Subterranean Records
Encyclopedia
Subterranean Records is an independent record label
based in San Francisco, California
. Founded by Steve Tupper and a then partner, Michael Fox in 1979, it focused on that city's underground punk
and industrial music
scene.
Subterranean and fellow punk/alt/underground San Francisco label Alternative Tentacles
both sprang forth from the DIY punk
movement in 1979, and were quite successful on college and community radio stations in the US. These labels helped define the San Francisco punk movement. Subterranean was more the more avant garde of the two. While originally just focused on documenting and promoting the SF area, over the years Subterranean has released records by artists from many areas and genres. Like many small DIY labels, Steve Tupper noted that bands were chosen based on his musical tastes.
Subterranean had a small storefront record shop on Valencia Street for about 4 years, from about 1984 to 1988.
The label has released a number of important underground albums, most notably four LPs by the band Flipper
. The Dead Kennedys
also released an important single on the 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:...
based in San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Founded by Steve Tupper and a then partner, Michael Fox in 1979, it focused on that city's underground punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and industrial music
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
scene.
Subterranean and fellow punk/alt/underground San Francisco label Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles is an independent record label originally based in San Francisco, California and was established in 1979. It was originally used as the label name by the Dead Kennedys for the self-produced single "California Über Alles", and after realizing the potential for an independent...
both sprang forth from the DIY punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
movement in 1979, and were quite successful on college and community radio stations in the US. These labels helped define the San Francisco punk movement. Subterranean was more the more avant garde of the two. While originally just focused on documenting and promoting the SF area, over the years Subterranean has released records by artists from many areas and genres. Like many small DIY labels, Steve Tupper noted that bands were chosen based on his musical tastes.
Subterranean had a small storefront record shop on Valencia Street for about 4 years, from about 1984 to 1988.
The label has released a number of important underground albums, most notably four LPs by the band Flipper
Flipper (band)
Flipper is a punk band formed in San Francisco, California in 1979, continuing in often erratic fashion until the mid-1990s, then reuniting in 2005. The band influenced a number of grunge,, punk rock and noise rock bands...
. The Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
also released an important single on the label.
List of bands released
- Alterboys
- Angel'in Heavy Syrup
- Animal Things
- Any Three Initials
- Arkansaw Man
- ArsenalArsenalAn arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, issued to authorized users, or any combination of those...
- Bay Of Pigs
- The Bedlam Rovers
- Caroliner
- ChromeChrome (band)Chrome was an experimental rock group founded in San Francisco, California in 1976.Chrome took part of their inspiration for their rough and sometimes chaotic music from proto punk pioneers like The Stooges. The sound of the group was often coarse and featured heavy elements of feedback and...
- Club Foot OrchestraClub Foot OrchestraThe Club Foot Orchestra is a music ensemble founded in 1983 by Richard Marriott. After a brief career playing dramatic, complex music in San Francisco clubs, they became known for their equally dramatic and complex scores for classic silent movies. The ensemble got their name from a performance art...
- Code Of Honor
- Controlled BleedingControlled BleedingControlled Bleeding is a prolific experimental music group based in Massapequa, New York. The group was founded by Paul Lemos, the group's only consistent member...
- Dead KennedysDead KennedysDead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
- FactrixFactrixFactrix was an American pioneering industrial group from San Francisco, formed in 1978 by Bond Bergland, Cole Palme, and Joseph T. Jacobs, and was praised by Carlo McCormick as "one of the great bands of their era, prescient and influential."...
- FlipperFlipper (band)Flipper is a punk band formed in San Francisco, California in 1979, continuing in often erratic fashion until the mid-1990s, then reuniting in 2005. The band influenced a number of grunge,, punk rock and noise rock bands...
- Fried Abortions
- FrightwigFrightwigFrightwig was an American 1980s all-women band from San Francisco, California. They pioneered the riot grrrl movement and were influential to its development. They often played at The Farm. They were known for inviting a male audience member on stage to "dance" during the song "A Man's Gotta Do...
