Feature / Music / Year End 2014
Pass The Mic: Record Labels on 2014

Every year we pause in our relentless quest to document the best music coming out of the punk, hardcore and indie scene and ask those on the other side to tell us what they've enjoyed: first the bands and artists, and secondly, the record labels. In this year's instalment we pass the mic to the label owners to tell us about the albums that have defined their 2014, the things we can expect from them next year, and the trends they'll associate with 2014 when they look back on the year.

Here are a few highlights:

Halo of Flies records

"Mainstream media outlets dabbled or dove headlong into extreme music coverage, which is awesome, and partly due to a few strong personalities/writers as well as a change in tastes."

Rich Loren Balling (Handmade Birds)

"For too long it seems art across the board has become so deeply postmodern that everything is overtly homage or a straight-up remake of something that came before. Influence is one thing, but evidence of truly unique thought in more than a handful of artists was becoming absent in my life, but that was renewed this year."

Tim Clarke (Hidden Shoal Recordings)

"Streaming services like Spotify and SoundCloud are an incredible discovery tool, but it’s easy to forget that you can further support an artist you love by purchasing a download or CD via Bandcamp or at a bricks ’n’ mortar record store – if you can find one!"

Adam Gecking (Say-10 Records)

1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2014? (In order 1-5)

1. Single Mothers - Negative Qualities
2. Pears - Go To Prison
3. White Lung - Deep Fantasy
4. Doomsday Student - A Walk Through Hysteria Park
5. Cory Branan - The No Hit Wonder

2. What band did you discover in 2014 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?

Brutal Youth! This band blew me away this year. I am not sure how I hadn't heard of them before, but Nick Woods from Direct Hit! told me to check them out. I did and then I couldn't get them out of my head. I am looking forward to working with them in 2015!

3. How will you remember 2014? (In terms of music)

I think each year music gets better. I know it is really easy to fall into a rut where all of your favorite albums came out 10+ years ago, but luckily enough I seem to get constantly floored by new bands/music on a daily/weekly/monthly/yearly basis. 2014 was no exception to this.

4. What can we look forward to from you in 2015?

Reissues by The Scandals and Brutal Youth to kick the year off, tons of skateboards and hopefully another big show in Richmond. Also new full-lengths from the Daycare Swindlers, Walk the Plank, and a split LP for Karbomb and Seagulls.

5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2015?

The new Old Flings record. Those guys are the best dudes.

6. What trend will you forever associate with 2014 in music?

Drinking from pineapples! Seriously I didn't know this was a thing. Jason Guy Smiley blew my mind.

Andrew Gomez IV (Glory Kid, Ltd./ Where My Bones Rest Easy - drums)

1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2014? (In order 1-5)

1. Divider - All Barren LP (Glory Kid)
2. Sneeze - Wilt LP (Glory Kid)
3. Creative Adult - Psychic Mess LP (Run For Cover)
4. Shellac - Dude Incredible LP (Touch And Go)
5. Braid - No Coast LP (Topshelf)

2. How will you remember 2014? (In terms of music)

I think how busy our little label has gotten. We had a really good year working with amazing artists that kept of us busy and helped up grow stronger, and in return making them stronger as artists and helping them get to where they want to go. I think that's something any label strives for and this year in particular it really showed more than any other year we were hitting another level of our existence.

3. What can we look forward to from you in 2015?

New records from Sneeze, Mercy Ties, Reservoir, Where My Bones Rest Easy, and the first chapbook/literary release.

4. What records are you looking forward to most in 2015?

Trenchfoot LP, Mercy Ties LP, Faith No More LP.

5. What trend will you forever associate with 2014 in music?

Year of the freaks. It's our time.

Bob Farley (Mayfly Records)

1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2014? (In order 1-5)

1. Pianos Become the Teeth - Keep You
2. Raveonettes - Pe'ahi
3. Nothing - Guilty of Everything
4. Merchandise - After the End
5. (tie)Marissa Nadler- July and Future Islands - Singles

2. What band did you discover in 2014 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?

Youth Code, this band embodies everything I love about '90s industrial without feeling forced. I'm really excited to see what they do next!

