Fat Wreck Chords

infobox record label


founded = 1990
founder = Michael Burkett
country = U.S.
location = San Francisco, California
genre = Punk rock
url = http://www.fatwreck.com/

Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock, which was started by Fat Mike (lead singer and bassist of the punk rock band NOFX) and his wife Erin, in 1990.

They have released material for bands such as his own, NOFX, Descendents, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (for which Fat Mike is also the bassist), Propagandhi, Rise Against, Lagwagon, Strung Out, No Use for a Name, Less Than Jake, Against Me!, Anti-Flag, and more.

One somewhat unique and defining characteristic of Fat Wreck Chords is that they only sign one-record deals with bands. This allows the bands working with Fat Wreck Chords to have a choice as to "when" and "if" they want to put a record out on the label. [ [http://www.nofxwiki.net/w/BBC_Jan-16-2003:_Fat_Mike_on_The_Lock_Up BBC Jan-16-2003: Fat Mike on The Lock Up - NOFX Wiki ] ] In some cases, bands have released albums on Fat Wreck Chords but also on other labels. Many bands on this label participated in the campaign Punkvoter, which was started by Fat Mike and attempted to encourage the youth in the U.S. to vote against George W. Bush in the 2004 U.S. presidential election.

The label has never been a member of the Recording Industry Association of America as indicated on the frequently-asked questions portion of the label's website:

"Are we a member? Not only no, but FUCK NO! We spent three years having our label’s name (which was misspelled) removed from their members list. A year went by, then our name showed up again on their fucking list! Who are these sonsabitches?! Needless to say, we’re in the process of having our name removed again, but they aren’t being too cooperative." [ [http://www.fatwreck.com/community/faq http://www.fatwreck.com/community/faq] ]

However one of the many distributors carrying releases from Fat Wreck Chords is Sony BMG subsidiary RED Distribution, [ [http://www.redmusic.com/ RED - An Artist Development Company ] ] an RIAA member.

Imprints

The label has had two subsidiaries over the years, Honest Don's and Pink & Black. Honest Don's released records from Diesel Boy, Chixdiggit, and Teen Idols amongst others, while Pink & Black released albums from girl-fronted bands like Fabulous Disaster and Dance Hall Crashers.

Fat Mike also advanced $50,000 to Chris Hannah and Jord Samolesky of Propagandhi which he recouped within months from sales of Propagandhi records to help them start up their own label, G7 Welcoming Committee,cite news
first = Steven
last = Robertshaw
title = NOFX: The State of Punk to Come
url = http://www.altpress.com/features/14.htm
work = Alternative Press Magazine
publisher =
date = 2005-10-13
accessdate =2008-02-26 ] though G7WC is independent from Fat Wreck.

Compilation albums

Fat Wreck regularly releases compilation albums, often to promote bands signed to the label, but also, since 2003, to raise funds for various charities. The earliest Fat Wreck compilations all have titles with some reference to fatness:
* "Fat Music for Fat People" (1994)
* "Fat Music Volume II: Survival of the Fattest" (1996)
* "Fat Music Volume III: Physical Fatness" (1997)
* "Fat Music Volume IV: Life in the Fat Lane" (1999)
* "Fat Music Volume V: Live Fat, Die Young" (2001)
* "Fat Music Volume VI: Uncontrollable Fatulence" (2002)

Shortly after "Fat Music Volume IV" was released, Fat Wreck released a similarly-titled album, "Short Music for Short People", which features 101 songs, all averaging approximately 30 seconds. The shortest song ("Short Attention Span" by the Fizzy Bangers) is only seven seconds, and the longest ("Out of Hand" by Bad Religion) is 40 seconds. Some of the songs were commissioned and recorded specifically for the album, while others, such as "Deny Everything" by the Circle Jerks and "Spray Paint" by Black Flag, were from the bands' pre-existing repertoires.

Since the last "Fat Music" album has been released, the Fat Wreck compilations have been explicitly for charitable causes. ' is a benefit album for the animal rights organization PETA, and ' is a benefit album for the children's rights group PROTECT. Between "Liberation" and "PROTECT", two other compilation albums were released in protest of President George W. Bush and his administration: "Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1" and "Vol. 2".

Album series

Live in a Dive

"Live in a Dive" is a series of live albums recorded by Fat Wreck Chords. [ [http://www.fatwreck.com/search?query=live+in+a+dive Fat Wreck Chords: "Live in a Dive"] ] In order of release:

Current bands

* American Steel
* Avail
* Chixdiggit!
* Citizen Fish
* Dead to Me
* Descendents
* The Dickies
* Dillinger Four
* The Flatliners
* Lagwagon
* The Lawrence Arms
* Leftöver Crack
* The Loved Ones
* Love Equals Death
* Mad Caddies
* Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
* NOFX
* No Use for a Name
* Only Crime
* Propagandhi
* Randy
* Real McKenzies
* The Sainte Catherines
* Smoke or Fire
* Star Fucking Hipsters
* Strike Anywhere
* Strung Out
* The Subhumans
* Swingin' Utters
* Western Addiction

Former bands

* 88 Fingers Louie
* Against Me!
* Anti-Flag
* The Ataris
* Bad Astronaut
* Bracket
* Consumed
* Diesel Boy
* Epoxies
* Face to Face
* The Fight!
* Frenzal Rhomb
* Goober Patrol
* Hi-Standard
* Good Riddance
* Guns n' Wankers
* Less Than Jake
* MxPx
* Nerf Herder
* None More Black
* Rise Against
* Screeching Weasel
* Screw 32
* Sick of It All
* Snuff
* The Soviettes
* Tilt
* WIZO
* Zero Down

Footnotes

See also

* List of record labels
* Fat Wreck Chords artists
* Fat Wreck Chords compilations

External links

* [http://www.fatwreck.com/ Official site]
* [http://www.fatwreckwiki.com/ Unofficial Fat Wreck Wiki site]