Mordam Records

Mordam Records was a Sacramento, California record distribution company for independent record labels. It was originally founded in San Francisco in 1983 as an independent punk distribution company by Ruth Schwartz (one of the original co-editors of Maximum RocknRoll). Mordam was the exclusive distributor for dozens of punk rock and independent record labels throughout the 1980s and 90s, gaining a reputation as one of the few "distros" that paid their labels on time. Some of these labels included Lookout! Records, Frank Kozik's Man's Ruin, Kill Rock Stars, Jade Tree, and most notably Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles Records and Long Gone John's Sympathy for the Record Industry, two labels whose most popular releases were by the Dead Kennedys and The White Stripes, respectively. Mordam also became the exclusive distributor of Maximum Rock 'N Roll magazine in 1984. The distributor also released records on its own in-house record label in the mid-to-late 80s, detailed below. In every instance, Mordam positioned itself as an independent music industry entity successfully operating outside the influence of major record labels or their artists.

Following the departure of Lookout! Records and Man's Ruin from its distribution network in 2000, Schwartz moved the company to its current Sacramento location. She subsequently sold Mordam outright to Lumberjack Distribution in 2005. It continued as a part of the Lumberjack Mordam Music Group. With record sales in decline, the company later went out of business.^[1]

Bands released by Mordam Records' label included Faith No More, The Ex, Negativland, the Rhythm Pigs, Victim's Family, and Mannequin Beach. Most of these releases have been out of print for years.

Early releases

• Faith No More We Care a Lot, 1985 (cat #1)
• Rhythm Pigs self-titled, 1986 (cat #2)
• Victim's Family Voltage and Violets, 1986 (cat #3)
• Rhythm Pigs Choke on this, 1987 (cat #4)
• The Ex Too Many Cowboys, 1987 (cat #5)

• Victim's Family Things I Hate to Admit, 1988
• Mannequin Beach Don't Laugh,You're Next, 1988 (cat MDR6)
• Victim's Family Son of a Church Card/Quivering Lip 7", 1988
• Victim's Family White Bread Blues, 1990

See also

• List of record labels

References

1. ^ Jailhouse Records (July 1, 2009). "Lumberjack Mordam Music Group Shuts Doors". http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=121115. Retrieved July 22, 2010. 

External links

• Official website
• Story about Mordam-Lumberjack merger from Punk Planet 66 (2005)