Yep Roc 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 ...

based in

Hillsborough, North Carolina The town of Hillsborough is the county seat of Orange County, North Carolina, United States, and is located along the Eno River. The population was 6,087 in 2010, but it grew rapidly to 9,660 by 2020. Its name was unofficially shortened to "Hi ...

, and owned by

Redeye Distribution Redeye Distribution is an American independent record label based in Hillsborough, North Carolina. It was founded in 1996 by Tor Hansen, Kim Hansen, and Glenn Dicker. History Redeye is represented worldwide with U.S. offices in Hillsborough, Nort ...

. Since 1997, the label has released albums from North Carolina and international artists, including

Fountains of Wayne Fountains of Wayne is an American Rock music, rock band that formed in New York City in 1995. The band included founding members Chris Collingwood, Adam Schlesinger, Jody Porter, and Brian Young (drummer), Brian Young. They released six album ...

Nick Lowe Nicholas Drain Lowe (born 24 March 1949) is an English singer-songwriter, musician and producer. A noted figure in Pub rock (United Kingdom), pub rock, power pop and New wave music, new wave,Paul Weller John William Weller (born 25 May 1958), better known as Paul Weller, is an English singer-songwriter and musician. Weller achieved fame in the late 1970s as the guitarist and principal singer and songwriter of the rock band the Jam, alongside ...

, Mandolin Orange, Steep Canyon Rangers, Jim Lauderdale, Dave Alvin, Tift Merritt, Chuck Prophet,

Robyn Hitchcock Robyn Rowan Hitchcock (born 3 March 1953) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. While primarily a vocalist and guitarist, he also plays harmonica, piano, and bass guitar. After leading the Soft Boys in the late 1970s and releasing the ...

Alejandro Escovedo Pedro Alejandro Escovedo (born January 10, 1951) is an American rock musician, songwriter, and singer, who has been recording and touring since the late 1970s. His primary instrument is the guitar. He has played in various rock genres, includin ...

, Aoife O'Donovan, Chatham County Line, Los Straitjackets, Amy Helm,

Gang of Four The Gang of Four () was a Maoist political faction composed of four Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials. They came to prominence during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) and were later charged with a series of treasonous crimes due to th ...

The Apples in Stereo The Apples in Stereo are an American indie rock band associated with The Elephant 6 Recording Company, Elephant 6 Collective. The band is largely the project of lead vocalist/guitarist/producer Robert Schneider, who writes the majority of the ba ...

, and Ian McLagan.

History

Tor Hansen started the label in 1997, two years after moving to North Carolina to help manage a chain of record stores in the South. He recruited his friend and former bandmate Glenn Dicker, with whom he had worked at Rounder Records. They made the decision to also start a distribution wing, Redeye. The first releases were local compilations, followed in subsequent years by records by

Hüsker Dü Hüsker Dü () was an American punk rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1979. The band's continuous members were guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton, and drummer/vocalist Grant Hart. They first gained notability as a hardc ...

Bob Mould Robert Arthur Mould (born October 16, 1960) is an American musician, principally known for his work as guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for alternative rock bands Hüsker Dü in the 1980s and Sugar (American band), Sugar in the 1990s. Early ...

, Marah, Dolorean, The Legendary Shack Shakers, Cities, Dave Alvin, and Los Straitjackets. The success of Los Straitjackets and the experience of working with Dicker on the Rounder-distributed Upstart convinced

The Minus 5 The Minus 5 is an American pop rock band headed by musician Scott McCaughey of Young Fresh Fellows, often in partnership with R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck. Band history McCaughey formed the band in 1993 as a side project with Buck, Jon Auer ...

, Young Fresh Fellows, The Baseball Project, The No Ones) joined the label because of Nick Lowe's presence, and has remained for almost a decade. In 2016, Dicker was elected to the American Association of Independent Music Board of Directors.

Philosophy

Yep Roc calls itself "the artist-driven label that refuses to be labeled." Glenn Dicker said, "It’s a little challenging when we do a singer-songwriter, some blues guy, some garage-rock guy, some indie thing. It’s a little bit all over the place. It presents fun challenges, but the marketing of this brand is difficult."

Artists

* American Princes * Amy Farris * Amy Helm * Aoife O'Donovan * BeauSoleil * Bell X1 * Big Ass Truck * Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys *

Billy Bragg Stephen William Bragg (born 20 December 1957) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, author and political activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, with lyrics that mostly span political or romantic th ...

