Thick Records
Encyclopedia
THICK RECORDS is a Chicago based independent record label formed in 1994 by Detroit native Zak Einstein. Early label releases include influential albums from Chicago ska-punkers The Blue Meanies, Alton, IL’s Judge Nothing, and the Omaha based Commander Venus
, whose members included Conor Oberst
, Tim Kasher
, Matt Bowen
and Todd Baechle. THICK quickly became a staple of the Chicago punk scene when Blue Meanies singer Billy Spunke joined Einstein at the label’s helm, and signed a slew of Chicago artists including The Tossers
, The Arrivals, and The Methadones
.
THICK is well known for releasing picture disc vinyl including records from Alkaline Trio
, At The Drive-in
, ALL
, and Citizen Fish
, and for it’s compilation records documenting the Chicago independent music scene, that include tracks from Rise Against
, Plain White T’s, Local H
, The Lawrence Arms
, Pegboy
and dozens more.
In 2004 Einstein moved the label to Los Angeles, and the last label releases came in 2007 with CDs from Elgin IL’s The Brokedowns, and Arizona’s Seven Storey Mountain
. THICK currently operates as a catalog only label though Einstein insists “anything is possible".
Commander Venus
Commander Venus was an American emo band from Omaha, Nebraska. Fronted by Conor Oberst and Tim Kasher, the band also included Todd Fink and Matt Bowen of The Faint, Ben Armstrong of Head of Femur and Robb Nansel, executive producer of the indie label Saddle Creek...
, whose members included Conor Oberst
Conor Oberst
Conor Mullen Oberst is an American singer-songwriter best known for his work in Bright Eyes. He has also played in several other bands, including Desaparecidos, Norman Bailer , Commander Venus, Park Ave., Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, and Monsters of Folk.-Musical career:Oberst began...
, Tim Kasher
Tim Kasher
Tim Kasher is a musician from Omaha, Nebraska, and is the frontman of indie rock groups Cursive and The Good Life, both of which are on the Omaha based record label Saddle Creek Records. Prior to those bands, Kasher was in a band called Slowdown Virginia...
, Matt Bowen
Matt Bowen
Matthew Jeremy "Matt" Bowen is an Australian rugby league player. He has spent his whole professional career with the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League , playing in over 200 matches and holding the club's record for the player with the most NRL appearances. He appeared in the...
and Todd Baechle. THICK quickly became a staple of the Chicago punk scene when Blue Meanies singer Billy Spunke joined Einstein at the label’s helm, and signed a slew of Chicago artists including The Tossers
The Tossers
The Tossers are a six-piece Celtic punk band from Chicago, Illinois. They formed in July 1993. They have toured with Murphy's Law, Streetlight Manifesto, Catch 22, Dropkick Murphys, The Reverend Horton Heat, Flogging Molly, Street Dogs, Clutch, Sick of it All & Mastodon. They opened for The Pogues...
, The Arrivals, and The Methadones
The Methadones
The Methadones were a band formed in 1993 by guitarist/vocalist Dan Vapid. The Methadones initially lasted only a few shows before Dan put them to the side to focus on his main band Screeching Weasel. By 1999 Dan was no longer a member of Screeching Weasel or his other band The Riverdales, and...
.
THICK is well known for releasing picture disc vinyl including records from Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio is an American punk rock band that formed in McHenry, Illinois, in 1996. The band's line-up consists of Matt Skiba , Dan Andriano , and Derek Grant...
, At The Drive-in
At the Drive-In
At the Drive-In was an American rock band from El Paso, Texas, considered part of the post-hardcore genre and active from 1993 to 2001. They were known for their extremely energetic stage shows which hearkened back to the 1980s hardcore scene...
, ALL
ALL (band)
All is an American punk band originally from Los Angeles, currently residing in Fort Collins, Colorado, formed by Descendents members Bill Stevenson, Karl Alvarez, and Stephen Egerton.-Formation and Cruz Records Years:...
, and Citizen Fish
Citizen Fish
Citizen Fish is a ska punk band that has been together since 1990. The band often makes strong social and political statements, dealing with themes such as anti-consumerism, vegetarianism, questioning the status quo, and encouraging people to get along with one another...
, and for it’s compilation records documenting the Chicago independent music scene, that include tracks from Rise Against
Rise Against
Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. The band currently consists of Tim McIlrath , Zach Blair , Joe Principe and Brandon Barnes .Rise Against spent its first five years signed to the independent record label Fat Wreck Chords, on which it...
