Damnably is an

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 Stratford,

East London East London is the part of London, England, east of the ancient City of London and north of the River Thames as it begins to widen. East London developed as London Docklands, London's docklands and the primary industrial centre. The expansion of ...

. It was founded by George Gargan and Janice Li. Primarily created to promote a

John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), better known as John Peel, was an English radio presenter and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original disc jockeys on BBC Radio 1, broadcasting regularly from ...

night at The Brixton Windmill in 2006, Damnably then undertook tour booking and evolved into a record label. It has since grown, adding a roster of artists from all around the world including USA, Canada, Japan, Korea, China, Indonesia, France and the UK.

History

The label was founded in 2006 by George Gargan, of the band

Former Utopia Former Utopia is a rock band from London, England. They formed after meeting at a Silver Jews gig in 2006. The band toured the UK with Julie Doiron in 2009 and with smallgang 2011 and Europe with Shonen Knife in 2012. They have also shared st ...

. He was later joined by filmmaker Janice Li. Together, the label was formed on a shoestring budget, incorporating a DIY approach which still remains an integral part of their ethos today. The label's first release was a single by Former Utopia, and its first high-profile signing was

Shonen Knife Shonen Knife is a Japanese pop-punk band formed in Osaka in 1981. Influenced by 1960s girl groups, pop bands, the Beach Boys, and early punk rock bands such as the Ramones, the band crafts stripped-down songs with simple yet unconventional ...

. After booking Shonen Knife for their first UK tour in 16 years, Damnably released their album, ''Super Group'', which including additional live bonus tracks. Successful London gigs led to more gigs nationwide as well as shows at

SXSW South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas. It began in 1987 and has conti ...

in Austin, TX. Tours were booked for Julie Dorion, Dick Dale, Shonen Knife, Codeine, Come, Bitch Magnet, Wussy, Geoff Farina (of Karate) & Chris Brokaw (Come/Codeine/The New Year). ''Golden Week'' tours were booked for Otoboke Beaver as the Japanese band often did not share the same holidays as western workers, meaning this national holiday was the only time they could tour. Say Sue Me, Leggy and Drinking Boys and Girls Choir joined them as support. Damnably hosted a series of ''World International The Fall, Smog and Sonic Youth'' nights featuring bands from out of London covering a song or two, in additional to playing their own set. Bar sales went towards bands who struggled to get London shows that were not pay-to-play. This led to a large triple stage ''World International John Peel Day'' event for 2 years, raising money for charities and with a large number of acts. In April 2017, Damnably put on a show with Jon Fine (of

Bitch Magnet Bitch Magnet was an American post-hardcore band who formed in 1986 at Oberlin College in Ohio and later moved to North Carolina. History Bitch Magnet released their first record in 1988. All of the band's albums were released on Communion Re ...

) chatting to comedian

Stewart Lee Stewart Graham Lee (born 5 April 1968) is an English comedian. His stand-up routine is characterised by repetition, internal reference, and deadpan delivery. Lee began his career in 1989 and formed the comedy duo Lee and Herring with Richard ...

, followed by a performance with Jon and members from . Say Sue Me toured extensively in 2018 playing all across the globe. They were the first ever Korean band to record a

KEXP KEXP-FM (90.3 FM broadcasting, FM) is a non-commercial Radio broadcasting, radio station in Seattle, Seattle, Washington, United States, specializing in indie music programmed by its disc jockeys. KEXP's studios are located at the Seattle Cent ...

session, with Drinking Boys and Girls Choir being the third. In 2019, Say Sue Me won two Korean Music awards. Damnably's acts performed as showcasing artists at SXSW for several years. In 2018, Otoboke Beaver, Say Sue Me, American werewolf academy, Leggy and didi performed. In 2019, Otoboke Beaver, Say Sue Me, Drinking Boys and Girls Choir, David Boring, Construction and Destruction, American Werewolf Academy performed. And in 2021, Otoboke Beaver, Say Sue Me, DBGC,

Hazy Sour Cherry Hazy Sour Cherry is a four-piece indie rock band from Tokyo, Japan. The band members were prominent in the Tokyo indie music scene before, being members of other various bands before forming the indie supergroup Hazy Sour Cherry in 2018. Their cu ...

and Grrrl Gang performed in their online showcase. Damnably acts have additionally performed at festivals like Coachella, Green Man, Fuji Rock, Primavera, Roskilde and Pohoda. Damnably artists have performed sessions for

BBC Radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927. The service provides national radio stations cove ...

, KEXP,

XFM Radio X is a British national commercial radio station focused on alternative music, primarily indie rock, and owned by Global. The station launched in 1989 as a pirate radio station named Q102, before being renamed Xfm in 1992. The station b ...

and even

Vans Vans (originally called the Van Doren Rubber Company) is an American apparel, accessories, and skateboarding shoes brand, established in Anaheim, California, and owned by VF Corporation. The company also sponsors surf, snowboarding, BMX, and ...