- Helios CreedHelios CreedHelios Creed is an American guitarist, singer and bandleader. He first came to prominence in the mid 1970s with the San Francisco band Chrome. They are credited with being the godfathers of what later became known as Industrial Rock music...
- Housecoat Project
- Inflatable Boy Clams
- The Jars
- Jr. Chemists
- The Leather Nun
- Les Seldoms
- The Lewd
- The LongshoremenLongshoremen (band)The Longshoremen were an American independent/alternative band from San Francisco, California, in the 1980s. Trouser Press describes them as a "cryptic poetry damage vocal trio." Their recordings are characterized by being mostly vocal "beat poetry chantings" that are uninhibited and whimsical...
- Bruce Lose
- Low Flying Aircraft
- Minimal ManMinimal manMinimal Man was an American industrial and experimental rock project, formed in 1979 in San Francisco, California. The group was founded and led by Patrick Miller, a visual and sound artist who moved to San Francisco in the late 1970s...
- The Muskrats
- Naked CityNaked CityNaked City may refer to:*Naked City, a 1945 book of photographs by Weegee*The Naked City, a 1948 film noir inspired by Weegee's book*Naked City , a television series inspired by the film...
- Negative TrendNegative TrendNegative Trend was an early San Francisco punk rock band, active from 1977–1979.The former members of Negative Trend would go on to start a number of other notable western US punk bands...
- Nervous GenderNervous GenderNervous Gender is a punk band founded in Los Angeles, California in 1978 by Gerardo Velazquez, Edward Stapleton, Phranc and Michael Ochoa.Their use of heavily distorted keyboards and synthesizers made them, along with The Screamers, one of the original innovators of what is today called...
- No AlternativeNo Alternative-Home video track listing:# Matthew Sweet "Superdeformed"#*directed by Kevin Kerslake# Neneh Cherry "Athens, Georgia 1993"#*directed by Jim McKay & Michael Stipe# Urge Overkill "Take a Walk"#*directed by Matt Mahurin...
- Penelope HoustonPenelope HoustonPenelope Houston is an American singer-songwriter best known as the singer for the San Francisco-based punk rock band The Avengers. She was raised in Seattle. In the mid-1970s she attended Fairhaven College in Bellingham, Washington...
- PolkacidePolkacidePolkacide is a band based in the San Francisco Bay Area that plays their own unique style of polka, which can be characterized as "punk polka". They have appeared on the Doctor Demento television show and have made several recordings.-Band history:...
- Pop-O-PiesPop-o-piesThe Pop-O-Pies are a punk band from San Francisco founded by Joe Pop-O-Pie that got their start by repeatedly playing a cover of The Grateful Dead's "Truckin' ". Though the band went through many line up changes, notably featuring members of Faith No More and Mr...
- Pre-Fix
- PsyclonesPsyclonesPsyclones is an experimental music industrial band started in 1980. Psyclones are a long standing band with a diverse sound, ranging from punk/post-rock/synth-pop to electronic industrial/ambient music. They released their Greatest Hits CD which spans over a decade of intensely rich, enthusiastic...
- Research LibraryResearch libraryA research library is a library which contains an in-depth collection of material on one or several subjects . A research library will generally include primary sources as well as secondary sources...
- Sick Pleasure
- Society Dog
- Tom Tadlock
- The Terminators Of Endearment
- The Tools
- Ultrasheen
- UNSUNSUNS can mean:* Unified Special, a Unified Thread Standard* Unnilseptium , is the former name of the chemical element Bohrium , element 107* Unified numbering system used to identify alloys* Unión Nacional Sinarquista, a Mexican political movement...
- VKTMS
- The Wannabe Texans
- Stefan Weisser
- Wilma
- Witch Trials
- Woundz
- Kathleen YearwoodKathleen YearwoodKathleen Yearwood is a Canadian experimental singer-songwriter and author, born in 1958.From Subterranean Records description of Kathleen Yearwood:...
- Z'evZ'EVZ'EV is an American poet, percussionist, and sound artist. After studying various world music traditions at CalArts, he began creating his own percussion sounds out of industrial materials for a variety of record labels...