, Plain White T’s, Local H
Local H
Local H is an American rock duo, formed by Joe Daniels and Scott Lucas in Zion, Illinois in 1987. Local H's 1996 album, As Good as Dead, includes the top 10 hit "Bound for the Floor" Author, rock critic and Rolling Stone contributor Greg Kot and the Chicago Tribune named the band its 2008 Chicago...
, The Lawrence Arms
The Lawrence Arms
The Lawrence Arms are an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. They have released five full-length albums and toured extensively.-Pre-history:...
, Pegboy
Pegboy
Pegboy is an American punk band from Chicago, Illinois with a relatively large cult following. They were founded in 1990 by John Haggerty , along with his brother Joe Haggerty , Larry Damore , and Steve Saylors...
and dozens more.
In 2004 Einstein moved the label to Los Angeles, and the last label releases came in 2007 with CDs from Elgin IL’s The Brokedowns, and Arizona’s Seven Storey Mountain
Seven Storey Mountain
Seven Storey Mountain is an indie rock band from Phoenix, Arizona, United States. The group's music is heavily influenced by the early Washington, D.C. post-hardcore scene....
. THICK currently operates as a catalog only label though Einstein insists “anything is possible".
Review
In the age of increasingly soulless, corporate, for-sale-to-the-highest-bidder record labels -- even in the ranks of the venerated indies -- Chicago's Thick Records stands out as a shining beacon of D.I.Y. integrity, a home for truly independent, original and idiosyncratic artists that, in the words of the great Johnny Rotten, "mean it, man." It is an indispensable part of the Windy City's music scene, and an invaluable treasure for the American musical underground at large" - Jim Derogatis - pop music critic, Chicago Sun Times (2004)Bands
- The Arrivals
- Bitchy
- Blue Meanies
- The Bomb
- The Brokedowns
- Calliope
- Commander VenusCommander VenusCommander Venus was an American emo band from Omaha, Nebraska. Fronted by Conor Oberst and Tim Kasher, the band also included Todd Fink and Matt Bowen of The Faint, Ben Armstrong of Head of Femur and Robb Nansel, executive producer of the indie label Saddle Creek...
- CougarsCougarsCougars is a Chicago-based rock band signed to the New York-based label Go-Kart Records.The Cougars' music is often compared to that of Rocket from the Crypt...
- Tom Daily
- Fingers Cut MegamachineFingers Cut MegamachineFingers Cut Megamachine is a Los Angeles-based indie/folk rock band led by Devon Williams, formerly of the Southern California punk band Osker. Fingers Cut Megamachine draw influences from indie, pop, country music, as well as traditional American acoustic folk music...
- Five Deadly Venoms
- The GadjitsThe GadjitsThe Gadjits were a ska and rock and roll band from Kansas City, Missouri. Their sound was influenced by The Clash, The Who, AC/DC, Elvis Costello, The Stooges, and The Rolling Stones.-Early years:...
- Gasoline Fight
- The GC5The GC5The GC5 was a punk rock band from Mansfield, Ohio, formed in 1997 and split in 2003.The GC5 provided a political charge to their music comparable to that of The Clash and Stiff Little Fingers. Lyrics included themes of social and political discontent, leftist politics, and the struggle of the...
- The Good Mornings
- GoldbladeGoldbladeGoldblade are an English punk rock band from Manchester, England. The band formed in early 1995 when ex Membranes frontman, John Robb, put the band together with Wayne Simmons and former A Witness vocalist Keith Curtis on bass, Rob Haynes on drums and Jay Taylor on guitar.The band signed to...
- Geezer Lake
- HanaleiHanalei (band)Hanalei is an Indie rock/Folk Band from the Chicago area, and Bay Area in California. Brian Moss of the band The Ghost, and The Wunder Years heads the band along with Pete Croke and others from bands such as The Pines...
- Haymarket RiotHaymarket Riot (band)Haymarket Riot is a Chicago, Illinois based post-punk/rock band that was formed in 1999 by Mike Bennett, Kevin J. Frank, Fred Popolo and Billy Smith. The current line-up consists of Chris Daly, Kevin J...
- Horace PinkerHorace PinkerHorace Pinker is an American punk rock band formed in 1991 in Tempe, Arizona and currently based in Chicago, Illinois. They play an energetic, melodic form of pop-punk, filled with catchy hooks and political lyrics, and are staunch supporters of independent music...
