Three One G
Encyclopedia
31G Records, or Three One G, is a San Diego, California
based record label
, started by grindcore
and hardcore
musician Justin Pearson
in 1994. After initially putting out releases by Swing Kids
, Unbroken, and The Locust
, the label has released a number of albums and compilations in what has been described as "freak punk" and "spaz-rock." Musicians on the label frequently collaborate, creating supergroups such as Holy Molar
, Some Girls
, and Head Wound City
.
in San Diego, California
in 1994. The name comes from the chorus of a Joy Division
song "Warsaw", a song covered by Pearson's then-band, Swing Kids
. The first album released on the new label was the 1994 single "And / Fall On Proverb" by metalcore
band Unbroken. The second release was a reissue of the new debut album from hardcore punk
and noise rock
band Swing Kids
, a band consisting of both the Unbroken guitarist Eric Allen and Pearson on vocals.
The following few releases also involved the same community of musicians, with a split between Swing Kids and Spanakorzo coming out in 1995, and the second released recording by Pearson's new band The Locust
coming out as a split EP with Jenny Piccolo in 1996.
In 1998 Allysia Edwards joined with Pearson as a partner at the label, and their annual output began to increase. By January of 2011, the label had put out approximately 60 releases total. Staff as of 2011 include Sal Gallego of Some Girls
, Marcus D’Camp, Brandon McMinn, Daniel Canto, Amber Treadway, and Pearson.
According to Pearson, the label's best selling releases have been Discography by Swing Kids, as well as March on Electric Children
by The Blood Brothers.
Three One G has released a compilation of Queen
covers by their artists called Dynamite With a Laserbeam: Queen as Heard Through the Meat Grinder of Three One G, as well as a similar tribute to The Birthday Party
titled Release The Bats. There has also been a DVD documentary, This is Circumstantial Evidence, made about Three One G.
Most of the label's bands have shared members or interact within the same musical community, and according to Pearson,
According to SSG Music, "It seems that members of San Diego label Three One G decide to form new supergroups at least once a year." Three One G bands Holy Molar
, Ground Unicorn Horn, and Head Wound City
were all formed with earlier musicians on the label. The label's supergroup Retox included Gabe Serbian
and Pearson of The Locust
, and many of the bands such as The Crimson Curse and Cattle Decapitation
are connected to The Locust as well.
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
based record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, started by grindcore
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
and hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
musician Justin Pearson
Justin Pearson
Justin Pearson is a frontman or bassist for a number of San Diego noise rock and grindcore bands, starting off in the punk outfit Struggle in 1994. Ensuing projects included Swing Kids, The Locust, The Crimson Curse, Holy Molar, Head Wound City, Ground Unicorn Horn, Brain Tourniquet, All Leather,...
in 1994. After initially putting out releases by Swing Kids
Swing Kids (band)
Swing Kids were a hardcore band from San Diego California during the mid 1990s. They were closely involved with and influenced by the forerunners of the San Diego hardcore punk scene of the 1990s....
, Unbroken, and The Locust
The Locust
The Locust is a musical group from San Diego, California, United States known for their unique mix of grindcore speed and aggression, mathcore complexity, and new wave weirdness.- Style :...
, the label has released a number of albums and compilations in what has been described as "freak punk" and "spaz-rock." Musicians on the label frequently collaborate, creating supergroups such as Holy Molar
Holy Molar
Holy Molar is a noise rock band from San Diego, composed of members that play or have played in The Locust, Antioch Arrow, Charles Bronson, Heroin, Cattle Decapitation, The Crimson Curse, Glass Candy, Get Hustle, Swing Kids, Das Oath, Struggle and Some Girls. They play a similar style of music as...
, Some Girls
Some Girls (California band)
Some Girls was a collective of musicians who came from different backgrounds and all who had established bands that pushed the limits of hardcore punk. Their musical style was a hybrid of mathcore, grindcore and noise rock.-History:...
