Terry Tolkin
Encyclopedia
Terry Tolkin was the Vice President of A&R at Elektra Records from 1992 to 1996. He signed a number of critically acclaimed alternative rock bands, including Luna
, Stereolab
, Afghan Whigs, Scrawl
, Jennyanykind and Nada Surf
. In addition to his work at Elektra, Terry ran the independent label No.6 Records
, which released singles and albums by acts such as The Tindersticks, Charles Douglas, Unrest
, Vegetarian Meat
, Jule Brown and Dean Wareham
. In the early 1980s he worked for Touch & Go Records where he signed the Butthole Surfers
and the Virgin Prunes
among other bands. Terry was also known for his work as a DJ and booker at popular New York clubs such as Danceteria
, CBGBs, and Limelight
. He also worked at the seminal 99 Records
store in Greenwich Village, the birthplace of Liquid Liquid
and ESG
.
In 1979, while writing and charting records for the music industry publication Rockpool Newsletter, Terry coined the term "Alternative Music" to raise awareness of the US and UK post-punk groups he was reviewing. In 1988, Terry conceived and produced the alternative rock tribute album The Bridge: A Tribute To Neil Young
," which featured many new and upcoming bands who would later achieve great commercial and critical success, such as the Pixies, Sonic Youth
, Dinosaur Jr., The Flaming Lips
, Soul Asylum
, Nick Cave
and Psychic TV
. Over 80% percent of the profits from The Bridge went directly to The Bridge School, an organization for children suffering from Cerebral Palsy run by Neil Young and his wife Peggi. Young once said of the project, "I love it! We played it on the tour bus all year long!" while Rolling Stone Magazine called The Bridge "one of the best conceived and executed" tribute albums of all time. Terry Tolkin currently lives in Oklahoma and is writing a book about his experiences in the music industry.
In April 2009, Teenbeat Records
released a compilation of all the No.6 Records
7" singles on a 2 CD set titled "Speed Dating: The No.6 Records Compendium."
Luna (band)
Luna was a dream pop/indie pop band formed in 1991 by Dean Wareham after the breakup of Galaxie 500, with Stanley Demeski and Justin Harwood...
, Stereolab
Stereolab
Stereolab are an alternative music band formed in 1990 in London, England. The band originally comprised songwriting team Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier , both of whom remained at the helm across many lineup changes...
, Afghan Whigs, Scrawl
Scrawl
Scrawl is a musical trio based in Columbus, Ohio. The founding members are Marcy Mays , Sue Harshe , and Carolyn O'Leary . Their first show, in the summer of 1985, was a 20-minute opening spot for the Meat Puppets...
, Jennyanykind and Nada Surf
Nada Surf
Nada Surf is an American alternative rock band. Formed in 1992, the New York band consists of Matthew Caws , Ira Elliot and Daniel Lorca .-Early years:...
. In addition to his work at Elektra, Terry ran the independent label No.6 Records
No.6 Records
No.6 Records was an independent record label, started in 1989 as a subsidiary of Rough Trade Records by A&R representative and booking agent Terry Tolkin...
, which released singles and albums by acts such as The Tindersticks, Charles Douglas, Unrest
Unrest
Unrest is a sociological phenomenon, for instance:* Industrial unrest* Labor unrest* Rebellion* Riot-Notable historical unrests:* 19th century Luddites* 1978–79 Winter of Discontent...
, Vegetarian Meat
Vegetarian Meat
Vegetarian Meat was an alternative rock band formed in 1990 in Dayton, Ohio by Alex McAulay, Manish Kalvakota, Dennis Cleary and Matt Cleary. Signed by the No.6 Records label in 1992, while the band was still in high school, they released three 7" singles. On its recordings, the band was also...
, Jule Brown and Dean Wareham
Dean Wareham
Dean Wareham is an American musician, who formed the band Galaxie 500 in 1987. Born in Wellington, New Zealand, Wareham moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia, before settling in New York City in 1977. Wareham attended high school at Dalton School in New York, and then attended Harvard...