3. How will you remember 2014? (In terms of music)

Like most years, it's the reunions that jump out at me. There were so many good ones: Slowdive, American Football, Mineral, and more!

4. What can we look forward to from you in 2015?

New music from Whenskiesaregray, AXIS, Wish List, Crisis Arm, Heart Attack Man, and much more!

5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2015?

For me right now, AXIS has been working on their LP for months, I'm dying to hear it. Otherwise I'm drawing a blank. Hoping for new stuff from True Widow, Chelsea Wolfe, Wild Nothing, and J Mascis.

6. What trend will you forever associate with 2014 in music?

For me this year was all over the place. We saw Code Orange get a number one record, shoegaze getting a more established base, and some really solid efforts from established bands. I won't even try to identify a trend. 

Dirt Cult Records

1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2014? (In order 1-5)

1. Martha – Counting Strong LP
2. Total Control – Typical System LP
3. Beach Slang – Who Would Ever Want Anything So Broken? 7”
4. Protomartyr – Under Color of Official Right LP
5. Sonic Avenues – Mistakes LP

2. What band did you discover in 2014 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?

Seems like this year was a year of bands I was already well aware of releasing awesome new music. From my top 5 above, I guess Beach Slang was a new discovery. They play very catchy '90s indie rock with punk sensibility. I’ve listened to that 7” they released on Dead Broke perhaps more than any other 7” this year. Also, moving to Portland, I’ve been turned on to a lot of really great local bands like Lunch, Piss Test (who was already sort of on my radar after a split 7” released the year prior on Drunken Sailor Records), and many others.

3. How will you remember 2014? (In terms of music)

2014 was the year Dirt Cult moved to Portland which meant more shows and being surrounded by more great music. It also is the year my band Low Culture became a “long distance” band that still got to do a lot of cool stuff – SW tour with Iron Chic, Eastern Canada tour, Puerto Rican tour with Unwelcome Guests, releasing two records (split with Needles//Pins on Dirtnap and split with Iron Chic on Dirt Cult/Dead Broke). Also, the move has allowed me to branch out and start playing music with some new faces. Oh, and on the label front, this is the year of releases by European bands apparently!

4. What can we look forward to from you in 2015?

Dirt Cult has so many records in queue it's daunting. Expect new music from Big Dick (2nd LP), Earth Girls (7”), Blank Pages (7”), New Swears (LP), Bullnettle (Annie from This is My Fist – LP), Der Faden (Rob from Statues – 7”0, Turkish Techno (LP), and more!

5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2015?

Aside from all the upcoming Dirt Cult stuff, there is a Divers LP being released on Rumbletown Records which is incredible. The Splits are releasing an LP on Dirtnap which, if their debut LP is any indication, should be incredible. There’s also a new Radioactivity LP coming out on Dirtnap as well that will surely rule.

6. What trend will you forever associate with 2014 in music?

Not so much a trend, but maybe a function of moving to the dreary pacific Northwest, but this is the year that I really delved in to dark melodic punk and post-punk. 

Domenic Romeo (A389 Recordings)

1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2014? (In order 1-5)

1. Full of Hell/Merzbow
2. Nothing - Guilty of Everything
3. Pharaoh - Negative Everything
4. Homewrecker - Circle Of Death
5. Sick/Tired - Dissolution

2. What band did you discover in 2014 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?

I realized how similar Twitching Tongues are to one of my old faves Section 8 and found a new appreciation for them. Great band.

3. How will you remember 2014? (In terms of music)

No shortage of great music. 

4. What can we look forward to from you in 2015?

More Superior Alex / Less Me

5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2015?

• Seven Sisters of Sleep - Ezekiel's Hags
• Ilsa - The Felon's Claw
• Genocide Pact LP
• New Power Trip LP if that happens in 2015...

6. What trend will you forever associate with 2014 in music?

I don't really pay attention to what's cool, just what's good.

