Chainsaw Records
Encyclopedia
Chainsaw Records is an independent record label
run by Donna Dresch
, devoted to Queercore
bands and operating out of Portland, Oregon
.
published by Donna Dresch in the late 1980s. Musicians and writers featured in the zine included Lois Maffeo
, Jena von Brücker, Juliana Lueking
, Candice Pederson, G.B. Jones and Larrybob. Chainsaw was one of the seminal queercore zines that, along with J.D.s
and Homocore
, helped define the movement.
"In 1991...Chainsaw developed from a zine into a record label. This began simply enough when she made a compilation cassette
of her favourite bands and started to sell these while on tour with Fifth Column", writes Amy Spencer in DIY: The Rise of Lo-Fi Culture. In 1994 Chainsaw began to release LPs and singles, beginning with the release of The Fakes (featuring members of Bikini Kill
, The Need
and Nation of Ulysses
), the Frumpies and the first Team Dresch
LP, Personal Best. This was followed by a co-release with Candy Ass Records
, the double LP/CD compilation, Free to Fight
. "The label established itself as a vital element of the queercore scene..." says Spencer, as Chainsaw then began to release records by a variety of queer
mainly women artists. Of note is the fact that many bands, such as Sleater-Kinney
, have been able to put out their initial recordings on the label. As well, the website for Chainsaw, and in particular its message board, have fostered a sense of community and provided a vehicle for expression by queers and music fans.
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
run by Donna Dresch
Donna Dresch
Donna Dresch is an American punk rock musician, perhaps best known as founder, guitarist and bass guitarist of Team Dresch and the Queen of Grunge....
, devoted to Queercore
Queercore
Queercore is a cultural and social movement that began in the mid-1980s as an offshoot of punk. It is distinguished by being discontent with society in general and its rejection of the disapproval of the gay, bisexual, and lesbian communities and their "oppressive agenda"...
bands and operating out of Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
.
History
Chainsaw began life as a zineZine
A zine is most commonly a small circulation publication of original or appropriated texts and images. More broadly, the term encompasses any self-published work of minority interest usually reproduced via photocopier....
published by Donna Dresch in the late 1980s. Musicians and writers featured in the zine included Lois Maffeo
Lois Maffeo
Courtney Love is an American musician and writer who lives in Olympia, Washington. Although never achieving mainstream success, she has been closely involved with and influenced many independent musicians, especially in the 90s Olympia, Seattle and DC based musician.-as Lois Maffeo:albums*The...
, Jena von Brücker, Juliana Lueking
Juliana Lueking
Juliana Luecking is a musician, spoken-word artist and video maker.QueenJuliana is her YouTube channel where People Are a Trip, a series filmed in public places in New York City, is featured...
, Candice Pederson, G.B. Jones and Larrybob. Chainsaw was one of the seminal queercore zines that, along with J.D.s
J.D.s
J.D.s is a queer punk zine founded in Toronto by G.B. Jones and co-published with Bruce LaBruce, that ran for eight issues from 1985 to 1991....
and Homocore
Homocore (zine)
Homocore is an American anarcho-punk zine created by Tom Jennings and Deke Nihilson, and published in San Francisco from 1988 to 1991. One of the first queer zines, Homocore was directed toward the hardcore punk youth of the gay underground...
, helped define the movement.
"In 1991...Chainsaw developed from a zine into a record label. This began simply enough when she made a compilation cassette
Cassette culture
Cassette culture, or the cassette underground , refers to the practices surrounding amateur production and distribution of recorded music that emerged in the late 1970s via home-made audio cassettes...
of her favourite bands and started to sell these while on tour with Fifth Column", writes Amy Spencer in DIY: The Rise of Lo-Fi Culture. In 1994 Chainsaw began to release LPs and singles, beginning with the release of The Fakes (featuring members of Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill was an American punk rock band formed in Olympia, Washington in October 1990. The group consisted of vocalist and songwriter Kathleen Hanna, guitarist Billy Karren, bassist Kathi Wilcox, and drummer Tobi Vail. The band is widely considered to be the pioneer of the riot grrrl movement,...
, The Need
The Need
The Need was a queercore band that originated in Olympia, Washington in the late 1990s. It was formed by Rachel Carns and Radio Sloan ; both were veterans of other indie rock bands...
and Nation of Ulysses
Nation of Ulysses
The Nation of Ulysses was an American punk rock band from Washington, D.C., formed in spring 1988 with four members. Originally known as simply "Ulysses," the first mark of the group consisted of Ian Svenonius on vocals and trumpet, Steve Kroner on guitar, Steve Gamboa on bass guitar, and James...
