25 DIAMONDS LABEL

A curated YouTube playlist accessible to all:

Notes:

1. The Buildings “Braille Animal” album on vinyl was in fact to be the first release on 25 DIAMONDS – I actually had an acetate made of it (a move I never did with another release), which has unfortunately deteriorated over the years, rendering it unplayable. This project fell apart for various reasons – a theme that repeats itself later.

2. The Red Pens 7″ ended up being 25D 001. At the time of my first 2 releases, I was yet to have a logo (as later drawn by Nate Powell – see tattoo above), so I just didn’t bother putting any label info anywhere on the art. This video is from their first LP, and is the song that made me want to release a record by them.

3. The Teenage Moods “Mood Ring” LP was the 2nd release on 25 DIAMONDS, coming out simultaneously with the Red Pens 7″. I was working at a now defunct record store in Minneapolis at the time, and ended up just solicitating my favorite distributors we worked with for distro consideration – I remember how thrilled I was when both Matador and Rough Trade generously offered to carry copies.

4. The Everyone Asked About You LP is a long story, and one I’ve spent way too much lip service on already over the years. I’ll just say when Rolling Stone magazine did a feature on the band and asked to interview me about releasing the LP, I chose a hard pass on the opportunity – one of the only mature decisions I made after they signed with Numero. This video was originally released as a companion DVD included with limited versions of the LP. Fun fact: the last song of the set was planned to be on a split record with Nineteen//Nineteen.

5. Nineteen//Nineteen was a band I played in with great friends in 1999. I thought I was the only person in the world with a copy of this full set, but go figure, here it is, mysteriously uploaded to the internet by a stranger. I pressed the vinyl for the Nineteen//Nineteen 7″… legitimately probably a decade before it was finally released.

6. Ex Nuns were a local band where I knew none of the members, but asked them to do a record with me anyways. This video is from the first time I ever saw them play. Members were also in a band called Pallex, who I later released a cassette by – the first song on it (“All You Really Want Is A Dream”) remains a favorite song in the label’s discography.

7. Call Me Lightning were friends made when I moved to Milwaukee, WI. at 20 years old and quickly became my favorite local band. I had originally asked to release their first LP on vinyl, but it took 3 LPs later for a project to come together for us. I’m just glad it did. Shane remains one of my favorite drummers in the world.

8. The Salteens are one of my favorite Minneapolis bands of all time. They recorded their 7″ and promptly broke up before it came out. I had a cassette dub of the recording for literally decades that I listened to regularly. The 7″ was supposed to be released numerous times over the years – it would be very cool to see a list of all of the labels that once were involved – but in the end, I got to release it almost 20 years after it was recorded. I will always be grateful to Brad and Mike for helping make it happen.

9. Deleter were another local band with old friends I got to work with a bunch (in fact, more than any other band on the label). I am grateful I’ve been able to work with so many bands from the cities I’ve lived in. I’ve always loved when small bands make videos on their own, and this is a great example of how to do it. Deleter have since broken up (I’m almost positive), but play in a new band called Tender Comrade, who are also great.

10. Geiger Counter continues the pattern of records I was supposed to release that didn’t happen. This one falls entirely on me – I was set to put it out and go on tour with the band as a roadie/sober driver, but very shortly before both happened my mental health took a deep nose dive, and I had to cancel 2 planned releases. I was ashamed, but in later life can recognize how necessary it was. I’m glad this LP still came out, as it remains an awesome record in the legacy of Minneapolis “crust.”

11. No Statik were the “new” band of my old friend Mark (discussed more later), formed after the equally awesome Look Back And Laugh. This set was from the memorial show for Sarah Kirsch (who Nineteen//Nineteen had the great fortune of playing shows with and befriending in Bread & Circuits) – when the song “The Owl” starts at 1:47 of this video is chef’s kiss all the way.

12. Shapeshifter formed after the break up of Ataxxia (another underrated 25D release) along with members of Geiger Counter, Scaphe, etc, and released a demo and played maybe a dozen shows. We’d discussed releasing a 7″ as well, but alas, they broke up way too soon – usually the end tale of all great punk bands. I believe I still have an extra copy or 2 of the demo somewhere in my house.

13. Wrangler Brutes was a fun release. I’d written to Sam asking if I could release a live recording in some capacity, who essentially said “whatever Andy wants to do is cool with me.” Andy and I then hammered out a million ideas, eventually landing on shaping the release as a “bootleg”, when in fact fully authorized by the band. I’d proposed releasing a version on vinyl after the cassette quickly sold out, but Andy had no interest, which I always have to respect. We remain buds and it’s been awesome watching all the awesome releases he’s done on his own label, LG Records.