Halo of Flies Records

1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2014? (In order 1-5)

1. Totem Skin - Still Waters Run Deep
   Swedish hardcore that is equal epic crust ala early Fall Of Efrafa as it is a grindcore/screamo hybrid like a more layered Cloud Rat. This band could be huge. 
2. Killers Walk Among Us - s/t
   Swedes again, this time basically the melancholic pop/postrock project of one sadly passed Stefan Holmberg who took his own life before the record was released. The most uplifting and yet saddest record of the year. If they were still a band/if he were still alive, it'd be my record of the year. Part of why it's not is because its already over.. 
3. Insomnium - Shadows of the dying sun
   Finnish melo-death that I discovered via a top 10 list of some sort earlier this year. This record is why Opeth and In Flames used to be good. Metal that is strangely relaxing and catchy? I'll take it. 
4. Anaal Nathrakh - Desideratum
   This one's a smidge too industrial for me, but these Brits are relentless. Every record is a variation of being scraped across concrete. It Makes me want to punch my entire neighborhood from the confines of my office. 
5. Storm Warrior - Thunder & Steele
   Power metal by the way of Germany, where it's still a national treasure. Every record they've done is great, but this one is the newest and thankfully the best. 
6. If you missed Helloween from 28 years ago.  

2. What band did you discover in 2014 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?

Totem Skin. I got excited about a hardcore band/record I wasn't releasing. That's significant. Not kidding, this record is really really good.

3. How will you remember 2014? (In terms of music)

There was a ton of stuff to check out, and I rarely found the time. Mainstream media outlets dabbled or dove headlong into extreme music coverage, which is awesome, and partly due to a few strong personalities/writers as well as a change in tastes.

4. What can we look forward to from you in 2015?

A new CLOUD RAT LP, an ANCST LP, SUFFERING MIND/LIFES split 7", PRIMITIVE MAN/NORTHLESS split LP, a few other things I can't confirm.

5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2015?

A new KLIMT 1918 LP, a new THE WAR GOES ON LP, a new TOTEM SKIN LP. 

6. What trend will you forever associate with 2014 in music?

Tabloid music coverage and the endless bickering over what are trends, deserving of hype, or what is/isn't hipster nonsense. 

ex: deafheaven, babymetal, etc. "Forever associate" is a stretch, mind you. I dont really care in the end. 

Joe Steinhardt (Don Giovanni Records)

1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2014? (In order 1-5)

1. Ex Hex - Rips (Merge)
2. Pinkwash - Your Cure Your Soil (Sister Polygon)
3. Mitski - Bury Meet At Makeout Creek (Double Double Wammy)
4. The Goodbye Party - Silver Blues (Salinas)
5. The Realbads - Here Come The Realbads (Sweet Baby God)

2. What band did you discover in 2014 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?

Aside from the artists on the label, I met a bunch of people who really changed my life this year: Mary Timony, Joey and Ashley of Pinkwash, and everyone in Downtown Boys. Musically they bring me a lot of joy, but as people they really inspire me.

3. How will you remember 2014? (In terms of music)

I've been a fan of his work for a very long time, but this year I got to meet and work with Peter Stampfel and its a friendship that has really inspired me in a lot of ways.

4. What can we look forward to from you in 2015?

A lot of really great records!

5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2015?

Aside from what we're doing I'm really excited to hear the new Speedy Ortiz record.

6. What trend will you forever associate with 2014 in music?

The snarky answer is that all the emo bands that were pop punk bands are now shoegaze bands...The more serious answer is that it's been really nice to see bands start to be more politically aware both of the broader world and their own local scene politics.

Matt Hutchinson (Self Destructo Records)

1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2014? (In order 1-5)

1. The Shrine – Bless Off
2. The Meatmen – Savage Sags
3. Obliterations – Poison Everything
4. Helms Alee – Sleep Walking Sailors
5. Against The Grain – Motor City Speed Rock

2. What band did you discover in 2014 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?

The fact that a legend like Tesco Vee was open to working with a start-up label like Self Destructo and gave us the opportunity to work the Savage Sagas release. That was an opportunity we were blown away by.

