Los Angeles – Epitaph Records built its foundation on punk rock. But just before last year’s presidential election, the label’s most biting political commentary arrived courtesy of Sage Francis, a 27-year-old rapper from Providence, R.I. The song “Slow Down Gandhi” sarcastically rips into liberals and conservatives alike, casting a cynical eye at warmongers and the “cool kids” who “were rocking votes.” With a perfectly articulated delivery that recalls Chuck D, Francis builds each verse with a mixture of activism, paranoia and humor. “If they could sell sanity in a bottle, they would be charging for compressed air,” he quips. Epitaph… Read more »
Mississippi blues label Fat Possum Records and its owner Matthew Johnson have sued former joint-venture partner Epitaph Records, alleging that Epitaph hatched “a malicious plot… to financially destroy Johnson and Fat Possum.” The suit, filed Tuesday in California Superior Court in L.A., charges Epitaph with breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, interference with contractual relations and a host of other abuses. According to the suit, Oxford, Miss.-based Fat Possum – home to R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough and other contemporary bluesmen – was being funded by L.A.-based Epitaph under the terms of a joint-venture agreement reached in July 1997.… Read more »
Sire Records, the label that introduced the world to Madonna, Talking Heads and the Ramones, is being resurrected and will officially rejoin the Warner Bros. Records family of labels. Label founder Seymour Stein’s first signing under the new deal is the Von Bondies. Also on the Sire roster are Morcheeba, Guster, the Distillers, Hot Hot Heat, Less Than Jake and the Hives (through a joint venture with Burning Heart/Epitaph). When Roger Ames was named chairman and CEO of Warner Music Group in 1999, Ames’ London Records was merged with Sire Records to create London-Sire. That label closed its doors in… Read more »
The seventh edition of Epitaph Records’ “Punk-O-Rama” compilation series will be released June 25 and feature 19 tracks from the likes of Rancid, Bad Religion, NOFX, Pennywise, the Hives, and Bouncing Souls. Following the series’ modus operandi, “Punk-O-Rama Vol. 7” will be specially priced at $5.98. Epitaph says the first six volumes have collectively sold 1.7 million copies worldwide, and the most recent four volumes have reached The Billboard 200. “Vol. 6” debuted at No. 80 on the tally in June 2001. “Vol. 7” features songs from many Epitaph artists’ recent releases, but also includes four previously unreleased tracks: Guttermouth’s… Read more »
After five albums for Atlantic, Bad Religion is returning to Epitaph Records, the label owned by Brett Gurewitz, a founding member of the 21-year-old punk band. Gurewitz has also rejoined the band in a writing capacity, according to a source. Bad Religion recorded its first seven studio albums for Epitaph before signing to Atlantic in 1993; Gurewitz left the L.A.-based act in 1994 to focus on Epitaph, which was enjoying its first mainstream success with the Offspring’s “Smash.” The group is writing and recording material for its next album, but no release date has yet been targeted. Bad Religion recently… Read more »
poptropicaslutz! and aldrch have joined forces to release their brand new collaborative EP Gossip Team today via Epitaph Records.
This week on The Gunz Show, 1990nowhere swings by to catch up with Gunz. One part Olivver the Kid, one part Lostboycrow, this supergroup has nowhere to go but up. They just dropped a new track called “Bukowski” but before you hit play tune in to hear them share how the project started, what their goals are, and more.
Later Gunz calls guccihighwaters to chat about his new album Joke’s On You. He has plenty to share, from stories of home recording to what it’s been like working with Epitaph Records.
The Gunz Show got you a special Valentine present this year—and it’s much better than flowers and chocolate.
Tune in as Gunz invites Mod Sun to the show ahead of the release of Internet Killed The Rockstar. The album drops this Friday (2/12) and marks a new era in Mod’s career, so the two spend some time looking back on the journey that led him here. They’ll also chat about Mod’s return to drumming, working with Avril Lavigne, and more.
Later, Teenage Wrist calls in. Their new collection Earth Is A Black Hole drops this week with Epitaph Records, so Gunz asks the band about their history, the sound they’re creating, and what it was like making an album in LA during quarantine.
Darrin chats with BMX legend Rick Thorne and music from Epitaph Records band The Menzingers!!!
Sleeping With Sirens have released their music video for “The Strays,” the sixth song off of their latest album, Madness, released earlier this year via Epitaph Records.
