Drag City is an American

independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small and medium-sized enterprise, small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels ...

based in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, Illinois, established in the city in 1989 by Dan Koretzky and Dan Osborn. It specializes in

indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand in the early to mid-1980s. Although the term was originally used to describe rock music released through independent reco ...

noise rock Noise rock (sometimes called noise punk) is a noise music, noise-oriented style of experimental rock that spun off from punk rock in the 1980s. Drawing on movements such as minimal music, minimalism, industrial music, and New York hardcore, a ...

psychedelic folk Psychedelic folk (sometimes acid folk or freak folk) is a loosely defined form of psychedelic music that originated in the 1960s. It retains the largely acoustic instrumentation of contemporary folk music, folk, but adds musical elements common ...

alternative country Alternative country (commonly abbreviated to alt-country; also known as alternative country rock, insurgent country, Americana, or y'allternative) is a loosely defined subgenre of country music and/or country rock that includes acts that diffe ...

, and

experimental music Experimental music is a general label for any music or music genre that pushes existing boundaries and genre definitions. Experimental compositional practice is defined broadly by exploratory sensibilities radically opposed to, and questioning of, ...

. The label has featured numerous artists, including Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Bill Callahan,

Joanna Newsom Joanna Newsom (born January 18, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. After recording and self-releasing two EPs in 2002, Newsom signed to the independent label Drag City (record label), Drag City. Her debut album, ''The Milk-Eyed ...

, and Silver Jews.

History

Drag City was formed in 1989 when Koretzky, who was working for a record distribution company in Chicago, contacted the band Royal Trux, after hearing their first album, with the offer of releasing a single. ''Hero Zero'' was soon followed by ''Demolition Plot J-7'', the second release by Pavement.Howland, Don (1993)
Drag Kings: Chicago's Drag City is America's Best Record Label
, '' SPIN'', November 1993, p. 101-2, 152-3, retrieved 2010-12-05 The first album release on the label came later the same year—'' Twin Infinitives,'' the second album by Royal Trux. The label released the US version of Scott Walker's '' Tilt'' in 1997, after the label approached him wishing to give the album a US release.Morris, Chris (1997)
Drag City Goes Full 'Tilt' on Walker
, ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'', August 23, 1997, p. 53-4, retrieved 2010-12-05 Walker described releasing the album on the indie label as "an experiment". Several members of Drag City's staff have played in bands; press-chief Gene Booth played keyboards and guitar in USA, and Booth, head of sales Rian Murphy, and founder Dan Koretzky all played in Mantis.Morris, Chris (1998)
Declarations of Independents: Flag Waving
, ''

'', June 13, 1998, p. 77; retrieved 2010-12-05 Booth was also a member of Chestnut Station. In recent years, they have expanded their catalog to include

alternative comedy Alternative comedy is a term coined in the 1980s for a style of comedy that makes a conscious break with the mainstream comedic style of an era. The phrase has had different connotations in different contexts: in the UK, it was used to describe ...

releases, with recent outputs from Fred Armisen, Neil Hamburger, and

Andy Kaufman Andrew Geoffrey Kaufman ( ; January 17, 1949 – May 16, 1984) was an American entertainer and performance artist. He has sometimes been called an "anti-humor, anti-comedian". He disdained telling jokes and engaging in comedy as it was tra ...

among others, and reissues, notably by Gary Higgins and

Death Death is the end of life; the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. Death eventually and inevitably occurs in all organisms. The remains of a former organism normally begin to decompose sh ...

. In 1997, Drag City began publishing printed works such as the literary magazine ''The Minus Times'' and Neil Hagerty's novel ''Victory Chimp''. The label distributed the 2013 documentary '' The Source Family''. After years of refusing to release its artists' music on streaming platforms, the label finally made its music available for streaming via Apple Music in July 2017.

Roster

* Aerial M * AZITA *

Bachelorette ''Bachelorette'' (/ˌbætʃələˈrɛt/) is a term used in American English for a Single person, single, unmarried woman. The term is derived from the word ''bachelor'', and is often used by journalists, editors of popular magazines, and some ...

* Baby Dee * William Basinski * Richard Bishop * Blues Control * Bill Callahan *

Cave Caves or caverns are natural voids under the Earth's Planetary surface, surface. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. Exogene caves are smaller openings that extend a relatively short distance undergrou ...

* Cynthia Dall * Chris Darrow * Circuit Des Yeux *

* Dope Body * Espers * Faun Fables * Flying Saucer Attack * Mark Fosson * Edith Frost * The Fucking Champs * Loose Fur *

Ghost In folklore, a ghost is the soul or Spirit (supernatural entity), spirit of a dead Human, person or non-human animal that is believed by some people to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from a ...

David Grubbs David Grubbs (born September 21, 1967) is an American composer, guitarist, pianist, and vocalist. He was a founding member of Squirrel Bait, Bastro, and Gastr del Sol. He has also played in Codeine (band), Codeine, The Red Krayola, Bitch Magnet a ...

* Neil Michael Hagerty *

The High Llamas The High Llamas are an Anglo-Irish chamber pop band formed in London circa 1991. They were founded by singer-songwriter Sean O'Hagan, formerly of Microdisney, with drummer Rob Allum and ex-Microdisney bassist Jon Fell. O'Hagan has led the group ...

* The Howling Hex * John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch * Liimanarina * Magik Markers * Monotonix * Movietone * Mickey Newbury *

* Scout Niblett * Nig-Heist * Will Oldham (Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Palace Music, etc.) * Jim O'Rourke * Papa M * Pavement * Pearls and Brass * Pearls Before Swine * Jessica Pratt * Purple Mountains * The Red Krayola * The Renderers * Alasdair Roberts * Royal Trux * RTX *

Lætitia Sadier Lætitia Sadier (born 6 May 1968), also known as Seaya Sadier, is a French musician best known as a founding member of the London-based avant-pop band Stereolab. She was born in the east of Paris and spent time in the US as a child. In 1996, whi ...

* Ty Segall * Sic Alps * Silver Jews * Six Organs of Admittance *

Stereolab Stereolab are an English people, Anglo-French avant-pop band formed in London in 1990. Led by the songwriting team of Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier, the group's sound incorporates repetitive motorik beats with the use of vintage electronic keybo ...

* Sun Araw * U.S. Maple * Scott Walker *

Wand A wand is a thin, light-weight rod that is held with one hand, and is traditionally made of wood, but may also be made of other materials, such as metal, bone or stone. Long versions of wands are often styled in forms of staves or sceptres, whi ...

* Weird War * White Magic * Woo * Michael Yonkers

References

{{Authority control American independent record labels Record labels established in 1990 Indie rock record labels Experimental music record labels Companies based in Chicago 1990 establishments in Illinois Record labels based in Illinois

History

Roster

See also

References