3. How will you remember 2014? (In terms of music)

For Self Destructo Records it was very busy and impactful on only our second year of existence. We really grew in 2014 in terms of releases and exposure…really proud of that and the teamwork that all members of the Self Destructo Family (Chuck, Leigh, Juan, Tyler and Roy) have done to help pull this stuff off.

The YouTube streaming service negotiations are interesting to watch play out amongst the industry as well. It was a great year for rock 'n' roll in general. So many quality releases and tours happened amongst the independent music community.

4. What can we look forward to from you in 2015?

Our very first Record Store Day release of the Turbonegro comp (Omega M’fers) will be out FINALLY and will have new contributions by The Dwarves, Revolving Beast, Heksed, and a new project that infamous Dutch punk guitarist Tony Slug (The Hydromatics, BGK, The Nitwtiz) started called The Calcium Brothers (which has a really funny meaning) and a band from Eindhoven who are pretty big that we cannot announce just yet (but knowing our audience and if they’re reading, they have a pretty solid idea now).

5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2015?

The new Against The Grain, You Know Who, Faith No More, and hopefully a new Turbonegro album.

6. What trend will you forever associate with 2014 in music?

Vinyl continues to sell and the digital music opportunities continue to expand.

Michael Phillips (Escapist Records)

1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2014? (In order 1-5)

1. Hollow Earth - Silent Graves (Panic)
2. Seizures - The Sanity Universal (Melotov)
3. Ryan Adams - s/t (Pax AM)
4. Thou - Heathen (Gilead Media)
5. Taylor Swift - 1989 (Big Machine)

2. What band did you discover in 2014 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?

2014 was a rediscovery of Kyuss for me. Their records had been sitting on my shelves for a while gathering dust and one day I stopped at the record plant to pick up a project and I overheard them previewing Kyuss reissues. I went home and dug out my records, put them on, and rekindled that love for them.  Their sound is so unique; Kyuss truly are one of the most original heavy bands of the last twenty years.

3. How will you remember 2014? (In terms of music)

2014 was the year I got to work with one of my favorite bands of all time in handling the reissue of Turmoil’s The Process Of. It was awesome to work with them on a project but also I become friends with them as a result of it.

4. What can we look forward to from you in 2015?

There is only one release officially set for 2015, that is Foxfires' first full-length. They record in January so I imagine that will be a late spring release. There are other things in the pipeline, but nothing finalized just yet.

5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2015?

The new Withdrawal LP.

6. What trend will you forever associate with 2014 in music?

The fact that trends still exist. Bands/labels/etc. just need to write and release the music that they want. Ignore the trends.

Mike Riley (Toxic Pop Records)

1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2014? (In order 1-5)

1. Jason Isbell - Southeastern
2. Ryan Adams - s/t
3. Pianos Become the Teeth - Keep You
4. Hurula - Vi Är Människorna Våra Föräldrar Varnade Oss För
5. Gameface - Now is What Matters Now

2. What band did you discover in 2014 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?

The only band that was new to me this year that I really dug was Hurula. It's a solo project from the singer/guitarist from Masshysteri. The man knows how to craft a melody that is both captivating and dark. It's a bit more pop influenced than the punk roots of Masshysteri, but every bit as engaging.

3. How will you remember 2014? (In terms of music)

The year I found so few albums that I really liked that it was hard for me to come up with a top 10.

4. What can we look forward to from you in 2015?

The Widows Watch LP will be released in early January. After that will be the first installment of the Tenement singles collection LPs that I'm co-releasing with Grave Mistake Records.

5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2015?

The new Tenement LP on Don Giovanni Records.

6. What trend will you forever associate with 2014 in music?

Bloodlet reunion at A389 Bash. Most excited I've been for a reunion in a while and they did not disappoint.