, and Head Wound City
Head Wound City
Head Wound City is an American noisegrind supergroup consisting of Jordan Blilie and Cody Votolato of The Blood Brothers, Nick Zinner from Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Justin Pearson and Gabe Serbian, both from The Locust and Holy Molar...
.
History
31G Records was founded by Justin PearsonJustin Pearson
Justin Pearson is a frontman or bassist for a number of San Diego noise rock and grindcore bands, starting off in the punk outfit Struggle in 1994. Ensuing projects included Swing Kids, The Locust, The Crimson Curse, Holy Molar, Head Wound City, Ground Unicorn Horn, Brain Tourniquet, All Leather,...
in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
in 1994. The name comes from the chorus of a Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
song "Warsaw", a song covered by Pearson's then-band, Swing Kids
Swing Kids (band)
Swing Kids were a hardcore band from San Diego California during the mid 1990s. They were closely involved with and influenced by the forerunners of the San Diego hardcore punk scene of the 1990s....
. The first album released on the new label was the 1994 single "And / Fall On Proverb" by metalcore
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
band Unbroken. The second release was a reissue of the new debut album from hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
and noise rock
Noise rock
Noise rock describes a style of post-punk rock music that became prominent in the 1980s. Noise rock makes use of the traditional instrumentation and iconography of rock, but incorporates atonality and especially dissonance, and also frequently discards usual songwriting conventions.-Style:Noise...
band Swing Kids
Swing Kids (band)
Swing Kids were a hardcore band from San Diego California during the mid 1990s. They were closely involved with and influenced by the forerunners of the San Diego hardcore punk scene of the 1990s....
, a band consisting of both the Unbroken guitarist Eric Allen and Pearson on vocals.
The following few releases also involved the same community of musicians, with a split between Swing Kids and Spanakorzo coming out in 1995, and the second released recording by Pearson's new band The Locust
The Locust
The Locust is a musical group from San Diego, California, United States known for their unique mix of grindcore speed and aggression, mathcore complexity, and new wave weirdness.- Style :...
coming out as a split EP with Jenny Piccolo in 1996.
In 1998 Allysia Edwards joined with Pearson as a partner at the label, and their annual output began to increase. By January of 2011, the label had put out approximately 60 releases total. Staff as of 2011 include Sal Gallego of Some Girls
Some Girls (California band)
Some Girls was a collective of musicians who came from different backgrounds and all who had established bands that pushed the limits of hardcore punk. Their musical style was a hybrid of mathcore, grindcore and noise rock.-History:...
, Marcus D’Camp, Brandon McMinn, Daniel Canto, Amber Treadway, and Pearson.
According to Pearson, the label's best selling releases have been Discography by Swing Kids, as well as March on Electric Children
March on Electric Children
March on Electric Children is the second studio album by the American post-hardcore band The Blood Brothers, released in February 2002. This album is a self-described short story set to music...
by The Blood Brothers.
Three One G has released a compilation of Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
covers by their artists called Dynamite With a Laserbeam: Queen as Heard Through the Meat Grinder of Three One G, as well as a similar tribute to The Birthday Party
The Birthday Party (band)
The Birthday Party were an Australian rock band, active from 1973 to 1983.Despite being championed by John Peel, The Birthday Party found little commercial success during their career...
titled Release The Bats. There has also been a DVD documentary, This is Circumstantial Evidence, made about Three One G.
Collaborations
Reviewers have described the Three One G community of musicians under the umbrella term "freak punk" or "spaz-rock," saying "the intense, the slightly frightening, and the brutal all find a place for themselves and their music in Three One G Records."Most of the label's bands have shared members or interact within the same musical community, and according to Pearson,
According to SSG Music, "It seems that members of San Diego label Three One G decide to form new supergroups at least once a year." Three One G bands Holy Molar
Holy Molar
Holy Molar is a noise rock band from San Diego, composed of members that play or have played in The Locust, Antioch Arrow, Charles Bronson, Heroin, Cattle Decapitation, The Crimson Curse, Glass Candy, Get Hustle, Swing Kids, Das Oath, Struggle and Some Girls. They play a similar style of music as...
