Crypt Records is an independent

record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the prod ...

founded by American-born Tim Warren in 1983. The label has been headquartered variously in

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; nds, label=Hamburg German, Low Saxon, Hamborg ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (german: Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg; nds, label=Low Saxon, Friee un Hansestadt Hamborg),. is the List of cities in Germany by popul ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...

and in several locations in the United States. Crypt is perhaps best known for issuing the ten-volume ''

Back From The Grave Series ''Back from the Grave'' is a series compilation albums of 1960s garage rock created and compiled by Tim Warren and released by Crypt Records. The series originally consisted of eight LP records released between 1983 and 1992. Volumes seven and e ...

'' of 1960s garage punk compilations, although its other reissues and releases include surf,

rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the Southern United States, South. As a genre it blends the sound of Western music (North America), Western music ...

, punk rock,

exotica Exotica is a musical genre, named after the 1957 Martin Denny album of the same name that was popular during the 1950s to mid-1960s with Americans who came of age during World War II. The term was coined by Simon "Si" Waronker, Liberty Records ...

, garage punk, original

rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a Music genre, genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed p ...

, and

soul music Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the African American community throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It has its roots in African-American gospel music and rhythm and blues. Soul music became pop ...

History

Establishment

Crypt Records was launched in August 1983 by the New York-born Tim Warren (b. 1960), who had spent his boyhood with his family in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

and

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wit ...

.Matti Bildt
"Crypt Records: Rock n Roll Isn't Dead, It's Just a Little Sleepy,"
''Ox Fanzine,'' whole no. 103 (Aug.-Sept. 2013) n German The family moved back to the United States in 1974, when Warren was 14. Warren spent his first four years as a young adult working in a record store in

Amherst, Massachusetts Amherst () is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2020 census, the population was 39,263, making it the highest populated municipality in Hampshire County (although the county seat ...

before moving to

Maine Maine () is a U.S. state, state in the New England and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and territories of Canad ...

to work in a gas station — a job which allowed him to save a modest amount of money. In October 1980 Warren returned to his New York City birthplace to take a job in another record store. It was at this time that Warren first became interested in garage punk and other underground music of the 1960s. The label's first release was a compilation LP dedicated to raw 1960s garage rock.Tim Warren, "Letter to the Editor," ''Punk Planet'' hicago whole no. 6 (March–April 1995), pg. 10. Over the next three years there would be a total of 17 releases, focusing on rare 1960s garage and 1950s

music. In the fall of 1986 the label moved towards the reissue of contemporary punk rock with a reissue of 1970s band DMZ. A mix of releases followed including pioneering bands from the 1950s and 1960s as well as modern punk groups.

Move to Germany

Warren moved to

in January 1990, where he immediately began booking European tours for various bands on the Crypt label. The label rented a seven-room space in the spring of 1991, in which it opened up a retail record store in addition to continuing its manufacturing operations. Although home to the commercially successful New Bomb Turks, the label found itself in financial difficulties owing to slow payments from dishonest distributors. With punk exploding in popularity in the United States, plans were made for a resumption of manufacturing operations there. Still hampered by cash flow problems resulting from distributor non-payment, a manufacturing and distribution deal was signed with major label-affiliated

Matador Records Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of mainly indie rock, but also punk rock, experimental rock, alternative rock, and electronic acts. History Matador was created in 1989 by Chris Lombardi in his New York City apart ...

in August 1994. In 1997 the building housing Crypt Records was sold to a new owner, leading to an escalation in rent which forced the shop's closure.

21st century

In January 1999 Warren decided to return to the United States, briefly settling in the small town of

Truckee, California Truckee is an incorporated town in Nevada County, California, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 16,180, reflecting an increase of 2,316 from the 13,864 counted in the 2000 Census and having the 316th highe ...

. He moved across country in June 2000 to

Frenchtown, New Jersey Frenchtown is a borough in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. Frenchtown is located along the banks of the Delaware River on the Hunterdon Plateau thirty two miles northwest of the state capital Trenton. As of the 2010 United States Ce ...

, bringing his label in tow. A Crypt presence was maintained in Germany, with a new shop opened at an alternate location in Hamburg in September 2005. The label remained in financial difficulties, hindered in particular by the bankruptcy of Crypt's European distributor. Warren was unhappy in the United States and found himself spending an inordinate amount on the repair and maintenance of a New Jersey home he had purchased. He managed to sell the house in 2007 and returned to New York, briefly opening a record store in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Kings County is the most populous Administrative divisions of New York (state)#County, county in the State of New York, ...

called "Cool and Crazy." This New York chapter also proved to be a short one and a return was made to Germany, this time to Berlin. The label continues in existence in 2015 and is best known for its series of ''Back from the Grave'' compilation albums.

Artists

*Los Ass-Draggers *Atomic Suplex * Bantam Rooster * The Beguiled * Cheater Slicks * Country Teasers * The Devil Dogs *The Dirtys *

Fireworks Fireworks are a class of low explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large number of devices ...

* The Gories * The Grave Diggers *

Guitar Wolf Guitar Wolf ( Japanese: ギターウルフ) is a Japanese garage rock power trio founded in Tokyo in 1987. They coined the phrase "jet rock 'n' roll", which they use to describe their musical style. The band is signed to Sony Music ...

* Thee Headcoats *

Jon Spencer Blues Explosion The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion was an American three-piece rock band from New York City, formed in 1991. The group consisted of Judah Bauer on guitar, backing vocals, harmonica and occasional lead vocals, Russell Simins on drums and Jon Spenc ...

*The Lazy Cowgirls *

The Little Killers The Little Killers were an American rock and roll band who formed in New York City, New York, U.S. in 2001. They played punky garage rock inspired by the likes of Chuck Berry, the New York Dolls, and Johnny Burnette's Rock & Roll Trio. The band f ...

Lyres Yoke lutes, commonly called lyres, are a class of string instruments, subfamily of lutes, indicated with the code 321.2 in the Hornbostel–Sachs classification. Description Yoke lutes are defined as instruments with one or more strings, arrang ...

* Thee Mighty Caesars *Ralph Nielsen & The Chancellors * New Bomb Turks * Nine Pound Hammer * Oblivians * The Pagans *Piece Kor *The Pleasure Fuckers *The Raunch Hands *The Revelators *

Teengenerate Teengenerate were a Japanese punk rock band from 1993 to 1996, known for their fun style of playing garage punk with a sense of humor and often incomprehensible English lyrics. After disbanding for a time, some of its members (Fifi, Fink and ...

Wylde Mammoths Wylde Mammoths were founded in Stockholm, Sweden in the mid-1980s and were part of the thriving garage rock scene of the day which included The Stomachmouths, High Speed V, Crimson Shadows and Creeps (band), The Creeps. In 1986 they were signed to ...

Footnotes

External links

Crypt Records official website
{{Authority control German record labels Garage rock record labels Rhythm and blues record labels