), the Frumpies and the first Team Dresch
Team Dresch
Team Dresch is an American punk band from Portland, Oregon, originally formed in Olympia, Washington, which was initially active from 1993 until 1998. The band made a significant impression on the do-it-yourself movement queercore, which gave voice through zines and music to the passions and...
LP, Personal Best. This was followed by a co-release with Candy Ass Records
Candy Ass Records
Candy Ass Records is an independent record label run out of Portland, Oregon by Jody Bleyle, a member of the band Team Dresch as well as member of Hazel and formerly of the queercore bands Family Outing and Infinite Xs....
, the double LP/CD compilation, Free to Fight
Free to Fight
Free to Fight is a project consisting of a 1995 double album and booklet, and a single later released by Candy Ass Records.The release is subtitled "an interactive self-defense project." The theme of the project is self-defense for women, and it includes records featuring all-women bands and a...
. "The label established itself as a vital element of the queercore scene..." says Spencer, as Chainsaw then began to release records by a variety of queer
Queer
Queer is an umbrella term for sexual minorities that are not heterosexual, heteronormative, or gender-binary. In the context of Western identity politics the term also acts as a label setting queer-identifying people apart from discourse, ideologies, and lifestyles that typify mainstream LGBT ...
mainly women artists. Of note is the fact that many bands, such as Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney was an alternative rock band from Portland, Oregon that formed in 1994. Originally formed in Olympia, Washington, the group's name is derived from Sleater-Kinney Road, Interstate 5 off ramp #108 in Lacey, Washington, the location of one of their early practice spaces. They were a...
, have been able to put out their initial recordings on the label. As well, the website for Chainsaw, and in particular its message board, have fostered a sense of community and provided a vehicle for expression by queers and music fans.
Chainsaw artists
- Davies vs. Dresch
- Excuse 17Excuse 17Excuse 17 was a punk rock band from Olympia, Washington that performed and recorded from 1993 to 1995.Carrie Brownstein, Becca Albee and CJ Phillips came together to form Excuse 17, a band that would only last a few years but would prove to be influential. Carrie and Becca both played guitar and...
- The Fakes
- The FrumpiesThe FrumpiesThe Frumpies was a punk rock band formed in 1992 Olympia, Washington. The original line-up consisted of singers/guitarists Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox, and Billy Karren , and Bratmobile drummer Molly Neuman. Their debut was the 7 inch single Alien Summer Nights on the Chainsaw label...
- Heartless Martin
- Heavens to BetsyHeavens to BetsyHeavens to Betsy was an American indie-punk band formed in Olympia, Washington in 1991. They were part of the DIY riot grrrl movement in the punk rock underground in the early 1990s, and were the first band of Sleater-Kinney vocalist/guitarist Corin Tucker....
- Infinite Xs
- KaiaKaia WilsonKaia Wilson is a musician from Portland, Oregon, best known as a founding member of both Team Dresch, a revered 1990s queercore punk band, and The Butchies, a pop-rock spin-off from her solo work. In addition to singing, songwriting and guitar, Wilson co-established and operated Mr...
- LongstockingLongstockingLongstocking were a Los Angeles queercore-punk band.Formed in 1995 by singer and guitarist Tamala Poljak, the group had originally been a guitar and drums duo. Tamala had previously been in the bands Oiler and Fleabag...
- The NeedThe NeedThe Need was a queercore band that originated in Olympia, Washington in the late 1990s. It was formed by Rachel Carns and Radio Sloan ; both were veterans of other indie rock bands...
- No. 2No. 2 (band)No. 2 was an alternative rock band that originated in Portland, Oregon in 1998. Consisting of Neil Gust , Gilly Ann Hanner , and Paul Pulvirenti . No. 2 was formed by frontman Neil Gust after the breakup of Heatmiser...
- Show Me the Pink
- Sleater-KinneySleater-KinneySleater-Kinney was an alternative rock band from Portland, Oregon that formed in 1994. Originally formed in Olympia, Washington, the group's name is derived from Sleater-Kinney Road, Interstate 5 off ramp #108 in Lacey, Washington, the location of one of their early practice spaces. They were a...
- Team DreschTeam DreschTeam Dresch is an American punk band from Portland, Oregon, originally formed in Olympia, Washington, which was initially active from 1993 until 1998. The band made a significant impression on the do-it-yourself movement queercore, which gave voice through zines and music to the passions and...
- Third Sex
- Tracy and the Plastics