, Ground Unicorn Horn, and Head Wound City
Head Wound City
Head Wound City is an American noisegrind supergroup consisting of Jordan Blilie and Cody Votolato of The Blood Brothers, Nick Zinner from Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Justin Pearson and Gabe Serbian, both from The Locust and Holy Molar...
were all formed with earlier musicians on the label. The label's supergroup Retox included Gabe Serbian
Gabe Serbian
Gabriel Serbian is an American drummer and guitarist, most famous for his work in The Locust, Cattle Decapitation, and Holy Molar. He is recognized as a very capable drummer, as showcased on recent Locust albums...
and Pearson of The Locust
The Locust
The Locust is a musical group from San Diego, California, United States known for their unique mix of grindcore speed and aggression, mathcore complexity, and new wave weirdness.- Style :...
, and many of the bands such as The Crimson Curse and Cattle Decapitation
Cattle Decapitation
Cattle Decapitation is an American deathgrind band from San Diego, California, formed in 1996.-History:Originally founded in 1996, Cattle Decapitation's songs protest the mistreatment and consumption of animals as well as the abuse of the environment. Lyrics may also focus on subjects such as...
are connected to The Locust as well.
Bands
- Antioch ArrowAntioch ArrowAntioch Arrow, from San Diego, California, was on the seminal post-hardcore label Gravity Records, responsible for putting San Diego on the map in the mid-90's as one of the centers of the movement....
- Arab on RadarArab on RadarArab on Radar are a Providence, Rhode Island based noise rock band founded in 1994. They went on hiatus in 2002. Members of the band went on to form or join the bands The Chinese Stars, Athletic Automaton, Made in Mexico, and most recently Doomsday Student...
- Asterisk*
- Black Cat #13
- Black DiceBlack DiceBlack Dice is an experimental electronic music group currently based in Brooklyn, New York, USA.-Early years:Black Dice formed in spring 1997 soon after guitarist Bjorn Copeland met drummer Hisham Bharoocha and bassist Sebastian Blanck when they were students at the Rhode Island School of Design...
- The Blood Brothers
- Camera ObscuraCamera Obscura (band)Camera Obscura are an indie pop band from Glasgow, Scotland. The band formed in 1996 and have released four albums to date.-History:Camera Obscura were formed in 1996 by Tracyanne Campbell, John Henderson, and Gavin Dunbar. Several other members performed with the band before David Skirving joined...
- Cattle DecapitationCattle DecapitationCattle Decapitation is an American deathgrind band from San Diego, California, formed in 1996.-History:Originally founded in 1996, Cattle Decapitation's songs protest the mistreatment and consumption of animals as well as the abuse of the environment. Lyrics may also focus on subjects such as...
- The Chinese Stars
- The Crimson Curse
- Das OathDas OathDas Oath was a thrashcore band from New York, originating from The Netherlands. They formed in 1999. After two rehearsals the band recorded their 7" eight song debut in Rotterdam. It was not until a year later when Das Oath started to play shows. With only one 7" released the band hit the road and...
- Ex ModelsEx ModelsEx Models is a no wave-influenced band based in Brooklyn, New York.-Career:The band, based around brothers Shahin and Shahryar Motia, was started while they were in high school. They reunited after college to make their first album, Other Mathematics, released in 2001 on Ace Fu Records...
- Fast ForwardFast ForwardFast Forward was Australia’s highest rating, longest running and most critically awarded commercial television sketch comedy , broadcast for 90 one hour episodes from 12 April 1989 to 26 November 1992....