. They have recorded songs for

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

JTBC JTBC (shortened from Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company; ; stylized in all lowercase) is a South Korean nationwide pay television network. Its primary shareholder is JoongAng Holdings, with a 25% stake. It was launched on December 1, ...

shows, Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown, Japan's NHK documentary on SXSW. Gargan and Li were married in the late 2010s, Say Sue Me and Otoboke Beaver both wrote songs titled ''George & Janice'' to commemorate their label bosses' wedding. Damnably has been very vocal about gender representation in the music industry, with festival line-ups and agency rosters in the UK being dominated by white male acts, while Damnably's roster, invariably featuring women, is often ignored. As Damnably's success grew, they quickly ran out of space operating out of their flats, opting to invest in a proper office space. As of 2019, Damnably are now based in a studio at Trampery on the Gantry.

Artists

List of artists represented. *

Otoboke Beaver is a Japanese punk rock band from Kyoto, formed in 2009. The band currently consists of singer Accorinrin, guitarist Yoyoyoshie, bassist Hirochan, and drummer Kahokiss. Their most recent album '' Super Champon'' was released in May 2022. Biogr ...

Say Sue Me Say Sue Me () is an indie rock band from Busan, South Korea, currently consisting of members Sumi Choi, Byungkyu Kim, Sungwan Lim, and Jaeyoung Kim. The group formed in 2012 and has released three full-length albums: '' We've Sobered Up'' (2014) ...

Drinking Boys and Girls Choir Drinking Boys and Girls Choir is a punk rock band from Daegu, South Korea, made up of bassist/singer Meena Bae, drummer/singer Myeong-jin Kim, and guitarist/singer Megan Nisbet . The band's name reflects their love of drinking, their youth-oriente ...

Grrrl Gang Grrrl Gang is an Indonesian indie pop band from Yogyakarta, Indonesia, consisting of vocalist/guitarist Angeeta Sentana, bassist/vocalist Akbar Rumandung, and guitarist/vocalist Edo Alventa. History 2016–2018: Formation, ''Stop This Madness'', ...

Wussy Wussy is an American four-piece indie rock band formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2001. The band consists of Chuck Cleaver (vocals/guitar), Lisa Walker (vocals/guitar), Joe Klug (drums) and Mark Messerly (bass). Former members include Dawn Burman ( ...

* Bananach * David Boring * Hiperson * * ODDLY * Dogstar * The Magic Words * American Werewolf Academy * * Leggy *

* *

Lazarus Clamp Lazarus Clamp are an English band punk rock band, formed in Leicester in 1994, known for keeping a low profile and for its humorous live performances. History The band's debut single "Sea Sore Songs" was released on Amberley/Cleverlegs. The ba ...

Chris Brokaw Chris Brokaw (born August 1, 1964) is an American musician, best known for his work with the bands Come (American band), Come and Codeine (band), Codeine. Life and career While studying at Oberlin College, Brokaw met many people who became figu ...

Geoff Farina Karate is an American band, formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1993 by Geoff Farina, Eamonn Vitt and Gavin McCarthy, with Jeff Goddard joining in 1995. The band split up in 2005 before reuniting in 2022. The band is characterized by fusion of ...

* Chris Brokaw & Geoff Farina * Glorytellers * Exit Verse * Yuki Kawana * Yucca * Bruja * Joel RL Phelps * Capt. Lovelace * Golden Gurls

Professional Bodies

Damnably is a member of the BPI, PRS for Music Limited, MCPS and Association of Independent Promoters (AIP).

