Suicide Squeeze Records

US record label

Record label

Suicide Squeeze Records

Founded| 1996 (1996)
Founder| David Dickenson
Distributor(s)| Secretly Distribution[1]
Genre| Rock (punk, indie, grunge, alt, experimental), postrock, metal (drone, sludge), pop (experimental, indie), performance art, standup comedy
Country of origin| United States
Location| Seattle, Washington
Official website| suicidesqueeze.net

Suicide Squeeze Records is a Seattle, Washington-based independent record label that releases rock, pop, and metal music. Suicide Squeeze releases content on vinyl, CD, cassette, and digital.[2] The label has also released comedy and performance art CD and DVDs.[2]

Founded in 1996 by David Dickenson, it got its start releasing singles by artists such as Elliott Smith and Modest Mouse. Current artists include The Coathangers, L.A. Witch, Nü Sensae, This Will Destroy You, Audacity, Guantanamo Baywatch, White Woods, and Yamantaka // Sonic Titan.[3]

In the spring of 2014, Oregon-based Fort George Brewery and Suicide Squeeze created the craft beer "Suicide Squeeze IPA."[4]

In recent years, Suicide Squeeze has released music by L.A. Witch, Ty Segall, This Will Destroy You, cumgirl8, Minus the Bear, Michael Nau (of Cotton Jones), and The Coathangers.

## History

[edit]

### Founding, early releases

[edit]

Suicide Squeeze Records was started in August 1996 in Seattle, Washington by owner David Dickenson. After the initial release of a 7" single from Seattle band 764-Hero, the label quickly grew from Dickenson's full-time hobby to a cottage industry by the late-1990s.[5] By 1997 the label had released singles by popular Northwest artists Modest Mouse and Elliott Smith.[2] The label has also released comedy and performance art CD and DVDs, and continues to press a significant number of releases on vinyl.[2]

In an interview with The Stranger, Dickenson said "A highlight of those early days for me was our first 746-HERO release under my belt. Getting to work with David Bazan. And Modest Mouse was a big one. Isaac [Brock, singer/guitarist of Modest Mouse] used to come into Hot Lips, a pizza place that I worked at on the Ave, and he’d be selling these dial-a-song cassettes. He basically was just going to the dumpsters behind the Muzak office, pulling the discarded tapes, making his own artwork, and selling them."[6]

### 2000–2009

[edit]

In August 2003, Suicide Squeeze put out a limited-edition vinyl single for "Pretty (Ugly Before)", a song that Elliott Smith had been playing since his Figure 8 tour.[7] Shortly afterwards in 2004, the label released a spoken CD by Eugene Mirman, a Russian-born American comedian and writer. The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman was also released on DVD, and was voted one of the Best Albums of 2004 by both The A.V. Club and Time Out New York.[8][9]

Goon Moon, an American rock band composed of Jeordie White (also known as Twiggy Ramirez from Marilyn Manson) and Chris Goss, released a mini-LP on Suicide Squeeze called I Got a Brand New Egg Layin' Machine in 2005.[10] Chin Up Chin Up was an American indie pop band from Chicago, who released This Harness Can't Ride Anything on October 10, 2006 on Suicide Squeeze. Also in 2006, Canadian rock band Black Mountain released their "Stormy High" single and EP on Suicide Squeeze.

In 2006, to celebrate their tenth anniversary, the label released the compilation album Suicide Squeeze Records: Slaying Since 1996.[11]

Minus the Bear performing in 2008, shortly after the release of their full-length Planet of Ice on Suicide Squeeze

Minus the Bear is an indie rock band from Seattle,[12] whose sound has been described as "Pele-esque guitar-taps and electronics with sophisticated time signature composition."[13] Interpretaciones del Oso, an album of remixed songs from their second full-length album Menos el Oso, was released on February 20, 2007 through Suicide Squeeze,[14] who also released the band's third full-length album, titled Planet of Ice, on August 21, 2007. In 2017, Minus the Bear released their sixth-studio album VOIDS on Suicide Squeeze.

