Who we are, where we came from, and where we're going.....
Have you ever listened to a song and been completely overwhelmed by what you were hearing that it completely changed your life? When was the first time you felt like you could make a change in this world?
These are the aesthetics of which this record label was founded. It wasn't started as a means to put out one kind of music over another. In the family lineage of music, rock 'n roll is rock 'n roll. Genre name dropping and scenster posteuring isn't what rock 'n roll is about, and it certainly isn't going to change the world.
In 1994, all these worlds collided and an idea was born: a label can put out music that is thought provoking, unpretenious, satirical, and most importantly, fun!
Foregoing any detailed history and account of our beginnings, which would probably bore most people anyway, sometimes it's best to keep things simple. In 1994 the idea to release a record from a local hardcore band by a outgoing college freshman turned into a small punk, hardcore, and and ska mailorder and distro. Two years later Jump Start's first release was a 7" from Montreal, Canada's Planet Smashers which was released in September of 1996.
Eleven years later some things have changed, some things remain the same. Forty-plus releases later the label is certainly stronger than ever and from our tiny start we now boast a roster of active bands from across the globe, the majority of which tour and perform an average of 150 shows a year.
Our means our small, but our ability to provide resources to our bands even sometimes beyond our means hasn't gone unnoticed by people both within and outside our circle of friends. We work hard with what we have, and want to make our bands feel that this is a place for them to not only get their feet wet, but hopefully continue to grow as a band along side other bands that they respect.
If you would like more information about our demo policies, and other frequenctly asked questions, check out our FAQs right here. You might just find what you're looking for. If you have any other questions, feel free to contact us at:
Jump Start Records
3621 Emerald St.
Philadelphia, PA 19134
[P] (215) 535-2175
[F] (215) 535-2176
Lumberjack Mordam Distribution - Exclusive US Distribution Partner
www.lumberjackmordam.com
5920 American Rd. East
Toledo, OH 43612
[P] (419) 726-3930
[F] (419) 726-3935
Code 7/Plastic Head Distribution - Exclusive UK Distribution Partner
www.code7music.com
Choke
Distribution
http://www.choked.com
info@choked.com
[P] (773) 293-2670
Interpunk.com
http://www.interpunk.com
Revelation
Records
http://www.revhq.com
[P] (714) 842-7584
Revolver USA
revolverusa@yahoo.com
[P] (415) 241-2433
[F] (415) 241-2421
Smartpunk.com
http://www.smartpunk.com
Sonic Rendezvous
(Europe)
http://www.sonicrendezvous.com
Sonic Unyon
(Canada)
http://www.sonicunyon.com
Sounds of California
[P] (714) 892-1285
[F] (714) 892-1295
Very
Distribution
http://www.verydistro.com
[P] (215) 426-9662
For distribution questions, Jeremy at (215) 535-2175 or drop an email to jeremy@jumpstartrecords.com.
FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
1.
How can my band get signed?
2. Do we pay for bands to record?
3. Do we promote shows?
4. Do we distro other labels and bands that aren't on
Jump Start?
5. Do we answer all our email?
6. I work/deejay at a radio station.
Can you send me some promotional copies of your releases?
7. I write a zine. Can you send me some stuff to review?
8. I write an online zine. Can you send me some stuff
to review?
9. Do we think we're cool, special, or Mr. Punk Rock Elitists?
10. Where do our bands record or how much does our studio
costs?
FAQ 1 - HOW CAN MY BAND GET SIGNED?
"My band just recorded our first demo, and we totally rock. We're now looking for a label to put out our stuff. Can I send you our demo?"
This is probably the most asked question we get via email, so it's a perfect place to start. Are we looking for bands? Yes. Does this mean you should send us your demo? No. Jump Start is a small label. Yes, we like getting stuff in the mail, but don't email us expecting to get signed based on some demo you recorded at your drummer's house on a four-track that you got as a Christmas present last year. We have some criteria when looking at bands, so if you meet many or all of the points below, drop your demo and/or press kit in the mail:
1. Your band has been together for more than a year.
If your band hasn't been together for at least a year, don't waste your time. That's unless of course you sound like AC/DC or Angus Young is your new lead guitarist.
2. Your band plays at least 75 shows a year.
If your band isn't gigging out over 75 shows (or damn near) a year, don't bother sending your demo. You don't get any better, or your name out there for that matter, by playing for your mom and dad in your bass players garage or basement. "Living in a town with no scene," is not an excuse. If you're not playing at least 75 shows a year than your band isn't doing enough to support any release that we'd like to put out.
3. Your band has done some sort of touring.
Yeah, so you play 75 shows a year. Have you done any sort of touring? By touring, I mean playing a show that is more than three or four hours from your hometown, then doing another show that's three or four hours away from that show. Do this about six times in one week and you've got yourself a tour. You follow? It's hard for us to sell records to a distributor if you've never played a show outside your home state. Of course, you won't make money by touring, but suck it up. A little hard work never hurt anyone. You tour in hopes that the next tour you do willl actually make money instead of losing it. It's been a general rule of thumb of ours that if you're not losing money, then you're not in a band.
