Cher Doll Records is an American independent record label founded in Seattle, Washington, by Nancy Ostrander in 1993. The label released records for several
indie-pop
Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and su ...
bands, including
Neutral Milk Hotel
Neutral Milk Hotel was an American band formed in Ruston, Louisiana, by musician Jeff Mangum. They were active from 1989 to 1998, and again from 2013 to 2015. The band's music featured a deliberately low-quality sound, influenced by indie rock ...
's first single.
History
Founder Nancy Ostrander was inspired to start Cher Doll by the fanzine and record label Four Letter Words, one of the earliest of the American
indiepop
Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and su ...
labels started up in response to the
C86
''C86'' is a cassette compilation released by the British music magazine ''NME'' in 1986, featuring new bands licensed from British independent record labels of the time. As a term, C86 quickly evolved into shorthand for a guitar-based music gen ...
and twee movements in the UK. Cher Doll started out as a seven-inch singles-only label associated with Ostrander's ''Hip Clown Rag''
fanzine
A fanzine (blend word, blend of ''fan (person), fan'' and ''magazine'' or ''-zine'') is a non-professional and non-official publication produced by fan (person), enthusiasts of a particular cultural phenomenon (such as a literary or musical genre) ...
.
In 1992 Cher Doll released
Crayon
A crayon (or wax pastel) is a stick of pigmented wax used for writing or drawing. Wax crayons differ from pastels, in which the pigment is mixed with a dry binder such as gum arabic, and from oil pastels, where the binder is a mixture of wax an ...
's "The Dream is Gone" and Veronica Lake's "Sleepyhouse" on a split 7-inch record, as well as Crayon's 1994 Phantom Third Channel split 7-inch EP. The label also recorded for
Blanket
A blanket is a swath of soft cloth large enough either to cover or to enfold most of the user's body and thick enough to keep the body warm by trapping radiant body heat that otherwise would be lost through convection.
Etymology
The term ...
, a Seattle band inspired by
Spacemen 3
Spacemen 3 were an English neo-psychedelia space rock band, formed in 1982 in Rugby, Warwickshire, by Peter Kember and Jason Pierce, known respectively under their pseudonyms Sonic Boom and J Spaceman. Their music is known for its brand of "tr ...
and the
Velvet Underground
Weave details visible on a purple-colored velvet fabric
Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric
Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabri ...
Tullycraft
Tullycraft is an American indie pop band from Seattle, Washington, that formed in 1995. They have been associated with the genre of twee pop; in fact, they are considered to be one of the true pioneers of the American twee pop movement. They are ...
.
In 1993, at that time living in Seattle,
Jeff Mangum
Jeff Mangum (born 24 October 1970) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who gained prominence as the founder, songwriter, vocalist and guitarist of Neutral Milk Hotel, as well for his co-founding of The Elephant 6 Recording Company. Ma ...
of
Neutral Milk Hotel
Neutral Milk Hotel was an American band formed in Ruston, Louisiana, by musician Jeff Mangum. They were active from 1989 to 1998, and again from 2013 to 2015. The band's music featured a deliberately low-quality sound, influenced by indie rock ...
sent a tape of material recorded on a four-track to Ostrander, who found the music and Mangum intriguing: "It was fuzzy and happy and catchier than heck. I like music that is actual songs—the shorter the better—and he got bonus points for ''Snow Song'' sounding like the
Jesus and Mary Chain
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, names and titles), was ...
." She selected two songs and released the group's first single "Everything Is"/"Snow Song Pt. 1".McMullen, Phil "Neutral Milk Hotel" , neutralmilkhotel.net, September 1996. Retrieved 9 November 2008. Mangum said, "The single was a Godsend because icI was pretty much at the end of my rope with just about everything in my life at that point. I'd moved away from my home and all my friends for the first time and I was very much alone and sad ... she saved me merely by saying she wanted to do a single."
In 1994, Cher Doll also released Neutral Milk Hotel's "Up and Over" on the compilation 7-inch EP ''The Amazing Phantom Third Channel''; Mangum wrote it to resolve his fear and confusion. The band's "Invent Yourself a Shortcake", released by Cher Doll on the compilation EP, ''Champagne Dancing Party'', in 1995, included Will Cullen and
Bill Doss
Bill Doss (September 12, 1968 – July 30, 2012 Mangum said he was not pleased with a 7-inch record, "Bucket", on Cher Doll, because the recording made in a studio "doesn't sound like me."
Cher Doll Records cooperated on projects with "like-minded"
Darla Records
Darla Records is an independent record label founded by James Agren in October 1993 while he was in New York. Darla's first release was a 7-inch by Grifters, an indie rock/lo-fi band from Memphis.
Background
The music of the artists on the ...
, founded in 1994 and producing "bright, sugary pop albums". Cher Doll issued two full-length albums, distributed by
Darla Records
Darla Records is an independent record label founded by James Agren in October 1993 while he was in New York. Darla's first release was a 7-inch by Grifters, an indie rock/lo-fi band from Memphis.
Background
The music of the artists on the ...
.
Alistair Fitchett, reviewed the ''Something Cool'' compilation released by Cher Doll in 1997 as "a winner for sure", having heard from "indeipopsters that matter in the USA, it's a hit hit HIT".Fitchett, Alistair "Something Cool (Cher Doll)" ''Tangents'', 16 March 1997. Retrieved 9 November 2008. He said:
In 1998, Cher Doll Records released
Tullycraft
Tullycraft is an American indie pop band from Seattle, Washington, that formed in 1995. They have been associated with the genre of twee pop; in fact, they are considered to be one of the true pioneers of the American twee pop movement. They are ...