- Festival Of Dead Deer
- Geromino
- Get Hustle
- Ground Unicorn Horn
- Head Wound CityHead Wound CityHead Wound City is an American noisegrind supergroup consisting of Jordan Blilie and Cody Votolato of The Blood Brothers, Nick Zinner from Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Justin Pearson and Gabe Serbian, both from The Locust and Holy Molar...
- Holy MolarHoly MolarHoly Molar is a noise rock band from San Diego, composed of members that play or have played in The Locust, Antioch Arrow, Charles Bronson, Heroin, Cattle Decapitation, The Crimson Curse, Glass Candy, Get Hustle, Swing Kids, Das Oath, Struggle and Some Girls. They play a similar style of music as...
- Jaks
- Jenny Piccolo
- Leg Lifters
- Love Life
- Mahi Mahi
- Moving UnitsMoving UnitsMoving Units is a dance-punk band from Los Angeles, California.-History:The band was formed in 2001 by Chris Hathwell, Blake Miller, and Johan Boegli, when Hathwell's previous band, Festival of Dead Deer, broke up. They released their debut EP, Moving Units, on Three One G in early 2002...
- Mr. QuintronMr. QuintronQuintron is an American musician and leader of the eponymous one-man-band, "Quintron". He is a celebrated nightclub organist and inventor, who has patented a number of his own inventions and often performs at his own private club, the Spellcaster Lodge, located on St. Claude Avenue in New...
- OrthrelmOrthrelm- Biography :Orthrelm is a duo with Mick Barr on guitar and Josh Blair on drums, experimenting in many forms of unconventional songwriting styles and musical concepts in general....
- Psycho Enhancer
- Quintron
- Rats Eyes
- Retox
- Secret Fun Club
- Some GirlsSome Girls (California band)Some Girls was a collective of musicians who came from different backgrounds and all who had established bands that pushed the limits of hardcore punk. Their musical style was a hybrid of mathcore, grindcore and noise rock.-History:...
- Spanakorzo
- Swing KidsSwing Kids (band)Swing Kids were a hardcore band from San Diego California during the mid 1990s. They were closely involved with and influenced by the forerunners of the San Diego hardcore punk scene of the 1990s....
- T-Cells
- The Plot To Blow Up The Eiffel TowerThe Plot To Blow Up The Eiffel TowerThe Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower was a four-piece punk/noise band from San Diego, California, that formed in 2001. After disbanding in 2006, drummer Brian Hill now plays with The Soft Pack , while singer Brandon Welchez and Charles Rowell formed the duo Crocodiles.-Members:* Brandon Welchez -...
- The LocustThe LocustThe Locust is a musical group from San Diego, California, United States known for their unique mix of grindcore speed and aggression, mathcore complexity, and new wave weirdness.- Style :...
- WARSAWWASRAW
- Unbroken
- ZsZs (band)Zs is a Brooklyn, New York based experimental/avant-garde band.Zs was founded in 2000 by tenor saxophonist and composer Sam Hillmer. Since the band’s inception ZS has incarnated as everything from a sextet to a duo, most recently featuring Ben Greenberg , Tony Lowe , and Ian Antonio , in addition...
