R.E.X. Records, also known as R.E.X. Music, was 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- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...

founded by Doug Mann and Gavin Morkel, which operated from 1987 until running into financial difficulty in 1995. Operations were based in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

until 1990 when the company moved to

Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and t ...

. The label was artistic in nature, and though they were especially active in the

Christian metal Christian metal, also known as white metal, Jesus metal or heavenly metal, is heavy metal music distinguished by its Christian themed song lyrics and the dedication of the band members to Christianity. Christian metal is typically performed by ...

genre some acts (such as

Circle of Dust Circle of Dust is an industrial music project from New York City created by Klayton, who later became known as Celldweller. The project was active from 1988 to 1998 and then re-started in 2015 after Klayton gained back ownership of his old alb ...

) were also marketed to mainstream audiences. Sublabels included Storyville Records and Street Level Records, founded by

Randy Stonehill Randall Evan Stonehill (born March 12, 1952) is an American singer and songwriter from Stockton, California, best known as one of the pioneers of contemporary Christian music. His music is primarily folk rock in the style of James Taylor, but ...

Operations

In Christian markets their records were distributed by the Diamante Music Group until 1995 when they switched to Light Distribution (see

Light Records Light Records is a gospel record label founded in 1966 by Ralph Carmichael, as a joint venture with the Waco, Texas-based Word Records. It is a subsidiary of the MNRK Music Group. History Light Records' first roster included Ralph Carmichael ...

), by then a division of Platinum Entertainment. In general markets they were distributed by

RED Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a seconda ...

. By 1996 R.E.X was experiencing layoffs and looking for a buyer. Platinum acquired the label in July 1996. In 1997 R.E.X. sued Platinum for breach of contract, asserting that Platinum had not properly distributed their product and had misrepresented their financial position in the buyout. For a short time R.E.X. provided distribution for

Jesus People USA Jesus People USA (JPUSA) pronounced: ǰ-pu-sa is a Christian intentional community in Uptown, on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1972, coming out of Jesus People Milwaukee during the Jesus movement, it is one of the largest con ...

Grrr Records Grrr Records is a French avant-garde jazz record label founded by Jean-Jacques Birgé in 1975. Grrr belongs to Les Allumés du Jazz, 90 French independent jazz and improvised music labels. The first LP by Grrr was ''Défense de'' by Birgé-Gorg ...

. Employee Alex Parker left and began Flying Tart in

1990 File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of Humankind, humanity on Earth, Astroph ...

. Founder Doug Mann took a position with

ForeFront Records ForeFront Records is a contemporary Christian music and Christian rock record label founded in 1987 by Dan R. Brock, Eddie DeGarmo, Dana Key, and Ron W. Griffin. It was purchased by EMI in 1996 from Dan R. Brock and Eddie DeGarmo, and is a divi ...

in April 1993.

Artists

Argyle Park Argyle Park was an underground industrial rock supergroup founded in New York City in 1994 and active until 1996. Members of the group reformed under the name AP2 in 1998, and were active under that name until winter 2000. Signed to Christian ...

(changed name to AP2, then disbanded) *

Believer Believer(s) or The Believer(s) may refer to: Religion * Believer, a person who holds a particular belief ** Believer, a person who holds a particular religious belief *** Believers, Christians with a religious faith in the divine Christ *** Bel ...

(active, independent) * Bliss Bliss (changed name to BlissBliss, active, independent) *

(active; members went on to form Angeldust,

, CHATTERbOX, Klank and

Celldweller Celldweller is an American electronic rock project by multi-musician Klayton. Celldweller songs have been featured in many films, movie trailers, television shows and video games. Career Precursors: Circle of Dust and Angeldust (1992–1999) The ...

) * The Choir (active, with

Galaxy21 Music Galaxy21 Music is a record label founded in 2001 by Dan and Lisa Michaels. Artists *Adam Again * The Choir * Common Children *Daniel Amos * Dead Artist Syndrome *Riki Michele *The 77s *Undercover See also * List of record labels File:Alvino ...