. In the early 1980s he worked for Touch & Go Records where he signed the Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers is an American alternative rock band formed by Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but its core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has been consistent since 1983. Teresa Nervosa served as second...
and the Virgin Prunes
Virgin Prunes
Virgin Prunes was an Irish gothic rock band formed in 1977. They disbanded in 1986 after the departure of Gavin Friday. The other members continued under the name The Prunes until they split up in 1990.-Career:...
among other bands. Terry was also known for his work as a DJ and booker at popular New York clubs such as Danceteria
Danceteria
Danceteria was a well-known four-floor nightclub located in New York City which operated from 1980 until 1986 and in the Hamptons until 1995. Throughout its history, the club had seven different locations, three in NYC and four in the Hamptons...
, CBGBs, and Limelight
Limelight
Limelight is a type of stage lighting once used in theatres and music halls. An intense illumination is created when an oxyhydrogen flame is directed at a cylinder of quicklime , which can be heated to 2572 °C before melting. The light is produced by a combination of incandescence and...
. He also worked at the seminal 99 Records
99 Records
99 Records was an independent record label active from 1980-1984. 99 was run out of a record store with the same name, located at 99 MacDougal Street in New York City's Greenwich Village, and owned by Ed Bahlman...
store in Greenwich Village, the birthplace of Liquid Liquid
Liquid Liquid
Liquid Liquid is a New York City post-punk, post-disco band, originally active from 1980 to 1983. They are perhaps best known for their track, "Cavern", which was covered by the Sugar Hill Records house band as the backing track for Grandmaster + Melle Mel's old school rap classic, "White Lines "...
and ESG
ESG
ESG may refer to:* Engineering Seismology Group, a microseismic monitoring and data analysis company from Canada.* Environmental Social and Corporate Governance, the commonly accepted factors involved in Responsible Investment assessments...
.
In 1979, while writing and charting records for the music industry publication Rockpool Newsletter, Terry coined the term "Alternative Music" to raise awareness of the US and UK post-punk groups he was reviewing. In 1988, Terry conceived and produced the alternative rock tribute album The Bridge: A Tribute To Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
," which featured many new and upcoming bands who would later achieve great commercial and critical success, such as the Pixies, Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
, Dinosaur Jr., The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips are an American alternative rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983.Melodically, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titles—such as "What...
, Soul Asylum
Soul Asylum
Soul Asylum is an American alternative rock band that formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1983.The band originally formed in 1981 under the name Loud Fast Rules, with the original line-up consisting of Dan Murphy, Dave Pirner, Karl Mueller and Pat Morley. The latter was replaced by Grant Young in...
, Nick Cave
Nick Cave
Nicholas Edward "Nick" Cave is an Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, and occasional film actor.He is best known for his work as a frontman of the critically acclaimed rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, established in 1984, a group known for its eclectic influences and...
and Psychic TV
Psychic TV
Psychic TV or PTV, is a video art and music group that primarily performs psychedelic, punk, electronic and experimental music...
. Over 80% percent of the profits from The Bridge went directly to The Bridge School, an organization for children suffering from Cerebral Palsy run by Neil Young and his wife Peggi. Young once said of the project, "I love it! We played it on the tour bus all year long!" while Rolling Stone Magazine called The Bridge "one of the best conceived and executed" tribute albums of all time. Terry Tolkin currently lives in Oklahoma and is writing a book about his experiences in the music industry.
In April 2009, Teenbeat Records
TeenBeat Records
Teen Beat is an independent record label, originally based in Arlington, VA, now based in Cambridge, MA. It was founded by Mark Robinson in 1984 at Wakefield High School along with Phil Krauth , Andrew Beaujon , Tim Moran , and Ian Zack .The label was originally set up like a lending library...
released a compilation of all the No.6 Records
No.6 Records
No.6 Records was an independent record label, started in 1989 as a subsidiary of Rough Trade Records by A&R representative and booking agent Terry Tolkin...
7" singles on a 2 CD set titled "Speed Dating: The No.6 Records Compendium."