- Judge Nothing
- Lasalle
- The MethadonesThe MethadonesThe Methadones were a band formed in 1993 by guitarist/vocalist Dan Vapid. The Methadones initially lasted only a few shows before Dan put them to the side to focus on his main band Screeching Weasel. By 1999 Dan was no longer a member of Screeching Weasel or his other band The Riverdales, and...
- Model/Actress
- New Black
- OrangeOrange (band)Orange is an American pop punk/punk band from Los Angeles, California.The band were first signed to Hellcat/Epitaph Records by Tim Armstrong of Rancid when they were only 16 years old and since then have toured the world with many bands such as Misfits, The Adicts, UK Subs, Rancid, and Zebrahead...
- Resident Genius
- Season to RiskSeason to RiskSeason to Risk are a Noise Rock/Alternative Rock collective hailing from Kansas City, Missouri.-History:Season to Risk formed in late 1989 from the ashes of the Kansas City punk bands Nine Lives and Curious George...
- Seven Storey MountainSeven Storey MountainSeven Storey Mountain is an indie rock band from Phoenix, Arizona, United States. The group's music is heavily influenced by the early Washington, D.C. post-hardcore scene....
- Shanna Kiel & Black Fur
- Sullen
- T. Duggins
- The TossersThe TossersThe Tossers are a six-piece Celtic punk band from Chicago, Illinois. They formed in July 1993. They have toured with Murphy's Law, Streetlight Manifesto, Catch 22, Dropkick Murphys, The Reverend Horton Heat, Flogging Molly, Street Dogs, Clutch, Sick of it All & Mastodon. They opened for The Pogues...
- TrenchmouthTrenchmouthTrenchmouth was a Chicago-based post-hardcore band. Throughout its existence, the band consisted of Damon Locks , Chris DeZutter , Wayne Montana , and Fred Armisen on drums. Their third LP, Trenchmouth vs. The Light of the Sun, was released on East West Records, a division of Elektra Records...
- TrulyTrulyTruly is an American rock band formed in the wake of the grunge era. It featured former Soundgarden bassist Hiro Yamamoto, one-time Screaming Trees drummer Mark Pickerel, and singer Robert Roth...
- Vorits
Other bands with Thick Records releases
- Alkaline TrioAlkaline TrioAlkaline Trio is an American punk rock band that formed in McHenry, Illinois, in 1996. The band's line-up consists of Matt Skiba , Dan Andriano , and Derek Grant...
- AllALL (band)All is an American punk band originally from Los Angeles, currently residing in Fort Collins, Colorado, formed by Descendents members Bill Stevenson, Karl Alvarez, and Stephen Egerton.-Formation and Cruz Records Years:...
- At the Drive-InAt the Drive-InAt the Drive-In was an American rock band from El Paso, Texas, considered part of the post-hardcore genre and active from 1993 to 2001. They were known for their extremely energetic stage shows which hearkened back to the 1980s hardcore scene...
- Burning AirlinesBurning AirlinesBurning Airlines were an American rock band from Washington, D.C.. J. Robbins and Bill Barbot of Jawbox formed the band with Peter Moffett, formerly of Government Issue...
- Citizen FishCitizen FishCitizen Fish is a ska punk band that has been together since 1990. The band often makes strong social and political statements, dealing with themes such as anti-consumerism, vegetarianism, questioning the status quo, and encouraging people to get along with one another...
- Cows
- Local HLocal HLocal H is an American rock duo, formed by Joe Daniels and Scott Lucas in Zion, Illinois in 1987. Local H's 1996 album, As Good as Dead, includes the top 10 hit "Bound for the Floor" Author, rock critic and Rolling Stone contributor Greg Kot and the Chicago Tribune named the band its 2008 Chicago...
- ServotronServotronServotron was a science fiction-influenced rock band active from 1995 to 1999. Members portrayed a collective of robots whose chosen medium for dissemination of ideas was music...
See also
- List of record labels
- OIL: Chicago Punk RefinedOIL: Chicago Punk RefinedOIL: Chicago Punk Refined is a punk compilation CD released in 2003 on Thick Records. All tracks were recorded over a 15 day period in an old oil blending factory located on Chicago's South Side. It was recorded by Lance Reynolds and produced by Billy Spunke...
- Mean It Man: A Thick Records DocumentMean It Man: A Thick Records Document- Track listing :#Horace Pinker - "Polisci101" #The Methadones - "Mess We Made" #The New Black - "Angel With Cockroach Wings" # - "Indecision" #Fingers Cut Megamachine - "Rough Dreams" #The Tossers - "Faraway" #T...