Xemu 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 ...

History

Xemu Records is an independent record label, founded in 1992 in New York City by writer, filmmaker, musician, music producer and artist Cevin Soling as a vehicle for his music and music production endeavors. Originally conceived as a "

record label "Big Three" music labels A record label or record company is a brand or trademark of Sound recording and reproduction, music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a Music publisher, ...

" nod to underground cult movements of the 1960s and 1970s the label has since grown to be a home to burgeoning young bands in the

psychedelic music Psychedelic music (sometimes called psychedelia) is a wide range of popular music styles and genres influenced by 1960s psychedelia, a subculture of people who used psychedelic drugs such as Dmt, DMT, Lysergic acid diethylamide, LSD, mescaline, ...

and

independent music Independent music (also commonly known as indie music, or simply indie) is a broad style of music characterized by creative freedoms, low-budgets, and a DIY ethic, do-it-yourself approach to music creation, which originated from the liberties aff ...

scenes. Xemu Records uses the trademarked motto " We're Happier Than You Are" as well as the name "Xemu" to play on the myth of "Xemu"/" Xenu". During the 1990s, Xemu Records signed a number of alternative rock acts with regional success but it was in 2002 with the compilation album When Pigs Fly (Cevin Soling album), a collection of popular songs recorded by artists unlikely to record them, that the label gained international attention. Soling after his earlier success convincing Kevin DuBrow of Quiet Riot to record a mellow version of the song "Metal Health" with him, he got the idea for the project and began recruiting musicians to participate. Some of the songs on the album include a version of "Unforgettable" by

Ani DiFranco Angela Maria "Ani" DiFranco (; born September 23, 1970) is an American-Canadian singer-songwriter. She has released more than 20 albums. DiFranco's music has been classified as folk rock and alternative rock, although it has additional influenc ...

and Jackie Chan, which he co-produced with DiFranco, Blondie's "Call Me" by Alex Chilton and his band The Box Tops, and a cover of "Shock The Monkey" by Don Ho which Soling also produced. Later in 2002, after a chance meeting with bassist Steve Kille, of

Dead Meadow Dead Meadow is an American psychedelic rock band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1998 and currently composed of vocalist and guitarist Jason Simon and drummer Mark Laughlin. The band have released seven studio albums, two live albums, and a Peel ...

, while on tour with

The Brian Jonestown Massacre The Brian Jonestown Massacre is an American Rock music, rock band led and started by Anton Newcombe. It was formed in San Francisco in 1990. The group was the subject of the 2004 documentary film called ''Dig!'', and have gained media notorie ...

the two decided to join forces and redirect the label to reissue Dead Meadow's back catalog. After a few years of hiatus the first Dead Meadow reissue was released in 2006 "

" followed by ''Howls from the Hills'' 2007, "Three Kings" live film and double album 2010 and "Peel Session" in 2012. After the success of the Dead Meadow line of unreleased albums and reissues the label has since focused on releasing a schedule of full-time artists in the psych-alternative music scene. Xemu is also releasing a series of "children's books for grown-ups" called the Rumpleville Chronicles.

Roster

* The Carrions *

* DTCV * La Cerca * The Left Outsides * The Love Kills Theory * The Morning After Girls *

Old Testament The Old Testament (OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew and occasionally Aramaic writings by the Isr ...

* Snowy Dunes * Spindrift (band) * Strangers Family Band * Matthew J. Tow

Past

* Baby Alive * Mikki James * The Neanderthal Spongecake * Poets and Slaves * Scary Chicken * The Sandra Wright Band * The Smile Zone

References

External links

Official site
{{Authority control Indie rock record labels American independent record labels 1992 establishments in New York City Companies based in New York City Companies based in Los Angeles Record labels established in 1992

History

Roster

Past

See also

References

External links