* Blitzen Trapper *

* Born Ruffians (US) * Caitlin Cary * Chatham County Line * Cheyenne Mize * Chris Stamey * Chuck Prophet *

Cities A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

* DADDY LONG LEGS * Darren Hanlon * Dave Alvin * Dolorean * Doyle Bramhall * Dressy Bessy * Drink Up Buttercup *

Elf Power Elf Power is an American indie rock band that originated in Athens, Georgia, United States. The line-up consists of guitarist/vocalist Andrew Rieger, keyboardist Laura Carter, guitarist Dave Wrathgabar, bassist Bryan Poole, and drummer Peter ...

Eleni Mandell Eleni Mandell is an American singer-songwriter. Since 2000, she has published albums through Zedtone Records in Toronto, Ontario, which in 2012 began licensing her releases to Yep Roc in the United States, and Make My Day in Europe. She is also ...

* Eli "Paperboy" Reed *

* Fujiya & Miyagi *

* Golden Suits * Grant-Lee Phillips * Greg Brown * Heavy Trash * Heloise and the Savoir Faire * Ian Hunter * Ian McLagan * Ian Moore * Jack Klatt * Jeremy & the Harlequins * Jim Lauderdale * Jim White *

John Doe John Doe (male) and Jane Doe (female) are multiple-use placeholder names that are used in the British, Canadian, and American legal systems, when the true name of a person is unknown or is being intentionally concealed. In the context of law ...

* Jonah Tolchin *

Josh Ritter Joshua B. Ritter (born October 21, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and author who performs and records with the Royal City Band. Ritter is known for his distinctive Americana (music), Americana style and narrative lyrics. In 2 ...

* Josh Rouse * Jukebox the Ghost * Ken Stringfellow * Kim Richey * Kissaway Trail *

Kristin Hersh Martha Kristin Hersh (born August 7, 1966) is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter known for her solo work and with her rock bands Throwing Muses and 50 Foot Wave, 50FootWave. She has released eleven solo albums. Her guitar work and comp ...

* Laika & the Cosmonauts * Liam Finn (US) * Look Park * Los Straitjackets * Madness (US distribution) * Mandolin Orange * Marah * Mercury Rev * Michaela Anne *

(US) * Peggy Sue *

Peter Case Peter Case (born April 5, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. His career is wide-ranging, from rock n' roll and blues, to folk rock and solo acoustic performance. Biography Early career Case was born in Buffalo, New York, B ...

* Radio Birdman * Reckless Kelly * Robbie Fulks * Robert Skoro *

* Rock Plaza Central *

Rodney Crowell Rodney Crowell (born August 7, 1950) is an American musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music. Crowell has had five number one singles on Hot Country Songs, all from his 1988 album '' Diamonds & Dirt''. ...

* Ron Sexsmith
Ruen Brothers
* Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet * Simple Kid * Sloan *

Southern Culture on the Skids Southern Culture on the Skids, also sometimes known as SCOTS, is an American rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The band released their debut EP ''Voodoo Beach Party'' in 1984, followed by their self-titled debut album the following ...

* Spencer Dickinson * Steep Canyon Rangers * Steve Wynn and the Miracle 3 * Thad Cockrell * Th' Legendary Shack Shakers *

* The Autumn Defense * The Baseball Project * The Bigger Lovers * The Butchies * The Cake Sale * The Comas * The Felice Brothers * The Fleshtones * The Flesh Eaters *

The Go-Betweens The Go-Betweens were an Australian indie rock band formed in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1977. The band was co-founded and led by singer-songwriters and guitarists Robert Forster (musician), Robert Forster and Grant McLennan, who were its only co ...

* The Gourds * The Iguanas * The Kingsbury Manx * The Mayflies USA *

* The Moaners * The No Ones * The Old Ceremony * The Relatives *

The Reverend Horton Heat The Reverend Horton Heat is the stage name of American musician James C. Heath (born 1959) as well as the name of his psychobilly trio from Dallas. Heath is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist. A reviewer for the magazine Prick (magazine), ''Pr ...

* The Rubinoos * The Sadies *

The Soft Boys The Soft Boys were an English rock band led by guitarist Robyn Hitchcock. The band formed in 1976 in Cambridge, England and released two albums before disbanding in 1981. Though the Soft Boys’ initial career was brief, their style of psyched ...

* The Soundtrack of Our Lives * The Standard * The Stray Birds * The Third Mind * Tift Merritt * Trailer Bride * Tres Chicas * Tony Joe White * Wesley Stace *

You Am I You Am I are an Australian power pop band, fronted by its lead singer-songwriter and guitarist, Tim Rogers. They formed in December 1989 and are the first Australian band to have released three successive albums that have each debuted at the ...

* Young Fresh Fellows

Owners

Tor Hansen and Glen Dicker currently own Yep Roc Records. Glenn Dicker is on The Music Business Association board of directors. Tor Hansen is a board member of the association. In August 2013, Hansen spoke as a representative of the association before the US Congress Judiciary Committee on Copyrights.

References

External links