Fenway recordings
Encyclopedia
Fenway Recordings is an artist management company based in Boston, MA.
Fenway was founded in 2001
by Mark Kates. Previously Kates had held an A&R
position at Geffen Records
before leaving to become the president of the Beastie Boys
' Grand Royal Records
Fenway began as a management company and an independent record label
, signing and releasing records by artists including Read Yellow, State Radio
, consonant
(Mission of Burma
bassist Clint Conley
’s other band), The Kickovers
(the first act to sign, with former Mighty Mighty Bosstones member Nate Albert
and ex-Weezer
bassist Mikey Welsh
), The Love Scene, Longwave
, and Unbusted
.
Fenway has also released compilations such as the In Our Lifetime
series which has featured the artists My Morning Jacket
, Ash
, Cave In
, Ben Kweller
, Rival Schools
, and Dropkick Murphys
.
Since 2006, the company stopped releasing records and focused solely on management. Now Fenway Recordings provides management for many artists including MGMT
, Mission of Burma
, Bodega Girls, Faces on Film, and Anthony Rossomando
as well as co-management for The Cribs
, Doves, Saves The Day
, The Static Jacks
and Francis and the Lights
.
Since the Spring of 2004, Fenway has put on the Fenway Recording Sessions, a series of concerts that has been host to local, national, and international artists. Kates often takes part himself, spinning records between sets as DJ Carbo. Artists like Read Yellow, 7L & Esoteric
, and The Love Scene took part in the initial shows, which were held at The Paradise Lounge. The Sessions eventually moved to Great Scott in Allston
and have featured The Cribs
, Hard-Fi
, Echo & The Bunnymen, Kate Nash, Freelance Whales, The Magic Numbers
, Arab Strap
, The Subways
, The Twenty Two’s, Editors
, Woflmother, White Lies, Juliana Hatfield & Evan Dando, The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger (Sean Lennon & Charlotte Kemp Muhl) and many more. In the winter of 2006, the Sessions began to branch out from the indie rock scene and began booking electronica acts such as Hot Chip
, Jamie Liddell, Dabrye
and Diplo.
Kates has also collaborated with Red Sox GM Theo Epstein
and Peter Gammons
' bi-annual concert event Hot Stove Cool Music, which debuted with a show that featured Kay Hanley
of Letters To Cleo
, Buffalo Tom
, Juliana Hatfield
, Red Sox stars Bronson Arroyo
and Lenny DiNardo
and the New York Yankees
' Bernie Williams
. The Hot Stove Cool Music compilation featured artists including Pearl Jam
, Paul Westerberg
, and The Allman Brothers Band
. It has raised over $500,000 for the Jimmy Fund and over $300,000 Epstein’s "Foundation To Be Named Later".
Fenway was founded in 2001
2001 in music
See also:* 2001 in music Record labels established in 2001-Events:*January 1**Comeback of Guns N' Roses in House of Blues**Hum disbands.*January 17 – Bass player Jason Newsted leaves Metallica after 14 years with the band....
by Mark Kates. Previously Kates had held an A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
position at Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
before leaving to become the president of the Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
' Grand Royal Records
Fenway began as a management company and an independent record label
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:...
, signing and releasing records by artists including Read Yellow, State Radio
State Radio
State Radio is an alternative rock band from Sherborn, Massachusetts, consisting of Chad Urmston , Chuck Fay and Mike Najarian...
, consonant
Consonant
In articulatory phonetics, a consonant is a speech sound that is articulated with complete or partial closure of the vocal tract. Examples are , pronounced with the lips; , pronounced with the front of the tongue; , pronounced with the back of the tongue; , pronounced in the throat; and ,...
(Mission of Burma
Mission of Burma
Mission of Burma is an American post-punk band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1979. The band was formed by Roger Miller , Clint Conley , Peter Prescott and Martin Swope...
bassist Clint Conley
Clint Conley
Clinton J. Conley is an American rock and roll musician from Boston, Massachusetts.He is probably best known as a co-founder of Mission of Burma. He played bass guitar, occasional guitar, and wrote and sang some of the group's best-known songs, such as "That's When I Reach For My Revolver" and...
’s other band), The Kickovers
The Kickovers
The Kickovers were a pop punk band formed by Nate Albert, former guitarist of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones.After Nate left the Bosstones to go to Brown University, he started writing songs, which were not like his previous band. In 2001, he got a band together with Bosstones drummer Joe Sirois,...
(the first act to sign, with former Mighty Mighty Bosstones member Nate Albert
Nate Albert
Nathan Albert is an American musician best known as a guitarist for ska-core band The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. He left them to go to Brown University in 2000. Soon he started a new band, The Kickovers, that released one album, Osaka, and disbanded in 2003.On July 15, 2008 he was named the Vice...
and ex-Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
bassist Mikey Welsh
Mikey Welsh
Michael Edward "Mikey" Welsh was an American artist and musician, best known as the former bassist of Weezer. He played with Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo during Cuomo's time in Boston during the hiatus in the band Homie...
