Brian Czarnik on drums.- History :...
- The Playing FavoritesThe Playing FavoritesThe Playing Favorites is an American indie rock band, working as a side project of several punk rock band members. The band members are Joey Cape , Luke Tierney , Tim Cullen , Marko DeSantis and Mick Flowers...
- The Takers
- Tim BarryTim BarryTim Barry is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is the former lead singer of the Richmond, Virginia-based punk rock band Avail. In addition to performing with Avail, he was the bass guitarist in the Richmond-based folk punk band Pioneers from 1994-1995...
of AvailAvailAvail is a punk band from Richmond, Virginia. Originally from Northern Virginia, the band formed in 1987, its members including Joe Banks, Doug Crosby, Brian Stewart, and Mikey Warstler. The only original remaining member, guitar player Joe Banks, teamed up with rival band LDK's Tim Barry... - Two Cow GarageTwo Cow Garage-History:The group was formed in September 2001 by singer/guitarist Micah Schnabel, born in Bucyrus Ohio, who began playing with drummer Dustin Harigle in and around Columbus. Guitarist Chris Flint joined the group after seeing one of their early shows, and bassist Shane Sweeney followed soon...
- Useless IDUseless IDUseless ID is a four-piece punk rock band, formed in Haifa, Israel in 1994. Known as one of the most successful Israeli punk bands worldwide.-History:...
- Yesterday's Ring
Former
- Adventures of Jet
- Apocalypse HobokenApocalypse HobokenApocalypse Hoboken was an American punk rock band hailing from Chicago, Illinois which toured the US and Europe and released seven albums on various labels, including Rocco Records and Dyslexic Records...
- The Fairlanes
- Ghost Buffalo
- LaGrecia
- Laymen Terms
- Love Me Destroyer
- The Revenge
- Scott Reynolds and the Steaming Beast
- Stereotyperider
Further reading
- American Rock Mix: "Suburban Home Records Podcast" (July 2011)
- Smalldoggie Magazine: (September 2010)
External links
- Vinyl Collective
- Suburban Home Records on MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Suburban Home Records on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...