) *

Code of Ethics Ethical codes are adopted by organizations to assist members in understanding the difference between right and wrong and in applying that understanding to their decisions. An ethical code generally implies documents at three levels: codes of b ...

(active, currently signed with Razberry Records) *

Crashdog Crashdog was one of the first Christian punk bands and was active primarily in the early 1990s. Most of their albums were released by Grrr Records, which has also been home to Headnoise, Resurrection Band, and Glenn Kaiser, among others. Crashd ...

(on indefinite hiatus) * Crimson Thorn (on hiatus) *

Detritus In biology, detritus () is dead particulate organic material, as distinguished from dissolved organic material. Detritus typically includes the bodies or fragments of bodies of dead organisms, and fecal material. Detritus typically hosts commu ...

(active, members in Seventh Angel) * Fleming & John (active, with Dweeb Records) * Four Living Creatures (disbanded; members went on to form Sweet Nectar, Elder and Fell Desire) * Haven (disbanded) * Hot Pink Turtle (disbanded; former side project of DigHayZoose; members went on to form Dev Null) * The Lead (disbanded; members went on to form Frank's Enemy) * Leader Dogs for the Blind (disbanded) *

Living Sacrifice Living Sacrifice is an American Christian metal band formed in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1989. The band has released eight studio albums, out of which the first three were recorded under R.E.X. Records with their original vocalist Darren Johnson ...

(active, with

Solid State Records Solid State Records is a Christian metalcore record label, an imprint of Tooth & Nail Records. Unlike Tooth & Nail, Solid State signs hardcore punk and heavy metal bands. Like Tooth & Nail, Solid State is primarily a Christian label. However, ...

) *

Kerry Livgren Kerry Allen Livgren (born September 18, 1949) is an American musician, best known as one of the founding members and primary songwriters for the American rock band Kansas. Biography Livgren was raised in Topeka, Kansas, by his father Allen ...

(inactive) * Killed By Cain (disbanded) *

Rose A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can b ...

(inactive) * Mercy Rule (disbanded) * No Laughing Matter (inactive) * Paramaecium (disbanded; members went on to form

InExordium Paramaecium (sometimes typeset as Paramæcium) was an Australian death/ doom metal band formed in 1991. There is use of instrumentation like flutes, cellos and violins on some albums. Paramaecium is one of the few doom metal bands that focus ...

and Revulsed) * Passafist (disbanded) * Rocketboy (disbanded) * Sacrament (disbanded) * Six Feet Deep (disbanded; members went on to form Brandtson) *

Sixpence None the Richer Sixpence None the Richer (also known as Sixpence) is an American Christian alternative rock band that formed in New Braunfels, Texas, and eventually settled in Nashville, Tennessee. They are best known for their songs " Kiss Me" and " Breathe Y ...

(active, with

Credential Recordings Credential Recordings is a pop and rock record label in Nashville, Tennessee. The label branched out after a distribution agreement with Lowercase People Records for Switchfoot singer Jon Foreman's solo EPs, which tend to be more folk-acoustic i ...

) * Sweet Nectar (disbanded) * The Throes (active, currently unsigned) * The Walk (active under name BRIDGE PROPHETS) *

Trytan Trytan is a Christian progressive / glam metal / hard rock band from Chicago, Illinois, musically similar to Rush. The band was ministry oriented, and had what Christian music critic John J. Thompson characterized as a significant impact on th ...

(disbanded) *

Veni Domine Veni Domine was a Christian progressive doom metal band founded in Sollentuna, Sweden in 1987. The band split up on 20 September 2014. Veni Domine combined down-tempo melodic heavy metal, symphonic metal and doom metal with occasional touches ...

(disbanded) * Whitecross (active?)

References

External links

Interview with Klay of Circle of Dust about R.E.X. Records

Discogs: R.E.X. Music profile
{{Authority control Christian record labels Record labels disestablished in 1995 American independent record labels