Rich Loren Balling (Handmade Birds)

1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2014? (In order 1-5)

1. Marissa Nadler - July
2. Alcest - Shelter
3. Emma Ruth Rundle - Some Heavy Ocean
4. Under the Skin Soundtrack
5. Dean Blunt - Black Metal
6. Pallbearer - Foundations of Burden

2. What band did you discover in 2014 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?

Late in the year I discovered the band Believer/Law on Chondritic Sound as well as the Dean Blunt - Black Metal record. Both inspired a renewed perspective on how to approach recording music. 

3. How will you remember 2014? (In terms of music)

I will remember 2014 as the year that renewed my faith in artists pushing envelopes. For too long it seems art across the board has become so deeply postmodern that everything is overtly homage or a straight-up remake of something that came before. Influence is one thing, but evidence of truly unique thought in more than a handful of artists was becoming absent in my life, but that was renewed this year.

4. What can we look forward to from you in 2015?

My primary band, Pyramids, has a new album coming out on Profound Lore, and as far as Handmade Birds goes, releases from Ramleh, Weeping Rat, and the expansion of our Handmade Beats series with releases from Helena Hauff, Soren Roi, and a Vatican Shadow/Cut Hands split.

5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2015?

My mind is blank. Hopefully something new comes along from Josh T. Pearson, My Dying Bride, any of my favorites...I am excited for the upcoming Prurient release on Profound Lore...

6. What trend will you forever associate with 2014 in music?

Everyone's sudden interest in Skinny Puppy.

Steven Williams (Init Records)

1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2014? (In order 1-5)

1. Krieg - Transient
2. Thou - Heathen
3. Hexis - Abalam
4. Survival Knife - Loose Power
5. Generation of Vipers - Coffin Wisdom

2. What band did you discover in 2014 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?

Hexis for sure. The singer, Filip, reached out to me at the very end of 2013 looking to do a trade with his label. I traded some Init releases for the Hexis discography. All of the records were just great, and when they toured the states with Primitive Man this past summer they played here in Minneapolis and they were just intense and heavy and powerful on stage. Filip was a rad dude in person, which is always an added bonus, and I am hoping to work with them on something in 2015.

3. How will you remember 2014? (In terms of music)

Lots of vinyl reissues in 2014. Especially with a lot of albums I listened to a lot to me in my teens given the remaster/reissue treatment: Jawbreaker, Mineral, Jimmy Eat World, NOFX, Unwound, Sleater-Kinney, Unbroken, etc. 

4. What can we look forward to from you in 2015?

Vinyl pressings of Krieg - Transient and Woman Is The Earth - Depths will be out in January, and following that will be releases from Blood Folke, Great Falls, and Rosetta. Hopefully a Hexis release too.

5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2015?

New material by KEN Mode, Rosetta, Great Falls, Sleater-Kinney. I'm sure there's more that I'm not remembering.

6. What trend will you forever associate with 2014 in music?

Expensive vinyl prices: both retail and pressing costs; slow vinyl turnaround times.

Tim Clarke (Hidden Shoal Recordings - co-manager)

1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2014? (In order 1-5)

1. Adult Jazz – Gist Is
2. Timber Timbre – Hot Dreams
3. Owen Pallett – In Conflict
4. Deerhoof – La Isla Bonita
5. Daniel Lanois – Flesh and Machine

2. What band did you discover in 2014 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?

I listened to Adult Jazz’s debut album Gist Is on repeat for about 2 weeks straight. It put me in a trance. It felt like listening to something truly original and miraculous, but also totally natural.

They're amazing and unique. It was also wonderful to re-discover Broadcast. I hadn’t listened to them for ages, then spent a very enjoyable few days reacquainting myself with their discography.

3. How will you remember 2014? (In terms of music)

As the year in which Deerhoof returned to form. They went off the boil with their last two albums, which was a massive disappointment, but now I'm eagerly awaiting their return to Australia so I can hear them play the new songs live. I'll also remember it as the year in which I made a concerted effort to buy more music rather than just streaming stuff and moving right along.

Streaming services like Spotify and SoundCloud are an incredible discovery tool, but it’s easy to forget that you can further support an artist you love by purchasing a download or CD via Bandcamp or at a bricks ’n’ mortar record store – if you can find one!