), The Love Scene, Longwave
Longwave
In radio, longwave refers to parts of radio spectrum with relatively long wavelengths. The term is a historic one dating from the early 20th century, when the radio spectrum was considered to consist of long, medium and short wavelengths...
, and Unbusted
Unbusted
Unbusted is a three-piece rock band from Martha's Vineyard. The band released their debut album You Are Young in the fall of 2007.Unbusted has three songs on the soundtrack to the Farrelly Brothers’ film Stuck on You....
.
Fenway has also released compilations such as the In Our Lifetime
In Our Lifetime
In Our Lifetime is a studio album by soul musician Marvin Gaye, released January 15, 1981 on Motown-subsidiary label Tamla Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at Marvin's Room in Los Angeles, California, Seawest Recording Studio in Honolulu, Hawaii, and at Odyssey Studios in...
series which has featured the artists My Morning Jacket
My Morning Jacket
My Morning Jacket is an American rock band from Louisville, Kentucky.The band consists of Jim James , Tom 'Two-Tone Tommy' Blankenship , Patrick Hallahan , Carl Broemel , and Bo Koster .-History:My Morning Jacket was...
, Ash
Ash (band)
Ash are an alternative rock band that formed in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland in 1992. The band has sold 8 million albums worldwide.-Band beginning, Trailer and 1977 :...
, Cave In
Cave In
Cave In is an American rock band that formed in 1995, in Methuen, Massachusetts. After several members changes in the late 90's, their lineup solidified with the 1998 release of Until Your Heart Stops through Hydra Head Records. Their early albums were prominent releases in the independent...
, Ben Kweller
Ben Kweller
Ben Kweller is an American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.-Early life:Ben Kweller was born in San Francisco, CA in 1981. In 1982, his family relocated to Emory, Texas, where his father, Howard Kweller, became the town's first doctor. In 1986, the Kwellers moved to a much larger city,...
, Rival Schools
Rival Schools (band)
Rival Schools are a post-hardcore band from New York signed to Photo Finish Records, featuring Walter Schreifels on vocals and guitar; Ian Love on guitar; Cache Tolman on bass guitar; and Sam Siegler on drums....
, and Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys are an Irish-American punk rock band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. The band was initially signed to independent punk record label Hellcat Records, releasing five albums for the label, and making a name for themselves locally through constant playing and yearly St....
.
Since 2006, the company stopped releasing records and focused solely on management. Now Fenway Recordings provides management for many artists including MGMT
MGMT
MGMT is an American alternative rock band founded by Benjamin Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden. After the release of their first album, the members of their live band, Matthew Asti, James Richardson and Will Berman, joined the core band in the studio...
, Mission of Burma
Mission of Burma
Mission of Burma is an American post-punk band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1979. The band was formed by Roger Miller , Clint Conley , Peter Prescott and Martin Swope...
, Bodega Girls, Faces on Film, and Anthony Rossomando
Anthony Rossomando
Anthony Pasquale Rossomando is a guitarist, most recently with Carl Barat's rock band Dirty Pretty Things. He previously stood in for Pete Doherty in The Libertines, after Doherty was first suspended from the band and then sacked due to his drug habits...
as well as co-management for The Cribs
The Cribs
The Cribs are an English three-piece indie rock band from Wakefield, West Yorkshire. The band consists of twins Gary and Ryan Jarman and their younger brother Ross Jarman. They were subsequently joined by ex-The Smiths and Modest Mouse guitarist Johnny Marr who was made a formal member of the group...
, Doves, Saves The Day
Saves the Day
Saves the Day is an American rock band from Princeton, New Jersey, formed in 1994. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Chris Conley, guitarist Arun Bali, bassist Rodrigo Palma, and drummer Claudio Rivera....
, The Static Jacks
The Static Jacks
The Static Jacks are an American indie rock band from Westfield, New Jersey, consisting of singer Ian Devaney, guitarist Henry Kaye, guitarist Michael Sue-Poi, and drummer Nick Brennan...
and Francis and the Lights
Francis and the Lights
Francis and the Lights is the symbolic band name used by American performer and songwriter Francis Farewell Starlite. The term "and the Lights" refers both to the lights on a stage and pixels on a computer screen....
.
Since the Spring of 2004, Fenway has put on the Fenway Recording Sessions, a series of concerts that has been host to local, national, and international artists. Kates often takes part himself, spinning records between sets as DJ Carbo. Artists like Read Yellow, 7L & Esoteric
7L & Esoteric
7L & Esoteric are a Boston-based hip-hop duo, notorious for battle rhymes and boom-bap production. 7L is the duo's DJ/Producer and Esoteric the emcee.-History:...
, and The Love Scene took part in the initial shows, which were held at The Paradise Lounge. The Sessions eventually moved to Great Scott in Allston
Allston
-People:* Aaron Allston , an American novelist* Johanna Allston , an Australian orienteer* Robert Francis Withers Allston , a Governor of South Carolina...
and have featured The Cribs
The Cribs
The Cribs are an English three-piece indie rock band from Wakefield, West Yorkshire. The band consists of twins Gary and Ryan Jarman and their younger brother Ross Jarman. They were subsequently joined by ex-The Smiths and Modest Mouse guitarist Johnny Marr who was made a formal member of the group...
