Raw Energy Records was a Canadian
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
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
,
Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
, Canada. The music label was established in the late 1980s by founder entrepreneur and music journalist Graeme Boyce,
["Toronto Label Taps Raw Energy". '']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 ...
'', May 7, 1994. initially to distribute the debut
EP by
, ''Loud Party''.
Prior to launching Raw Energy, Boyce was a staff writer for ''
RPM
Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or r⋅min−1) is a unit of rotational speed (or rotational frequency) for rotating machines.
One revolution per minute is equivalent to hertz.
Standards
ISO 80000-3:2019 def ...
''.
The label subsequently released King Apparatus' full-length debut album in 1990; after selling over 5,000 copies of the album in just a handful of record stores in downtown Toronto, the label secured a national distribution deal with
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group and functions as a branch of Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Interscope-Geffen-A&M. Established in 1962 by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, the label initially operated independent ...
.
The company expanded over the years, and launched new divisions to manage growth, such as Raw Energy Promotions and Raw Energy Radio.
Canadian artists who released Raw Energy albums included King Apparatus,
,
Dinner Is Ruined,
Random Killing
Random Killing is a Toronto, Montreal and Oshawa based veteran Canadian punk rock band established in 1984. The group of childhood friends initially got together to jam some of their favourite punk rock music, just for a shits and giggles. The ...
, Trunk,
Marilyn's Vitamins
Marilyn's Vitamins were a Canadian punk rock band formed in 1995 from Orangeville, Ontario, Canada, playing their last show December 28, 1999 in Toronto, Ontario. In those near-five years they released two albums on Raw Energy and 7"s on Ductap ...
, Five Knuckle Chuckle, Three Impotent Males, Throbbin‘ Hoods, Out of Hand, Cut Off, Double Standard, DNS, and
Sectorseven
SectorSeven was a Canadian punk band from in Grimsby, Ontario, founded in 1992. Their name, which was originally two words, is taken from the 1969 science-fiction novel The Andromeda Strain.
History
The band began with Lee Williamson (guitar), ...
. Raw Energy also released product from two U.S. acts, The Toasters and Rosie O'Shea. Grouped into the alternative genre, augmenting its roster of punk and ska, the label released a rap album from Top Secret and a noise album from Space City USA.
Discography
Compilation albums
In 1993, Raw Energy released its first compilation, simply titled ''Raw Energy''. Because of the cartoon drawing used on the cover, it quickly took on the name ''On the Road'' within the hardcore community. Raw Energy played on this to release a series of "On the Road" compilations, featuring unsigned and emerging Canadian punk, hardcore and alternative rock bands du jour. Some would end up signing with Raw Energy.
The series of "On the Road" compilations includes:
* ''Raw Energy'' (aka On the Road, 1993)
* ''On the Road Again'' (1994)
* ''Dead on the Road: Songs Without Keyboards'' (1994)
* ''On the Road to New York City'' (1994)
* ''On the Road to Amsterdam'' (1999)
* ''On the Road... with a Snowboard'' (1999)
Other compilations include ''Twentybandcomp'', co-released with Shock Records in Australia.
Track listing
#
The Dinner Is Ruined
The Dinner Is Ruined is a Canadian indie rock band. the band plays an experimental and improvisational brand of blues rock. The band members are Dale Morningstar, Dave Clark and Dr. Johnny Pee.
History
The Dinner Is Ruined was formed in 1991 by ...
, "Stuck Pig"
#
Groovy Religion, "Wanda"
#
hHead
hHead were a Canadian alternative rock band, formed in 1991 in Toronto.
History
Origin story (1991 to 1992)
The band was originally formed by Noah Mintz and Brendan Canning after the duo met as students at Brock University
They were origina ...
, "Collide"
#
, "One's a Heifer"
#
The Imagineers, "This is Nevada Calling"
#
Jale, "I Lied"
# Cottage Industry, "Theme from Superstar"
#
Yeti
The Yeti ()["Yeti"](_blank)
. ''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''. is an ape-like creature purported t ...
, "The Crossing"
#
Wooden Stars
Wooden Stars are a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1994. The band, from Ottawa, consists of vocalist and guitarist Julien Beillard, guitarist Michael Feuerstack, bassists Josh Latour and Mathieu Beillard, and drummer Andrew McCormack.
Style ...
, "Hate Everyone"
#
Wining Dining and Drilling, "Captain's a Wreck"
#
Deadbeat Backbone, "Til I'm Gone"
#
Eric's Trip
Eric's Trip is a Canadian indie rock band from Moncton, New Brunswick. Eric's Trip achieved prominence as the first Canadian band to be signed to Seattle's flagship grunge label Sub Pop in the early 1990s.
The band had a minor hit in alternati ...
, "Understanding"
#
Change of Heart, "Stress Monkey"
See also
*
List of record labels
File:Alvinoreyguitarboogie.jpg
File:AmMusicBunk78.jpg
File:Bingola1011b.jpg
Lists of record labels cover record labels, brands or trademarks associated with marketing of music recordings and music videos. The lists are organized alphabetically, ...
References
External links
Raw Energy: The StoryRaw Energy Limited Discography
{{Authority control
Record labels established in 1989
Canadian independent record labels
Punk record labels
Defunct record labels of Canada
Record label compilation albums
1993 compilation albums
Alternative rock compilation albums
Compilation albums by Canadian artists