Touch and Go Records

[stickman]

Pitchfork's News Item

 

 

Stereogum's

 

 

I guess there will be a press release later today clarifying. Bummer.

[cryptique]

Well, fuck.

[Good Old Neon]

Well, fuck.

 

That was my exact thought upon reading the thread header.

[deepseacatfish]

Even with the clarification that they may sometime in the future release new stuff this is a huge bummer.

 

An excellent label, with lots of great artists. Definitely a big loss.

[cryptique]

I'm as bummed about the loss of their distribution as I am about the label itself. Hopefully Merge, Drag City, and the others will find a new distributor.

[deepseacatfish]

Yeah, exactly. That's stuffs key specially given the record buying climate these days.

[Jay]

The Stereogum link in the first post has been updated to include:

 

UPDATE: We now have more details, including Corey Rusk's statement:

 

It is with great sadness that we are reporting some major changes here at Touch and Go Records. Many of you may not be aware, but for nearly 2 decades, Touch and Go has provided manufacturing and distribution services for a select yet diverse group of other important independent record labels. Titles from these other labels populate the shelves of our warehouse alongside the titles on our own two labels, Touch and Go Records, and Quarterstick Records.

Unfortunately, as much as we love all of these labels, the current state of the economy has reached the point where we can no longer afford to continue this lesser known, yet important part of Touch and Go's operations. Over the years, these labels have become part of our family, and it pains us to see them go. We wish them all the very best and we will be doing everything we can to help make the transition as easy as possible.

 

Touch and Go will be returning to its roots and focusing solely on being an independent record label. We'll be busy for a few months working closely with the departing labels and scaling our company to an appropriate smaller size after their departure. It is the end of a grand chapter in Touch and Go's history, but we also know that good things can come from new beginnings.

 

 

Additionally, the DailySwarm is reporting that "the entire label staff of 20 has been let go."

[LouieB]

Greg Kot's take in the Trib this AM.

 

LouieB

 

Touch and Go Records shrinking, cuts ties with independent labels

By Greg Kot

 

Tribune critic

 

February 19, 2009

 

Touch and Go Records, a pillar of the Chicago music scene and independent and punk rock music worldwide, said Wednesday that it is shrinking its business, laying off an unspecified number of its two dozen employees and cutting ties with more than 20 independent labels.

 

"The current state of the economy has reached the point where we can no longer afford" to provide manufacturing and distribution services for the independent labels, including stalwarts such as Chicago-based Drag City, All Natural, Overcoat, Flameshovel, and Atavistic Records; Delaware's Jade Tree; and Kill Rock Stars in the Pacific Northwest, said Touch and Go founder Corey Rusk.

 

The moves could hamper the independent labels from getting new releases into retail outlets in a timely manner and affect their ability to stay solvent.

 

Mac McCaughan, co-founder of North Carolina independent label Merge Records, called the development "a sad day for music, independent music and punk rock in particular, and the music business as we know it in the real world."

 

"Corey Rusk is the most meticulous, cautious, thoughtful business person I know, which is what makes this whole thing so unbelievable and such a bad portent for the rest of the independent music business," McCaughan said. "If a company that did everything the right way can't survive in this environment