50 Skidillion Watts was the label used by brothers David and Jad Fair

Jad Fair

Jad Fair is an American singer, guitarist and graphic artist, most famous for being a founding member of lo-fi alternative rock group Half Japanese.-Biography:In 1974, with his brother David, Jad Fair founded the lo-fi group Half Japanese...

 of the noise-rock band Half Japanese

Half Japanese

Half Japanese is a punk rock band formed by brothers Jad and David Fair in their Coldwater, Michigan bedroom around 1975. Their original instrumentation included a small drum set, which they took turns playing; vocals; and an out of tune guitar...

 to release their first albums recorded in the late 1970s.

After a deal with the British independent label, Armageddon, the 50 Skidillion Watts label was not used again until the collapse of Half Japanese's Iridescent label sometime in the mid-1980s. The result of Iridescent's fall lead to 50 Skidillion Watts revival with the help of Penn Jillette

Penn Jillette

Penn Fraser Jillette is an American magician, comedian, illusionist, juggler, bassist and a best-selling author known for his work with fellow illusionist Teller in the team Penn & Teller, and advocacy of atheism, libertarian philosophy, free-market economics, and scientific skepticism.-Early...

. There are claims that Penn, a passionate Half Japanese fan, used money from his appearance on Miami Vice to bring the label back in business.

There is speculation that the label's short life span is due in part to a hostile distribution deal with Dutch East India Trading

Dutch East India Trading

Dutch East India Trading is an independent record label based in Rockville Centre, New York. It has released music by such artists as Sun Dial, The Orb, The Smiths, Soul-Junk, Die Monster Die, Prong, The Cure, Robert Wyatt, A Guy Called Gerald, Bongwater, Opium Den, Indian Bingo, Meat Beat...

 causing the Fair brothers to stop releasing and re-issuing albums under the label's name. Reissues of albums from 50 Skidillion Watts label have been released through Drag City

Drag City (record label)

Drag City is a Chicago-based independent record label. It was established with a Royal Trux release in 1990 in Chicago, Illinois by Dan Koretzky and Dan Osborn.Drag City specializes in experimental indie rock acts...

 and Jagjaguwar

Jagjaguwar

Jagjaguwar is an indie rock record label based in Bloomington, Indiana.-History:In 1996, in Charlottesville, Virginia, friends of Darius Van Arman who performed in a band under the moniker The Curious Digit had just recorded a new album, but they were signed to no label...

.

The number of zeros the label uses to represent a skidillion varies on different releases.

Inactive Roster

• Half Japanese
  Half Japanese
  Half Japanese is a punk rock band formed by brothers Jad and David Fair in their Coldwater, Michigan bedroom around 1975. Their original instrumentation included a small drum set, which they took turns playing; vocals; and an out of tune guitar...
  
  
• Maureen "Moe" Tucker
  Maureen Tucker
  Maureen Ann "Moe" Tucker is a musician best known for having been the drummer for the rock group The Velvet Underground.- The Velvet Underground :...
  
  
• Happy Family
• Bongos, Bass & Bob
• Coo Coo Rocking Time
• Jad Fair & Daniel Johnston