by Andy Langer
Last
March, in order to impress
the influx of SXSW visi-
tors with tales of our town’s burgeoning music biz
infrastructure, the Chronicle profiled eight local labels we called the scene’s “torch bearers.” Luckily, not only are all eight labels
still in business but they all also say they’re planning to finish 1995 and
head into January with more releases than they anticipated only six months ago.
Here’s a late-season round-up and look ahead into 1996.
TRANCE SYNDICATE: Butthole Surfer King Coffey created Trance five years ago to
bring the world a Crust release, and by now the folks here at the Chronicle
and those at Rolling Stone have told you the rest of the story.
Trance is celebrating the anniversary with the aptly titled Cinco
A�os, a 20-track CD with 17 bands that clocks in at 74 minutes of
history. For six bucks, it appears to be a bargain what with a roster that
includes Bedhead, Ed Hall, Sixteen Deluxe, The Cherubs, Pain Teens, and the
Buttholes themselves. This month also brings the release of a full-length
Starfish record, recorded at Pedernales by Bob Mould. Trance ends its year in
October with the Pain Teens Beast Of Dreams LP/CD, a Furry Things
7-inch, and a Cherubs/Fuck Emos split single. Next year, Trance is planning to
release both a Bedhead EP and sophomore full-length release, and debuts from
the Furry Things and Windsor for the Derby.
WATERMELON: This summer, Watermelon released new efforts from Monte Warden and
singer-songwriter Eric Taylor, as well as the critically acclaimed two-part Don
Walser archive series, and now finds itself supporting the road efforts of the
label’s six acts touring this fall. And as if the road wasn’t consuming enough,
Watermelon is expecting their American release of European pop star Julian
Dawson’s BMG Europe recording to offer the label new opportunities and
challenges in breaking into more conventional radio and retail outlets. And
like Trance, Watermelon is celebrating an anniversary (their sixth) with a
compilation, the 21-track Sampler Volume 1. Rounding out the year,
Watermelon hopes to release a new Walter Salas-Humara record, his first for
Watermelon, and the new-country compilation Austin Country Nights. And
with a handshake deal with the Derailers, Watermelon says they hope to deliver
that record and a new Webb Wilder early in 1996.
ARISTA TEXAS: Arista’s Austin division has only one release left for the year,
the debut of Joel Nava – a country/Tejano artists whose record will
appropriately enough feature five tracks in English and five in Spanish.
Following the shipment of Nava singles to both country and Tejano radio, the
label will begin gearing up for next year’s follow-up to La Diferenzia’s
briskly selling debut and the first release from San Antonio/Nashville hotshot
Rick Orozco.
DEJADISC: After five releases in 1994, Dejadisc will have released 10 new
albums before ’95 is through. This summer saw the releases of Michael Elwood
and Beth Galiger’s Rolling Valentine as well as the long-overdue
re-issue of 1979’s seminal Live at Raul’s compilation. Next month,
they’ll follow-up with the new Wannabes record, Popsucker, and Wayne
“The Train” Hancock’s much-anticipated Thunderstorms and Neon Signs. And
before Dejadisc gets to the new Michael Hall release in January, the start of a
year they say ought to bring on at least another eight to 10 records, a pair of
re-issues will surface to close out the year: Sarah Elizabeth Campbell’s A
Little Tenderness and Ray Wylie Hubbard’s Last Train of Thought.
SECTOR 2: Fresh from a distribution switch from RED to KOCH International,
September finds Sector 2 releasing the Beat Farmers’ Manifold and Dash
Rip Rock’s first record for the label, Get You Some of Me. Fear is also
making its Sector 2 debut with Have Another Beer With Fear on Oct. 17, a
release on both CD and classic vinyl. A November re-issue of Peglegasus’
Bacon, Lettuce and Tornado will set the table for the band’s new record,
So Much for King Tut – the label’s first release next year. Also
expected next year: new records by El Flaco, Mumbleskinny, and Splatter, who
may be changing their name back to Elvis Hitler.
UNCLEAN: After the recent release of Stretford’s Crossing the
Line, Unclean’s Roger Morgan says he’ll be keeping busy with new 7-inch
releases from Big Drag and the Drop Outs as well as two more 7-inchers that
will advance new records from N.O.T.A and the Sons of Hercules due out early
next year. In addition, Unclean’s is currently readying release of a
compilation that features 15 bands for $5, and will collect many of the label’s
singles and a few album tracks from artists like Blind Willie’s Johnson, the
Cherubs, and the Inhalants. Turning towards video promotion, Morgan says
Unclean also hopes 1996 will see new videos from Dumptruck, the Sons of
Hercules, and Stretford.
RISE: Craig Koon’s Rise Records seems to have the 7-inch market cornered
with new singles from the New Bomb Turks, the Inhalants, and Henry Bison as
well as debut singles from the Furry Things and the Memphis Goons. Just out is
Miss Universe’s new LP and CD, to be followed by Dallas band Greenella’s
debut.
ANTONES, DOS, AND DMZ: On the Antones blues side, the label is already looking
towards next year’s releases for Teddy Morgan (March), Sue Foley (produced by
Stephen Bruton and expected in May), Lavelle White (summer), and Steve James
(summer). Also in the works for next year is a 20th anniversary salute to
Antone’s nightclub, a possible box set that will be produced under the
direction of Derek O’Brien and will likely feature live recordings from the
club’s long, illustrious history. And while dos plans to continue working the
new Stephen Bruton and Christine Albert records well into next year, DMZ will
release their second Dangerous Toys effort in October, The R*tist 4*merly
Known as Dangerous Toys. DMZ also says that their highest priority next
year will be releasing and promoting Illusination, the much-delayed
follow-up to the Billy White Trio’s Sistershootingstar EP. n
This article appears in September 15 • 1995 and September 15 • 1995 (Cover).