4. What can we look forward to from you in 2015?

Besides an amazing array of follow-up albums from artists on our roster, we also have some very exciting new signings that I have to stay hush about right now, which we’ll be announcing over the next few months. Expect to see a lot more of the catalogue in film and TV placements as we continue to build our licensing and publishing business. We also have some very cool label projects, including a versus remix series and an imaginary film soundtrack series.

5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2015?

The debut album by Viet Cong and hopefully a new Radiohead album.

6. What trend will you forever associate with 2014 in music?

The omnipresence of streaming – and how this affects people's engagement with music. I think the main thing I realised about listening to music in 2014 is that how much pleasure I derive from listening to music is only partly down to what I'm listening to – the rest is determined by the mood I'm in, what device I'm using to listen on, what kind of day I'm having, and what I'm doing at the time.

In addition to co-managing Hidden Shoal I also work in an office, so a lot of my music listening has been pretty passive, streaming stuff on Spotify in the background while I work. My favourite albums have been those that really grabbed me if they were on in the background, so I had to save them for later and listen with focused attention, either on headphones during my commute or blasted in the car.

Tobias Jeg (Red Scare Industries)

1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2014? (In order 1-5)

1. The Lawrence Arms - Metropole
2. The Copyrights - Report
3. Bishops Green - Pressure
4. Maybe that thing Bangers did?
5. Maybe that Run The Jewels 2?

2. What band did you discover in 2014 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?

I finally got to see the band Success! from Seattle.  Those guys are originally from my tiny hometown of Enumclaw, WA, so that's super cool to see that there's other kids from the sticks get involved in the punk scene. I was on tour and we had an off-day, so they put together a show at this awesome divey club called The Kraken in Seattle, and they had everyone's attention. Looking forward to hearing more from them.

3. How will you remember 2014? (In terms of music)

We had our 10-Year Anniversary festivities, and it was a LOT of work, but it was so neat to have all the bands in town for that weekend.  I wish it lasted all week, but I woulda probably died. Not only did all the bands converge in Chicago, but we had visitors from all over the country and all over the world.  

4. What can we look forward to from you in 2015?

Me personally? Who cares?! I'm looking for a new job, maybe out West. Anyone wanna start a punk commune in Southern Oregon, say Medford-ish? 

5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2015?

I'm biased towards Red Scare stuff and we have some doozies coming in 2015.  New records from Nothington, Derek Grant (of Alkaline Trio), Sucess!, Elway... maybe new ones from Direct Hit! and The Falcon. Whoa.

6. What trend will you forever associate with 2014 in music?

Aside from all the Red Scare 10-year festivities, I would say there was a lot of fun travelling. I tour manage that silly band called The Lawrence Arms, and they somehow did five little tours in 2014. West Coast, then Europe, then East Coast, then Midwest, then UK.  I really enjoy meeting people and seeing shit, so it was something I will remember fondly.

Tom (Slugsalt Records)

1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2014? (In order 1-5)

LPs - no order

• Leather - EASY (absolutely 100% biased)
• Total Control - Typical System (Iron Lung)
• Hank Wood and the Hammerheads - Stay Home (Toxic State)
• Nots - We are Nots (Goner) 
• Gunk - Gradual Shove LP (Ranch/Square of Opposition)

EPs/demos - no order

• Primetime - s/t EP (La Vida Es Un Mus)
• Blank Spell - demo cassette (World Gone Mad)
• Nudes - Stain EP (Iron Lung)
• Sheer Mag - s/t EP (Wilsuns RC)
• Cottaging - Mis en Abyme EP (Abscess)

2. What band did you discover in 2014 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?

I met Cold Foamers right before I started the label, and they trusted me to put out their album. They'd already gotten some cassettes from Haze Tapes, but we decided to work together on their (and my) first LP. All Cold Everything came out in October.

3. How will you remember 2014? (In terms of music)

I started the label this spring, so I'll remember this year when it's 2024 and I'm celebrating our tenth anniversary.