Discography

List of releases including the artist, title, medium and release year. * DAMNABLY001 - Former Utopia, Michael L. Clamp, The Philanthropists - Tiptoe Through The Tulips / Don't Fence Me In / I Love Micky - 7" - 2010 * DAMNABLY002 - Shonen Knife - Super Group - CD - 2010 * DAMNABLY003 - Chris Brokaw and Geoff Farina - The Angel's Message To Me - CD - 2010 * DAMNABLY004 - Chris Brokaw and Geoff Farina - The Boarder's Door - CD - 2010 * DAMNABLY005 - Shonen Knife - Free Time - CD - 2011 * DAMNABLY006 - - Trespasses - CD - 2011 * DAMNABLY007 - American Werewolf Academy - The Hop / The Kid Stays In The Picture - 7" - 2011 * DAMNABLY008 - American Werewolf Academy - Everything Is Alright So Far - CD - 2011 * DAMNABLY010 - Shonen Knife - Osaka Ramones - CD - 2011 * DAMNABLY016 - Shonen Knife - Sweet Christmas - 7" - 2011 * DAMNABLY015 - Geoff Farina - The Wishes of the Dead - CD - 2012 * DAMNABLY018 - Wussy - Buckeye - CD - 2012 * DAMNABLY019 - Shonen Knife - Pop Tune - CD - 2012 * DAMNABLY020 - Chris Brokaw - Gambler's Ecstasy - CD - 2012 * DAMNABLY021 - Former Utopia - FU - CD, EP - 2013 * DAMNABLY022 - Golden Gurls - Typo Magic - CD - 2013 * DAMNABLY023 - Bored Spies - Summer720 - CD, 7" - 2013 * DAMNABLY024 - Glorytellers - Current Resident - CD - 2013 * DAMNABLY025 - - No Pain Whatsoever - CD - 2013 * DAMNABLY026 - American Werewolf Academy - Out Of Place All The Time - CD - 2013 * DAMNABLY027 - American Werewolf Academy - Edge of the Bed / Pray a Lie - 7" - 2013 * DAMNABLY028 - Joel RL Phelps & The Downer Trio - Gala - CD - 2013 * DAMNABLY030 - Shonen Knife - Overdrive - CD, LP - 2014 * DAMNABLY031 - Wussy - Attica! - CD - 2014 * DAMNABLY032 - smallgang - san - CD - 2014 * DAMNABLY033 - Exit Verse - Exit Verse - CD, LP - 2014 * DAMN29LP - Lazarus Clamp - The Bird is Not The Metaphor - LP - 2015 * DAMNABLY034 - American Werewolf Academy - I Can't Lose - 7" - 2015 * DAMNABLY035 - WOMPS - Live A Little Less - 7", CD - 2015 * DAMNABLY035 - Captain Lovelace - /* Preview Pane */ - Cass - 2015 * DAMNABLY038 - Wussy - Dropping Houses / Folk Night at Fucky's - CD - 2016 * DAMNABLY038 - Wussy - Forever Sounds - CD - 2016 * DAMNABLY039 - Otoboke Beaver - Okoshiyasu!! Otoboke Beaver - CD, LP - 2016 * DAMNABLY040 - Shonen Knife - Adventure - CD, LP - 2016 * DAMNABLY043 - Bruja - Tori / Sculie - 7" - 2016 * DAMNABLY044 - Leggy - Leggy - CD, LP - 2016 * DAMNABLY045 - Wussy - Ceremony / Days and Hours - 7" - 2016 * DAMNABLY047 - American Werewolf Academy - Dead Without Dying & Gleefully Detached - CD, LP - 2017 * DAMNABLY048 - Say Sue Me - Say Sue Me - CD - 2017 * DAMNABLY049 - Say Sue Me - Semin - 7" - 2017 * DAMNABLY050 - Otoboke Beaver - Love is Short!! - CD, EP - 2017 * DAMNABLY055 - The Magic Words - The Magic Words - Cass - 2017 * DAMNABLY058 - Say Sue Me, Otoboke Beaver - Split 7" - 7" - 2017 * DAMNABLY064 - Say Sue Me - It's Just a Short Walk - EP - 2018 * DAMNABLY067 - Say Sue Me - Where We Were Together - CD, LP - 2018 * DAMNABLY068 - Wussy - Getting Better - EP - 2018 * DAMNABLY069 - Wussy - What Heaven is Like - CD, LP - 2018 * DAMNABLY071 - Say Sue Me - Just Joking Around / B Lover - 7" - 2018 * DAMNABLY072 - - Like Memory Foam - CD - 2018 * DAMNABLY079 - Say Sue Me - Christmas, It's Not a Biggie - EP - 2018 * DAMNABLY074 - Say Sue Me - Big Summer Night - EP - 2019 * DAMNABLY075 - Say Sue Me - We've Sobered Up - LP - 2019 * DAMNABLY078 - Drinking Boys and Girls Choir - Keep Drinking - CD, LP - 2019 * DAMNABLY080 - Otoboke Beaver - Itekoma Hits - CD, LP - 2019 * DAMNABLY090 - Say Sue Me - Your Book / Good People - 7" - 2019 * DAMNABLY093 - Otoboke Beaver - Yobantoite Mojo - 5" - 2019 * DAMNABLY096 - Hiperson - Four Seasons - EP - 2019 * DAMNABLY098 - Hazy Sour Cherry - Tour De Tokyo - LP - 2019 * Say Sue Me - George & Janice - 7" - 2019 * DAMNABLY099 - Grrrl Gang - Here To Stay! - LP - 2020 * DAMNABLY073 - David Boring - Unnatural Objects and Their Humans - LP - 2020 * DAMNABLY092 - Former Utopia - Magnetar - LP - 2020 * DAMNABLY097 - Dogstar - Dogstar - LP - 2020 * DAMNABLY100 - Otoboke Beaver - I am Not Maternal - Digital - 2020 * DAMNABLY124 - - Wicked Heart - LP - 2021 * DAMNABLY126 - Grrrl Gang - Honey, Baby - 7" - 2021 * DAMNABLY151 - Say Sue Me - 10 - Cass, EP - 2022 * DAMNABLY123 - Drinking Boys and Girls Choir - Marriage License - LP - 2022 * DAMNABLY140 - Say Sue Me - The Last Thing Left - CD, LP - 2022 * DAMNABLY145 - Hazy Sour Cherry - Strange World - CD, LP - 2022 * DAMNABLY150 - Otoboke Beaver - Super Champon - CD, LP - 2022

References

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