New Underground Records

New Underground Records was an American independent record label founded by Danny Phillips (a.k.a. Danny Dean[1]) and Gary Kail.[2] Phillips and Kail were influenced by D. Boon and Mike Watt's New Alliance Records label and decided to create their own to promote bands they knew.[2] Alongside New Alliance, New Underground was one of the first DIY labels in the South Bay punk scene of the 1980s.[1]

New Underground Records
Founded1980 (1980)[1]
FounderDanny Phillips
Gary Kail
GenrePunk rock
Country of originUnited States
LocationSan Pedro, Los Angeles

Albums edit

Their compilitation album, Life Is Ugly So Why Not Kill Yourself, featured songs by Red Cross ("Rich Brat" from Red Cross),[3] Descendents ("I Wanna Be a Bear" from Milo Goes to College),[3] Minutemen ("Shit You Hear At Parties" from The Politics of Time),[3] Saccharine Trust (Disillusion Fool),[3] Mood of Defiance ("Empty Me" from Now),[3][4] and Ill Will ("Paranoid Midnight Deposit".)[5] Kail came up with the title for the compilation.[2]

Other compilations were entitled Life Is Beautiful So Why Not Eat Health Food? and Life Is Boring So Why Not Steal This Record?,[2] with the latter featuring artwork by Raymond Pettibon.[2] Phillips named these albums.[2] A fourth was planned but never completed.[2]

Discography edit

Mood of Defiance
Anti
  • I Don't Want To Die In Your War (1982)[6]
  • Defy The System (1983)[6]
  • God Can't Bounce (1984)[6]
Zurich 1916
  • Creative Nihilism (1984)[2]
Compilations
  • Life Is Beautiful So Why Not Eat Health Food? (1981)[7]
  • Life Is Ugly So Why Not Kill Yourself (1982)[3]
  • Life Is Boring So Why Not Steal This Record? (1983)[8]

Legacy edit

Life Is Ugly So Why Not Kill Yourself was re-released by Delerium Records in 2001.[9]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Dean, Danny. "About New Underground Records/Nu Underground Records". DannyDean.com. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Ibarra, Craig (2015). A Wailing Of A Town: An Oral History of Early San Pedro Punk And More 1977-1985. END FWY. pp. 206–207. ISBN 978-0-9860971-0-2.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Blush, Steve (2010). American Hardcore: A Tribal History (second ed.). Feral House. p. 396. ISBN 9781932595987.
  4. ^ "Thurston Moore: The Six-Pack Q&A". Rolling Stone. August 6, 2007. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  5. ^ "From the Vaults: Made in South Bay". Maximumrocknroll. May 25, 2009. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  6. ^ a b c "Anti discography". Discogs. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  7. ^ Blush, Steve (2010). American Hardcore: A Tribal History (second ed.). Feral House. p. 395. ISBN 9781932595987.
  8. ^ Blush, Steve (2010). American Hardcore: A Tribal History (second ed.). Feral House. p. 398. ISBN 9781932595987.
  9. ^ "Life Is Ugly – LA Punk Compilation". Delerium Records. Retrieved October 21, 2019.

External links edit