Page France was an American indie folk-pop music band that played melodic and emotional music. Their last record deal was with Suicide Squeeze, before the disbandment in 2008. Their second album, Hello, Dear Wind, was re-released by Suicide Squeeze. Page France's last album and third full-length, …and the Family Telephone, was released May 8, 2007 on Suicide Squeeze.

For their third studio album, These Arms Are Snakes signed to Suicide Squeeze. Tail Swallower and Dove was released in October 2008.[15] The album was seen as a departure from their more hardcore-sounding songs and took a more experimental approach, and also more traditional song structures.[15][16]

On January 27, 2009, The Cotton Jones Basket Ride released their second LP, and their debut for Suicide Squeeze Records, Paranoid Cocoon. It was described as a "weepy, reverb-drenched blend of Pacific Northwest, 1960s folk-pop, and heartland rock."[17] On August 24, 2010, the band released their third LP, Tall Hours in the Glowstream. It was described as "classic country music filtered through a dream-pop haze."[18]

### 2009–present

[edit]

This Will Destroy You in 2009, shortly before their signing to the label

This Will Destroy You released the albums Tunnel Blanket on Suicide Squeeze,[19] as well as the "Black Dunes" 7" single.[20] Tunnel Blanket was released in May 2011, and it entered the Billboard Heatseekers Album Chart at number 25.[21]

The Coathangers in 2017

The Coathangers are a punk group from Atlanta, Georgia. After putting out a 7" on Suicide Squeeze in 2011,[22] they released their third album, Larceny and Old Lace for Suicide Squeeze,[22] to generally positive reviews.[23] In 2012, Julia Kugel of The Coathangers released a 7" record on Suicide Squeeze, under the name "White Woods.".[24] Other releases by The Coathangers on Suicide Squeeze include Suck My Shirt (2014), Nosebleed Weekend (2016), Perfume/Watch Your Back 7" (2016), Parasite EP (2017).

Nü Sensae is a Vancouver, British Columbia, punk and grunge trio.[25] Their second album, "Sundowning", was released on August 7, 2012 via Suicide Squeeze[26] and was given an 8.0 rating by Pitchfork Media.[27]

UZU by performing art collective Yamantaka // Sonic Titan was released on Suicide Squeeze in 2013.[28]

In 2015, Suicide Squeeze released Portland-based punk trio Guantanamo Baywatch's third studio album Darling...It's Too Late.

In 2016, Suicide Squeeze celebrated its 20th anniversary by releasing a digital compilation Suicide Squeeze: 20 Years including Elliott Smith, Minus the Bear, La Luz, King Tuff and more.

In 2017, Suicide Squeeze released music by Ty Segall, This Will Destroy You, Minus the Bear, Michael Nau (of Cotton Jones), and The Coathangers. The label also signed Los Angeles-based trio L.A. Witch for the release of their debut album out September 8, 2017.

## Partnerships

[edit]

In the spring of 2014, the label worked with Oregon-based Fort George Brewery to create the craft beer "Suicide Squeeze IPA."[4]

## Artists

[edit]

### Current

[edit]

* Audacity
* Childbirth (band)
* The Coathangers
* David Bazan
* Death Valley Girls
* Guantanamo Baywatch
* L.A. Witch
* Minus the Bear
* Michael Nau
* Nü Sensae
* The Paranoyds
* SadGirl
* Shana Cleveland & The Sandcastles
* Sun Breaks
* This Will Destroy You
* Ty Segall
* VHS
* White Woods
* Yamantaka // Sonic Titan

### Past

[edit]

