Wierd Records 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 ...

, founded in New York City by Pieter Schoolwerth in 2006.Jonathan Garrett, "The Wierd Records Social Club", ''Village Voice'', May 26, 2009

Access date: May 29, 2009. "Wierd" was also the name for an associated weekly DJ night, now defunct, that started at Southside Lounge in Brooklyn in 2003, later held at Home Sweet Home in Manhattan. Schoolwerth has also performed with power electronics outfit Bloodyminded since the mid-'90s and was previously a member of

Crash Worship Crash Worship or ADRV (''Adoración de rotura violenta'', Spanish for "crash worship") was a San Diego, California based experimental music and performance art ensemble formed in 1986. They were most renowned for live performances partly inspire ...

. Associated groups include Røsenkøpf, Martial Canterel, Led Er Est,

Xeno & Oaklander Xeno & Oaklander is an American electronic music group formed in 2004, consisting of musicians Sean McBride and Liz Wendelbo. Originating from Brooklyn, the band is considered to be among the cold wave revival scene of the 2000s and 2010s. Hist ...

Blacklist Blacklisting is the action of a group or authority compiling a blacklist of people, countries or other entities to be avoided or distrusted as being deemed unacceptable to those making the list; if people are on a blacklist, then they are considere ...

, Frank (just Frank), Plastic Flowers, and Opus Finis. The groups are also linked to developments in the visual arts; Schoolwerth is a noted conceptualist painter. Liz Wendelbo, a member of

, is also a filmmaker, positing "cold cinema" as filmmaking that "predicates resistance to cinema as a virtual medium".
Access date: May 29, 2009.

Style

The label takes inspiration from European permutations of

post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of music that emerged in late 1977 in the wake of punk rock. Post-punk musicians departed from punk's fundamental elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a broader, more experiment ...

, minimal synth, and

dream pop Dream pop (also typeset as dreampop) is a subgenre of alternative rock and neo-psychedelia that emphasizes atmosphere and sonic texture as much as pop melody. Common characteristics include breathy vocals, dense productions, and effects such ...

, and from synthesizer-based groups described as "minimal electronics" (similar to

electropunk Electronic rock (also known as electro rock and synth rock) is a music genre that involves a combination of rock music and electronic music, featuring instruments typically found within both genres. It originates from the late 1960s when rock b ...

or minimal electronica). The label is especially associated with a revival of the French

cold wave A cold wave (known in some regions as a cold snap, cold spell or Arctic Snap) is a weather phenomenon that is distinguished by a cooling of the air. Specifically, as used by the U.S. National Weather Service, a cold wave is a rapid fall in temp ...

style.Interview with Pieter Schoolwerth, ''Vice'', March 22, 2007

Access date: June 13, 2009. The label positions itself as eccentric, marginal, and somewhat psychedelic, and in opposition to the mainstream

goth subculture Goth is a music-based subculture that began in the United Kingdom during the early 1980s. It was developed by fans of gothic rock, an offshoot of the post-punk music genre. Post-punk artists who presaged the gothic rock genre and helped develo ...

. Schoolwerth declares, "We don’t use the term goth. It has a derogatory connotation. It’s degenerated into some kind of ironic B-horror film thing. It’s lost its elegance, sophistication, and most importantly, its pretentiousness."

References

External links

"Hey Spooky Guy, Give Us Some Halloween Tunes"
Pieter Schoolwerth's playlist for ''

Vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, Habit (psychology), habit or item generally considered morally wrong in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character trait, a defect, an infirmity, or a bad or unhe ...

''
Review of ''Wierd Compilation Volume II''
by Kristen Sollee of ''The Big Takeover''
Review of ''Wierd Compilation Volume II''
by Doug Mosurock of ''Dusted Magazine''
''The Fader'' Freak Scene #46
by Jamie Johns, November 2, 2009 {{Authority control American independent record labels Record labels established in 2006