, Hard-Fi
HARD-Fi
Hard-Fi are an English indie rock band formed in Staines, Surrey in 2003. The band's members are Richard Archer , Ross Phillips , Kai Stephens and Steve Kemp .They achieved chart success with their third single, "Hard to Beat" and then followed by other successful singles such as...
, Echo & The Bunnymen, Kate Nash, Freelance Whales, The Magic Numbers
The Magic Numbers
The Magic Numbers are an English pop rock band comprising two pairs of brothers and sisters from Greenford. The group was formed in 2002, releasing their critically acclaimed debut album titled The Magic Numbers on 13 June 2005...
, Arab Strap
Arab Strap (band)
Arab Strap were an indie rock band from Scotland that consisted of core members Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton. The band were signed to independent record label Chemikal Underground, and split in 2006...
, The Subways
The Subways
The Subways are an English alternative rock / indie rock band. Their debut album, Young For Eternity, was released on 4 July 2005 in the UK and February 14, 2006 in the U.S. Their second album, All or Nothing, was released on 30 June 2008 and their third album Money and Celebrity debuted on the...
, The Twenty Two’s, Editors
Editors
Editors are a British indie rock band based in Birmingham, who formed in 2002. Previously known as Pilot, The Pride and Snowfield, the band consists of Tom Smith , Chris Urbanowicz , Russell Leetch and Ed Lay .Editors have so far released two platinum studio...
, Woflmother, White Lies, Juliana Hatfield & Evan Dando, The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger (Sean Lennon & Charlotte Kemp Muhl) and many more. In the winter of 2006, the Sessions began to branch out from the indie rock scene and began booking electronica acts such as Hot Chip
Hot Chip
Hot Chip are an English electronic indie band. They have released four studio albums—Coming on Strong, The Warning, Made in the Dark and One Life Stand.-Formation:...
, Jamie Liddell, Dabrye
Dabrye
Dabrye is an alias of Ann Arbor, Michigan-based musician Tadd Mullinix , whose Winking Makes A Face was the first album released by Ann Arbor’s Ghostly International...
and Diplo.
Kates has also collaborated with Red Sox GM Theo Epstein
Theo Epstein
Theo Nathan Epstein is the President of Baseball Operations for the Chicago Cubs.On November 25, 2002, he became the youngest GM in the history of Major League Baseball when the Boston Red Sox hired him at the age of 28...
and Peter Gammons
Peter Gammons
Peter Gammons is an American sportswriter, media personality, and a recipient of the J. G. Taylor Spink Award for outstanding baseball writing, given by the BBWAA.-Education:...
' bi-annual concert event Hot Stove Cool Music, which debuted with a show that featured Kay Hanley
Kay Hanley
Kathleen Marie Hanley is an American alternative rock musician. She is best known as the vocalist for the band Letters to Cleo.-Life and career:...
of Letters To Cleo
Letters to Cleo
Letters to Cleo was an alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts perhaps best known for the 1993 single "Here & Now" from their full-length debut album Aurora Gory Alice...
, Buffalo Tom
Buffalo Tom
Buffalo Tom is an alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1986. Its principal members are guitarist Bill Janovitz, bassist Chris Colbourn, and drummer Tom Maginnis. The band's name is derived from the band Buffalo Springfield and the first name of the drummer.-Career:Dinosaur Jr...
, Juliana Hatfield
Juliana Hatfield
Juliana Hatfield , is an American guitarist/singer-songwriter and author from the Boston area, formerly of the indie rock bands Blake Babies and Some Girls. She currently lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts....
, Red Sox stars Bronson Arroyo
Bronson Arroyo
Bronson Anthony Arroyo , is a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds and an aspiring musician. He has previously played for the Pittsburgh Pirates between 2000 and 2002 and Boston Red Sox from 2003 to 2005...
and Lenny DiNardo
Lenny DiNardo
Leonard Edward DiNardo is a professional baseball pitcher in the Oakland Athletics organization. He graduated from Santa Fe High School in Alachua, Florida in 1998, and went on to attend Stetson University...
and the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
' Bernie Williams
Bernie Williams
Bernabé Williams Figueroa Jr. is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and Puerto Rican musician.-Early life:...
. The Hot Stove Cool Music compilation featured artists including Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
, Paul Westerberg
Paul Westerberg
Paul Westerberg is an American musician, best known as the former lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and songwriter of The Replacements, one of the seminal alternative rock bands of the 1980s. He launched a solo career after the dissolution of that band...
, and The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band is an American rock/blues band once based in Macon, Georgia. The band was formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman , who were supported by Dickey Betts , Berry Oakley , Butch Trucks , and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe"...
. It has raised over $500,000 for the Jimmy Fund and over $300,000 Epstein’s "Foundation To Be Named Later".