Chris Messer of Showoff and his wife Dani have launched new Chicagoland record label Dodgeball Records, with help from longtime friend Mike Felumlee (Smoking Popes/Alkaline Trio/Live From The Rock Room) on board.
"Our goal is basically to build a brand that represents our core values. Those values are integrity, honesty, transparency (which is not very label-like if you have ever been on one- especially major labels), loyalty, treating each other like a functional family and having everything we do be a labor of love instead of it being done for the love of money," says co-founder Chris Messer.
"Mostly for us, we’d like to build the community back to where it was when I was playing in Showoff in the 90’s, by nurturing relationships with independent record stores, other artists and other labels with similar values. A community that helps one another, isn’t part of the “ME” culture and is more about an “us” culture.. I’m hoping that extends to the communities around us, our artists and our fans," he adds.
The label's first release with be by Indianapolis' Amuse on August 4, followed by a new LP from Showoff in the fall.