4. What can we look forward to from you in 2015?

By next spring I hope to have two EPs and another LP in the works. Also, look for Reyes Family Tapes. I'll be releasing a few demo cassettes, starting with Brown under that name.

5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2015?

Blank Spell is finishing up their first LP, Newish Star has a ton of music recorded that they're planning to release, and the rumored LP from now-dead Shoxx is supposed to turn up. Also, the 3 remaining EPs in the Keystone Noise Series by Reptilian Records (Tile, Ladder Devils, Fight Amp).

6. What trend will you forever associate with 2014 in music?

Albums selling out online right as the pressing plant gets a label's order. Fans willing to pay for a record 3 months in advance. Pressings of 500 disappearing in a day thanks to internet wildfire (not that I'm speaking from personal experience).

Tony Pacheco (Save Your Generation Records/Rubber Legs PR)

1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2014? (In order 1-5)

1. Somos - Temple of Plenty
2. Hawk & Son - ATK
3. Fireworks - Oh Common Life
4. Viewfinder - Do You Even Want Anything?
5. OsoOsoOso - EP

2. What band did you discover in 2014 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?

Viewfinder. The '90s revival came strong this year and there are a ton of bands that do it pretty well but Viewfinder (and most of Self Aware's roster for that matter) do it the best. It tapped me back into a lot of stuff I listened to in high school that still holds up 15+ years later.

3. How will you remember 2014? (In terms of music)

Every year there is more! And that's not necessarily a bad thing it can just make it harder to really absorb anything before you're on to the next. Spotify feeds that style of listening too, I actually went back to burning CDs and buying CDs to try and enjoy albums as a whole.

4. What can we look forward to from you in 2015?

A lot! A new Lawnmower LP called Major Head Injury that is amazing and I'm really excited to be a part of. Our Jawbreaker tribute will come out with Loose Planes, Save Ends, Reward, Kid Brother Collective, Grey Gordon, and more. A couple 4-way splits with bands I've wanted to work with for awhile and another tribute LP that we're not announcing yet.

And a 3 song EP from Fireworks' guitarist Brett Ayala Jones, Tramp (pre-orders go live monday 12/22).

5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2015?

• Oso oso
• Lawnmower

6. What trend will you forever associate with 2014 in music?

I'm getting old, trends are lost on me. I don't have time to pay attention to what everyone else is doing. 

Will Butler (To Live a Lie Records)

1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2014? (In order 1-5)

1. ACxDC - s/t LP
2. Coffins/Noothgrush LP
3. Torch Runner - Endless Nothing LP
4. Disciples Of Christ - Decomposition Fantasy LP
5. All the old records repressed this year get the fifth spot

2. What band did you discover in 2014 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?

Someone pointed me to the band Impulse (sorry it may have been in 2013) for the comp LP I did and really dug their weird crossover style of Youth of Today crashing into Neos or Larm or Electro Hippies. Young kids playing youth crew fastcore is amazing in my book.

3. How will you remember 2014? (In terms of music)

2014 was the year I put out very few records, which is weird. It was also the year the young scene moved away in my town (Raleigh, NC) and it was a bit rough this year for DIY punk as far as shows and bands.

4. What can we look forward to from you in 2015?

In 2015 I'll be releasing the new Sixbrewbantha LP (crushing crusty grind from Canada, this time refined with some tech to it), Holders Scar's new EP (from my homestate, killer hardcore punk), Impulse's new EP (Cali youth crew-laden powerviolence), The Afternoon Gentlemen EP US pressing (UK pv), as well as future full lengths for Sidetracked, Water Torture, and Rabid Pigs. 

5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2015?

I can't wait for the Sex Prisoner full length to drop. That is the only record on my radar that I can think of.

6. What trend will you forever associate with 2014 in music?

2014 seems like the year of the repress. All the stuff I grew up on had its 15 and 20 year anniversary this year so I got swindled out of my money for 180g punk albums from 1994 which I owned on CD, then on LP, now on audiophile LP.