Release history
| Year | No. | Artist | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 31G-01 | Unbroken | "And / Fall on Proverb" |
| 31G-02 | Swing Kids Swing Kids (band) Swing Kids were a hardcore band from San Diego California during the mid 1990s. They were closely involved with and influenced by the forerunners of the San Diego hardcore punk scene of the 1990s.... |
Swing Kids | |
| 1995 | 31G-03 | Swing Kids Swing Kids The Swing Kids were a group of jazz and swing lovers in Germany in the 1930s, mainly in Hamburg and Berlin. They were composed of 14- to 18-year-old boys and girls in high school, most of them middle- or upper-class students, but some apprentice workers as well... / Spanakorzo |
Split EP |
| 1996 | 31G-04 | The Locust The Locust The Locust is a musical group from San Diego, California, United States known for their unique mix of grindcore speed and aggression, mathcore complexity, and new wave weirdness.- Style :... / Jenny Piccolo |
Locust / Jenny Piccolo EP |
| 1997 | 31G-05 | Jenny Piccolo | Information Battle To Denounce The Genocide |
| 2002 | 31G-20 | Various (The Blood Brothers, The Locust The Locust The Locust is a musical group from San Diego, California, United States known for their unique mix of grindcore speed and aggression, mathcore complexity, and new wave weirdness.- Style :... , Bastard Noise Bastard Noise -History:The Bastard Noise was founded in 1991 by Henry Barnes, W. T. Nelson and Eric Wood, initially as a side project of powerviolence band Man Is The Bastard.-Project personnel and past contributors:... , Upsilon Acrux Upsilon Acrux Upsilon Acrux is an American progressive rock band from Los Angeles, originally from San Diego, California.-History:Upsilon Acrux first appeared on record on a 1998 compilation entitled Trummerflora 2. Soon after they contributed a song to a compilation entitled Before the Pirates Came. They went... , etc.) |
Dynamite With A Laserbeam: Queen As Heard Through the Meat Grinder of Three One G |
| 2006 | 31G-34 | Various (The Plot to Blow Up The Eiffel Tower The Plot To Blow Up The Eiffel Tower The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower was a four-piece punk/noise band from San Diego, California, that formed in 2001. After disbanding in 2006, drummer Brian Hill now plays with The Soft Pack , while singer Brandon Welchez and Charles Rowell formed the duo Crocodiles.-Members:* Brandon Welchez -... , Melt-Banana Melt-Banana Melt-Banana is a Japanese punk band that is known for playing extremely fast noise music mixed with experimental electronica and pop-based song structures. They have worked with artists as diverse as Merzbow, John Zorn, Mike Patton, and Discordance Axis... , Ex Models Ex Models Ex Models is a no wave-influenced band based in Brooklyn, New York.-Career:The band, based around brothers Shahin and Shahryar Motia, was started while they were in high school. They reunited after college to make their first album, Other Mathematics, released in 2001 on Ace Fu Records... , Cattle Decapitation Cattle Decapitation Cattle Decapitation is an American deathgrind band from San Diego, California, formed in 1996.-History:Originally founded in 1996, Cattle Decapitation's songs protest the mistreatment and consumption of animals as well as the abuse of the environment. Lyrics may also focus on subjects such as... , etc.) |
Release The Bats: The Birthday Party As Heard Through The Meat Grinder of Three One G |
| 2004 | 31G-39 | The Locust The Locust The Locust is a musical group from San Diego, California, United States known for their unique mix of grindcore speed and aggression, mathcore complexity, and new wave weirdness.- Style :... |
Follow The Flock, Step In Shit Follow the Flock, Step in Shit Follow the Flock, Step in Shit is the second studio recording by The Locust. The EP consists of the two tracks that appeared on the split 5" picture disc with Jenny Piccolo, as well as the track "Red" from the Cry Now, Cry Later Vol. 4 compilation. The EP comes on a 3" square CD.... |
| 2011 | 31G-62 | Retox | Ugly Animals |
| 2011 | 31G-65 | Justin Pearson Justin Pearson Justin Pearson is a frontman or bassist for a number of San Diego noise rock and grindcore bands, starting off in the punk outfit Struggle in 1994. Ensuing projects included Swing Kids, The Locust, The Crimson Curse, Holy Molar, Head Wound City, Ground Unicorn Horn, Brain Tourniquet, All Leather,... |
How To Lose Friends and Irritate People |
External links
- Official site
- Three One G on MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Three One G on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Three One G on DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- Three One G on Last.fmLast.fmLast.fm is a music website, founded in the United Kingdom in 2002. It has claimed 30 million active users in March 2009. On 30 May 2007, CBS Interactive acquired Last.fm for UK£140m ....