4. You spent more than $50 to record your demo.
I'm not saying you've got to spend $1000 on a recording in order for us to like it, but don't expect me to like something that cost you $50 to record. In most cases, quality comes with the money (and time/effort) you put into a recording. We have put out stuff from bands that spent $300 to record and mix a record, but that's only because they didn't dick around in the studio and knew what the hell they were doing. In most cases, you get what you pay for. So instead of sending us your first demo that you spent $100 to record, take some time, write some new material, and go back and spend some quality time in a recording studio. It takes a lot of practice to know what you're doing in a recording studio, and it pays off in the long run.
5. You're an indie-rock-emo band.
To quote Dillinger Four: "Very seldom is it 'indie', and very rarely does it rock." Don't send it (unless, of course, you sound like The Akaline Trio or maybe The Get Up Kids). I am very selective with "indie-rock-emo" bands.
6. Your band sounds anything remotely like Korn, Limp Biscuit, or the like.
You're lame. Don't send it.
7. Your band wants to be the next Blink 182, Fallout Boy, or Panic! at the Disco.
You're a fuckin' asshole. You even think of sending us your shit I guarantee we'll send a letter bomb back in it's place. Those bands have nothing to do with punk rock.. They're a bunch of no-talent fuckwads that complain too much about not getting laid. Buy a blow-up doll and shut the fuck up. $30 concerts and $25 t-shirts.....now that's what I call punk rock.
8. You don't know how to use a spell-checker on a computer or are to lazy to have someone proof read your press kit.
It's your postage. (Note the hint of sarcasm.) Yeah, we can't spell either, but this our website, so eat a dick.
9. You must swear an oath of allegiance to the greatest rock band to ever walk the face of the Earth....AC/DC.
We're dead serious.
Of course, there are always exceptions to the rules, and we'd be the last people on the planet to follow every last one of the criteria above. But, if you can't pass a majority of what we talked about above, you may want to reconsider whether or not you want to send us your stuff.
FAQ 2 - DO WE PAY FOR BANDS TO RECORD?
Yes, we do pay for bands to record. We've been burnt a few times because of it, so we're much more careful about what bands we consider working with.
Yes, we do promote shows, but unfortunately right now we are only doing shows on a very irregular basis. Please do not contact us about booking a show for your band because chances are we won't be able to help.
FAQ 4 - DO WE DISTRO OTHER LABELS AND BANDS THAT AREN'T ON JUMP START?
We no longer distribute other labels releases except for a limited amount of releases, which can be found in our Web Store.
FAQ 5 - DO WE ANSWER ALL OUR EMAIL?
Even if we could, we probably wouldn't answer all our email because some of the stuff we get is just complete garbage. We do try to answer as much as possible, but don't be surprised if you get a response a month later.
FAQ 6 - I WORK/DEEJAY AT A RADIO STATION. CAN YOU SEND ME SOME PROMOTIONAL COPIES OF YOUR RELEASES?
Well, this is always a tricky one. Being a small label, We don't have a lot of money to spend on sending 200-300 CDs to radio stations all over the world. What we do plan on doing for all future releases is work with an independent radio promotions company to service between 200-300 radio stations nationwide. If you work at a foreign radio station, please send us a letter with a few copies of you most recent playlists and we'll see what we can do. There are no guarantees you'll receive anything. Remember, we're a small label, and don't have a lot of money.
FAQ 7- I WRITE A ZINE. CAN YOU SEND ME SOME STUFF TO REVIEW?
If you write a zine and would like to receive promotional material, send us a few copies of your most recent issues. This does not guarantee that you'll ever see anything from us, but we don't send stuff out to people we don't even know or someone who's just running a "zine scam" to get free CDs. If you put the time and effort into your zine I'm sure you'll be seeing stuff from us as well. In addition, we do not advertise in zines that haven't been around for a while. So, if this is your first issue, don't bother asking us to advertise in it. We are a very small label with a very small budget for each release. Put out a few issues and get back to us. We are willing to trade CDs or merch for ads, so get in touch.
FAQ 8- I WRITE FOR AN ONLINE ZINE. CAN YOU SEND ME SOME STUFF TO REVIEW?
We are very hesitant to service new online zines, as most of them suck and a lot of them close up shop shortly after getting online. If your online zine has been around for a while and looks pretty sharp, chances are you already get stuff from us.
FAQ 9 - DO WE THINK WE'RE COOL, SPECIAL, OR MR. PUNK ROCK ELITISTS?
Not in the least. In fact, we would probably surprise many people with how lame we are. We rarely shower or bathe, don't excercise as much as we'd like, and fart a lot. What's it to ya? Then again, as NOFX says, it's our job to keep punk rock elite.
FAQ 10 - WHERE DO OUR BANDS RECORD OR HOW MUCH DOES OUR STUDIO COST?
We don't run or own a recording studio, so we do not record our own bands. As for where our bands want to record, that is entirely up to them. We don't interfere with our band's decisions of recording studios, producers, and whom they'd like to work with. That's part of their artistic choice and process, which we respect greatly. If you'd like some contact information for some great studios, get in touch with us. Since our bands have recorded in many different studios, we've had the experience to know what we've liked from each one, and could easily suggest some great places for your band to record.
Check back later for more FAQs as we think of them. I'm sure there's more, but this is all I can think of right now.