* 764-HERO
* The Aislers Set
* Antwon
* Aspera
* Julianna Barwick
* The Black Heart Procession
* The Black Keys
* Black Moth Super Rainbow
* Black Mountain
* Bleached
* Alison Chesley
* Chin Up Chin Up
* The Constantines
* Cotton Jones
* Crystal Skulls
* Davilla 666
* Destruction Unit
* Dirty Beaches
* Earlimart
* Gap Dream
* Heavy Cream
* Page France
* Goon Moon
* Headphones
* HEALTH
* Hella
* Zach Hill
* Hint Hint
* Holy Other
* Human Highway
* Iron & Wine
* JEFF the Brotherhood
* King Tuff
* La Luz
* Lil B
* The Magic Magicians
* Meat Market
* Metal Hearts
* Melvins
* Memoryhouse
* Eugene Mirman
* Modest Mouse
* Natural Child
* Nobunny
* The Numerators
* Of Montreal
* Past Lives
* Peace
* Pedro the Lion
* Pennsy's Electric Workhorses Songs
* Red Stars Theory
* Russian Circles
* Shannon and the Clams
* S
* sBACH
* The Scenic Vermont
* School of Seven Bells
* The Six Parts Seven
* Elliott Smith
* Tammar
* These Arms are Snakes
* Track Star
* The Unicorns
* Wax Idols
* We Ragazzi

## Discography

[edit]

Main article: Suicide Squeeze Records discography

Incomplete list of releases by Suicide Squeeze Records  Yr  | Cat  | Release title  | Primary artist(s)  | Format

