Art Monk Construction was founded by Eric Astor and Garrett Rothman in State College, Pennsylvania

State College, Pennsylvania

State College is the largest borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre County. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034, and roughly double...

 in 1993. When Rothman left State College to study abroad, Astor was joined in managing the label by Rich Kraemer, a childhood friend from Tempe, Arizona

Tempe, Arizona

Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...

, and the two additionally formed Lumberjack Distribution and Furnace MFG to distribute and manufacture products for Art Monk Construction and other independent labels and artists. The operations moved to Falls Church, Virginia

Falls Church, Virginia

The City of Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States, in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The city population was 12,332 in 2010, up from 10,377 in 2000. Taking its name from The Falls Church, an 18th-century Anglican parish, Falls Church gained township status within...

, in August 1995. Lumberjack Distribution was sold to Doghouse Records

Doghouse Records

Doghouse Records is a Toledo, Ohio based record label, now run out of the New York City office. Since 2004 Doghouse has been a part of the Warner Music Group....

 in 1997, whereupon Kraemer moved to Europe and Astor was left running Art Monk Construction and Furnace MFG by himself.

Roster

Notable bands to release music on Art Monk Construction included Hoover

Hoover (band)

Hoover was an American post-hardcore band from Washington, DC. Formed in 1992, Hoover went on to produce some of the more intense music to appear on the Dischord Records label in the 1990s...

, Frodus

Frodus

Frodus was a 1990s Washington, D.C.-based post-hardcore band, described by critics as a mixture of math rock, hardcore punk, and alternative rock. Their songs were frequently dark and dissonant...

, Darkest Hour, Kerosene 454

Kerosene 454

Kerosene 454 was a punk rock band from Washington, D.C.. They formed in 1992. The core of the group, brothers John and Jim Wall along with Erik Denno, went through a number of drummers before hooking up with Darren Zentek in time to record their 1st LP, Situation At Hand...

, Seven Storey Mountain

Seven Storey Mountain

Seven Storey Mountain is an indie rock band from Phoenix, Arizona, United States. The group's music is heavily influenced by the early Washington, D.C. post-hardcore scene....

, Iceburn

Iceburn

Iceburn, known later as the Iceburn Collective, was a musical group formed in 1991 in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A., by guitarist/vocalist/composer Gentry Densley, the sole constant member through multiple personnel changes. They were known for their unique style that combined elements of jazz,...

, Karate

Karate (band)

Karate was an American band, formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1993 by Geoff Farina, Eamonn Vitt and Gavin McCarthy. In 1995, Jeff Goddard joined the band as bass player, and Vitt moved to second guitar...

, The Trans Megetti, The Crownhate Ruin

The Crownhate Ruin

The Crownhate Ruin was a short-lived post-hardcore band from Washington, D.C.. Formed by ex-Hoover members Fred Erskine and Joe McRedmond, the band also featured Vin Novara on drums.-History:Hoover disbanded after a 1994 US tour...

, The Van Pelt

The Van Pelt

The Van Pelt is an American Indie band, who formed in 1993 at New York University. The band released two albums, Stealing From Our Favorite Thieves and Sultans Of Sentiment, on Gern Blandsten Records in 1996 and 1997 respectively...

, Junction and Samuel.

External links

• Official site
• Furnace MFG