14. Out of nowhere came a new band called G.L.O.S.S., who released one of the best demos I’d heard in years at a point where a lot of hardcore punk was feeling pretty stale. I immediately offered to do a release, though in the end they decided they wanted to work with a trans owned label, which I thought was awesome. Jake however mentioned to me a different band he was playing in called Xylitol and quickly put the demo in the mail – upon hearing it, I thought, “well shit, I like this even better than G.L.O.S.S.”, and the vinyl version of the demo came quickly after. That said, as great as they are recorded, seeing them live was a whole other level. Laura has one of the coolest voices in punk.

15. The last 90s burned me out on hardcore bad, and I spent most of next decade as a drunk and an addict and, perhaps even worse, a “hipster”. Then I got sober and started going to punk shows again, and easily the 2 bands that got me PSYCHED to be back were Cult Ritual and Masshysteri. So much so that I considered doing a Masshysteri bootleg after they broke up. I remember talking about it with Dan, who did all my mastering at that point, who quickly convinced me not to be a scum bag. This song remains of staple of mixes to this day.

16. Total Control were one of the best bands of the last decade. So much so that I flew out to NYC to see them play 2 shows – this being the first of them. I worked with Mikey on mastering for a few releases and relentlessly asked him to let me release this recording on vinyl, though in the kindest and most respectful ways he routinely reminded me the band was very irregular and selective. This show remains one of the most fun nights I’ve ever had.

17. Continuing on in the list of records I asked to put out that never happened is Heroin. Much like The Salteens, I’ve had a cassette dub of Heroin’s set at WFMU since I was a teenager, and not long ago had a friend clean the recording up and proposed releasing it on a 12″. In theory, this release is still being discussed, but I’m fairly certain it’s not happening. Why the set wasn’t included on the discograph(ies) will always be a mystery to me.

18. I’ve been asking Pall to let me release a Black Heart Procession 7″ with this Tom Petty cover as the A side for over a decade. I even stayed at his hotel in San Diego and we had a “meeting” about it. I’ve since given up bothering him, but I’d still put it out in a heartbeat.

19. It felt impossible to pick a song by a project Fred has been in because they’re all so good. I feel very fortunate to have been able to release records by both Failed Flowers and Hydropark, and am happy to say we’re working on a release again of an entirely different project. This Idle Ray song is a banger, and I filmed this last time I saw them. The YouTube algorithms have done this upload no favors, unfortunately.

20. Back to Mark from No Statik. In the 90s he played in Impetus Inter, who were and remain my favorite local band of all time. They were incredible live, and this set is impeccable. Amanda’s drumming is just amazing on this. After Impetus Inter broke up, they formed L Vado, which morphed into Lux Vanitas, who, much like Everyone Asked About You and The Salteens, I released decades after it was recorded.

21. I cannot say enough good things about Michael Beach, both as a musician and a person. This song was the first of his I fell in love with, and the video is equally awesome. Mike and I are working on a live 12″ right now, which I’m eagerly anticipating hearing the recording of in a few more weeks.

22. This song is one of those I just randomly stumbled upon – oddly the video first – that I immediately wanted to release. The additional vocals of Sonny on this one (and one other on the LP it’s from) was just the cherry on top. I have been very fortunate to work with so many of my favorite musicians of all times, sometimes on numerous projects, and Sonny sits high on this list. Max and I talk regularly and is a great example of the beauty of friendships formed through working together on art.

23. Triumph Of Lethargy are such a weird band. Formed from members of so many “big” bands, and yet willfully, perhaps intentionally just putting out releases that fly heavily under the radar for like a decade straight. I proposed a 12″ collection as there are so many good songs on releases I haven’t even been able to track down myself. Last Spencer and I spoke, he mentioned there was a new Triumph Of Lethargy record being worked on, and I am excited to hear what comes of it.

24. This is a moment where I’m probably getting ahead of myself – a bad habit I’ve struggled with since the beginning of the label – but hell, life is for living. Gun Outfit and I are currently discussing a live record, which I’m very hopeful will actually happen. My only real request has been that this song is on it.

25. I’m texting with Chris as I write this. Talk about an artist who has continuously inspired me throughout my life. This song is from an album we are in the middle of releasing, still in that fun stage of throwing ideas against the wall and seeing what sticks – even down to if it’s released as the lost final The Lapse album or the lost first Vague Angels album. A final mention of thanks to Matador for dropping this one so that I can release it, yet again, decades later.

xx