|
|
|
|

1996 | S-001 | Now You’re Swimming | 764-HERO | 7"
1996 | S-002 | The Epilogue Fits B/W l.g.a | The Scenic Vermont | 7" single
1996 | S-003 | A Life of Arctic Sounds | Modest Mouse | 7" single
1997 | S-004 | Worse Further South | The Scenic Vermont | 12" EP
1997 | S-005 | Division Day | Elliott Smith | 7"/CD single
1998 | S-007 | Removable Parts | Track Star | 7"
1998 | S-008 | Whenever You See Fit | Modest Mouse/ 764-HERO | 7"
2000 | S-011 | Progress | Pedro the Lion | CDEP /7"
2000 | S-012 | Naima | Red Stars Theory | 7"
2000 | S-015 | Attraction Action Reaction | The Aislers Set | 7"
2001 | S-016 | Between the Machines | The Black Heart Procession | 7"
2001 | S-017 | This Is What I Know About Being Gigantic | Minus the Bear | CDEP
2002 | S-018 | Things Shaped in Passing | The Six Parts Seven | CD
2002 | S-019 | Bird's Fly | Aspera | CDEP
2002 | S-020 | The Modern Sinner Nervous Man EP | The Constantines | CDEP
2002 | S-021 | Highly Refined Pirates | Minus the Bear | CD
2002 | S-023 | Bands Like It When You Yell "Yar!" at Them | Minus the Bear | CD/EP
2003 | S-026 | Bitches Ain't Shit but Good People | Hella | CDEP
2003 | S-027 | S/T | The Magic Magicians | CD
2003 | S-028 | Pretty (Ugly Before) | Elliott Smith | 7" single
2003 | S-029 | The Six Parts Seven/The Black Keys EP | The Six Parts Seven / The Black Keys | CDEP
2004 | S-031 | The Devil Isn't Red | Hella | LP
2003 | S-032 | Revolve | Melvins | 7"
2004 | S-037 | The Unicorns: 2014 | The Unicorns | CDEP
2004 | S-039 | Puking and Crying | S | CD
2004 | S-040 | Everywhere, and Right Here | The Six Parts Seven | CD
2004 | S-041 | Masculine Drugs | Zach Hill and Holy Smokes | CD/Book
2004 | S-042 | The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of… | Eugene Mirman | CD/DVD
2005 | S-043 | Blocked Numbers | Crystal Skulls | CD
2005 | S-044 | Church Gone Wild/Chirpin Hard | Hella | CD
2005 | S-045 | Headphones | Headphones | CD/LP
2005 | S-046 | I Got a Brand New Egg Layin' Machine | Goon Moon | CD/LP
2005 | S-047 | Menos El Oso | Minus the Bear | CD/LP
2006 | S-050 | Slaying Since 1996 | Various | CD[11]
2006 | S-052 | Casually Smashed to Pieces | The Six Parts Seven | CD/LP
2006 | S-053 | Voltaic Crusher/Undrum to Muted Da | Of Montreal | 7" single
2006 | S-055 | Stormy High | Black Mountain | 7" single
2006 | S-056 | Answers and Questions | Earlimart | 7" single
2006 | S-057 | This Harness Can't Ride Anything | Chin Up Chin Up | CD
2006 | S-058 | Upper Ninety | Russian Circles | single
2006 | S-059 | Hello, Dear Wind | Page France | CD
2007 | S-062 | Interpretaciones del Oso | Minus the Bear | CD
2007 | S-063 | …and the Family Telephone | Page France | CD/LP
2007 | S-064 | Tomato Morning | Page France | CD/EP
2007 | S-065 | Planet of Ice | Minus the Bear | CD
2008 | S-068 | Perfect Skin | HEALTH | 7" single
2008 | S-070 | Station | Russian Circles | CD
2008 | S-071 | Strange Symmetry | Past Lives | CD/LP
2008 | S-072 | Zodiac Girls | Black Moth Super Rainbow | 7"
2008 | S-073 | Silent Grips | School of Seven Bells | 7"
2008 | S-075 | sBACH | sBACH | CD
2008 | S-076 | Moody Motorcycle | Human Highway | CD/LP
2008 | S-078 | Tail Swallower and Dove | These Arms are Snakes | CD/LP[16]
2009 | S-079 | Paranoid Cocoon | Cotton Jones | CD/LP[17]
2009 | S-082 | Geneva | Russian Circles | CD
2010 | S-085 | Tapestry of Webs | Past Lives | CD/LP
2010 | S-086 | Tall Hours in the Glowstream | Cotton Jones | CD/LP[18]
2010 | S-088 | Mellow Out b/w Heavy Days | JEFF the Brotherhood | 7" single
2010 | S-090 | Caregiver b/w Heirloom | Memoryhouse | 7"
2011 | S-093 | Tunnel Blanket | This Will Destroy You | CD/2xLP[19]
2011 | S-094 | La La La La Love You | Nobunny | 7"
2014 | S-100 | Suicide Squeeze Records Presents: Forever Singles | Various Artists | LP
2012 | S-101 | Wild Desire | King Tuff | 7"
2012 | S-102 | Where Did You Go | White Woods | 7" [24]
2012 | S-105 | One More Try | Iron and Wine | 7" single
2012 | S-107 | Sundowning | Nu Sensae | CD/LP
2013 | S-111 | Pacing | Julianna Barwick | 7" single
2013 | S-117 | Dying in the Pussy | Antwon | 7"
2013 | S-124 | UZU | Yamantaka // Sonic Titan | LP/digital
2013 | S-127 | Burn | Eating Out | 7" single
2014 | S-128 | Suck My Shirt | The Coathangers | CD/LP/Digital
2014 | S-129 | Mama b/w Love Kin | Shannon and the Clams
/ Guantanamo Baywatch | 7" single
2014 | S-130 | Fort George EP | Various Artists | 7"
2015 | S-137 | Darling...It's Too Late | Guantanamo Baywatch | CD/LP/Digital
2015 | S-138 | Oh Man, Cover the Ground | Shana Cleveland & The Sandcastles | CD/LP/Digital
2015 | S-139 | Freedom Fries | Black Lips/The Coathangers | 7"/Digital
2015 | S-140 | Women's Rights | Childbirth | LP/CD/Digital
2016 | S-078 | Tail, Swallower and Dove | These Arms Are Snakes | LP/Digital (Reissue)
2016 | S-150 | Wild Desire | King Tuff | 7"/Digital
2016 | S-150 | Nosebleed Weekend | The Coathangers | LP/CD/Digital
2016 | S-011 | Progress | Pedro the Lion | 7"/Digital (Reissue)
2016 | S-141 | Mowing | Michael Nau | CD/LP/Digital
2016 | S-142 | Hyper Vessels | Audacity | CD/LP/Digital
2016 | S-144 | Shytown | Elliott Smith/Pete Krebs | 7"/Digital
2016 | S-145 | Gift of Life | VHS | CD/LP/Digital
2017 | S-146 - 7" | The Puritan (Julianna Barwick Remix) | This Will Destroy You | EP/Digital
2017 | S-148 - 7" | Sentimental Goblin | Ty Segall | EP/Digital
2016 | S-149 | Dark Sacred Night | David Bazan | LP/Digital
2016 | S-150 | Christmas Bonus | David Bazan | LP/Digital
2017 | S-152 | VOIDS | Minus the Bear | CD/LP/Digital
2017 | S-153 | Some Twist | Michael Nau | CD/LP/Digital
2017 | S-156 | Parasite | The Coathangers | EP/Digital

## See also

[edit]

* List of record labels

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Label Focus: Suicide Squeeze Records". TIDAL Magazine.
2. ^ a b c d Michael, Troy (April 5, 2013). "Suicide Squeeze Records Announce 2013 7-Inch Series; Listen To New Single from The Numerators". Innocent Words. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
3. ^ "Artists". Suicide Squeeze Records. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
4. ^ a b Brownstein, Charles (March 18, 2014). "Suicide Squeeze is passionate about Beer". Northern Transmissions.
5. ^ Reighley, Kurt B. (June 29, 2006). "Killer Indie Rock, Dude – Suicide Squeeze's Lively Decade". The Stranger. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
6. ^ "Suicide Squeeze Records at 20: An Oral History".
7. ^ D'Angelo, Joe; Perez, Rodrigo. "mtvnews.com: Elliott Smith". MTV News. Archived from the original on December 4, 2003. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
8. ^ Russian: Евгений Борис Мирман, Yevgeniĭ Boris Mirman; born July 24, 1974.
9. ^ Jackson, Todd (2009). Eugene Mirman. Retrieved on May 13, 2009 from http://www.dead-frog.com/comedians/comic/eugene_mirman/.
10. ^ Queens Of The Stone Age Producer Readies Side Project, NME.com, April 18, 2007
11. ^ a b Motley, John (July 5, 2006). "Suicide Squeeze Records: Slaying Since 1996". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
12. ^ Ambrose, Anthony. "inTuneMusic Online: Minus the Bear / Tim Kasher / Twin Tigers @ NYC 12/4/2010". Archived from the original on January 3, 2013. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
13. ^ "Minus the Bear". Suicide Squeeze Records. Archived from the original on October 27, 2007. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
14. ^ "MTB prep new album, remix CD out Feb. 20". Minus the Bear News Page. Archived from the original on January 21, 2007. Retrieved January 26, 2007.
15. ^ a b D'Auria, Jonathan. "This Is Meant to Hurt You". The Grixer. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
16. ^ a b Schild, Matt (February 22, 2009). "These Arms Are Snakes: The progressive punk band stands up to Jello Biafra". The A.V. Club. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
17. ^ a b http://www.allmusic.com/album/paranoid-cocoon-mw0000806706 Allmusic review
18. ^ a b http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14747-tall-hours-in-the-glowstream/ Pitchfork review
19. ^ a b Paul, Aubin (February 23, 2011). "This Will Destroy You to Release 'Tunnel Blanket' in May". Punknews.org. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012.
20. ^ iTunes Preview - Live in Reykjavik, Iceland
21. ^ "This Will Destroy You: Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
22. ^ a b Caramanica, Jon (June 29, 2011). "On a Hot Night, Intense Frenzied Punk". The New York Times.
23. ^ "The Coathangers: Larceny & Old Lace | Album Reviews". Pitchfork. June 7, 2011. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
24. ^ a b "Where Did You Go | Suicide Squeeze Records". Suicidesqueeze.bandcamp.com. April 3, 2012. Archived from the original on April 7, 2013. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
25. ^ "Suicide Squeeze Records – Nu Sensae". Suicide Squeeze Records. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
26. ^ "Nu sensae announce sundowning lp + tour". Suicide Squeeze Records. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
27. ^ "Nu sensae pitchfork review". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
28. ^ Alex Hudson (August 8, 2013). "Yamantaka // Sonic Titan Announce 'UZU,' Stream New Track". Exclaim!.

## Further reading

[edit]

* "Killer Indie Rock, Dude – Suicide Squeeze's Lively Decade". The Stranger. June 29, 2006.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz label

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