's second full length album, ''City of Subarus'', recorded by Chris Munford, who had joined the group from Incredible Force of Junior."Tullycraft: Press room" , tullycraftnation.com. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
Discography
*CHER 01 Veronica Lake "Sleepyhouse" b/w
Crayon
A crayon (or wax pastel) is a stick of pigmented wax used for writing or drawing. Wax crayons differ from pastels, in which the pigment is mixed with a dry binder such as gum arabic, and from oil pastels, where the binder is a mixture of wax an ...
"This Dream Is Gone", split 7-inch (1/93)
*CHER 02
Neutral Milk Hotel
Neutral Milk Hotel was an American band formed in Ruston, Louisiana, by musician Jeff Mangum. They were active from 1989 to 1998, and again from 2013 to 2015. The band's music featured a deliberately low-quality sound, influenced by indie rock ...
"Everything Is" b/w "Snow Song Pt. 1" 7-inch (8/93)
*CHER 03 Blanket "Ocean" b/w "Picked Apart" 7-inch (2/94)
*CHER 04 Various ''The Amazing Phantom Third Channel'' compilation 7-inch:
Crayon
A crayon (or wax pastel) is a stick of pigmented wax used for writing or drawing. Wax crayons differ from pastels, in which the pigment is mixed with a dry binder such as gum arabic, and from oil pastels, where the binder is a mixture of wax an ...
"Too Much Sugar"; Watercolor Sunset "Hollywood Decay";
Neutral Milk Hotel
Neutral Milk Hotel was an American band formed in Ruston, Louisiana, by musician Jeff Mangum. They were active from 1989 to 1998, and again from 2013 to 2015. The band's music featured a deliberately low-quality sound, influenced by indie rock ...
"Up And Over We Go"; Paste "Nickels" (4/94)
*CHER 05 Various ''Champagne Dancing Party'' compilation 7-inch: Beanpole "You're Flying"; Sno*boy "Something Special" (fuzzy mix); Names For Pebbles "Imaginary Friend"; Orange Cake Mix "2CU";
New Bad Things
New Bad Things (later No Bad Things) were a Portland, Oregon, indie rock band active during the 1990s. They recorded for Candy Ass Records, Rainforest Records, Lissy's Records, Pop Secret, Punk in my Vitamins Records, Kill Rock Stars, and Freewheel ...
"Rasputin"; Stuffd Bear "I'm Just A Stuffed Toy With No Self-Esteem";
Neutral Milk Hotel
Neutral Milk Hotel was an American band formed in Ruston, Louisiana, by musician Jeff Mangum. They were active from 1989 to 1998, and again from 2013 to 2015. The band's music featured a deliberately low-quality sound, influenced by indie rock ...
"Invent Yourself A Shortcake" (4/95)
*CHER 06 Incredible Force Of Junior "Stronger" b/w "Walter Johnson" 7-inch (3/95)
*CHER 07
Tullycraft
Tullycraft is an American indie pop band from Seattle, Washington, that formed in 1995. They have been associated with the genre of twee pop; in fact, they are considered to be one of the true pioneers of the American twee pop movement. They are ...
"Bailey Park" b/w "Sweet" and "Pedal" 7-inch (7/95)
*CHER 08 The Lovelies "Love-Lack" b/w "Troublehead (Pt. 2)" and "The Tuff Of The Tracks" 7-inch (12/95)
*CHER 09 Various ''Something Cool'' compilation CD: Sno*boy "Parris Song"; Rizzo "Allie"; girlboy girl "Feeder"; beanpole "Destination"; The Hand-me-downs "Love You"; The Autocollants "Apple Vines"; Tag "Don't Let Them Down"; Sukpatch "Loaded Stinking Femo"; schrasj "American Standard";
Tullycraft
Tullycraft is an American indie pop band from Seattle, Washington, that formed in 1995. They have been associated with the genre of twee pop; in fact, they are considered to be one of the true pioneers of the American twee pop movement. They are ...
"Falling Out Of Love (With You) (
Magnetic Fields
A magnetic field is a vector field that describes the magnetic influence on moving electric charges, electric currents, and magnetic materials. A moving charge in a magnetic field experiences a force perpendicular to its own velocity and to ...
cover); gaze "Peeking Shows His Ignorance"; Names For Pebbles "Heh Someone"; Suretoss "Notice"; Incredible Force of Junior "Decay 'em"; Poundsign "Michigan"; The Lovelies "Weekenderman"; Diplomat Haircuts "Outside"; The Sour Mix "99°"; Orange Cake Mix "When The Sky Was Falling Down On You"; Ret & Stare "Boyfriend" (Ret & Stare Mix) (2/97)
*CHER 10 Rizzo "Shymaster" b/w "Road Song" and "Cathy's Song" 7-inch (3/98)
*CHER 11
Tullycraft
Tullycraft is an American indie pop band from Seattle, Washington, that formed in 1995. They have been associated with the genre of twee pop; in fact, they are considered to be one of the true pioneers of the American twee pop movement. They are ...
''City Of Subarus'' LP and CD: "8 Great Ways", "Belinda", "Ticket Tonight", "Crush This Town", "Godspeed", "Miss Douglas County", "Actives and Pledges", "The Lives of Cleopatra", "Bee Sting Stings", "Vacation In Christine, ND" (1/98)
See also
*
List of record labels
File:Alvinoreyguitarboogie.jpg
File:AmMusicBunk78.jpg
File:Bingola1011b.jpg
Lists of record labels cover record labels, brands or trademarks associated with marketing of music recordings and music videos. The lists are organized alphabetically, b ...
Notes and references
Further reading
Strong, M. C. (2003). The Great Indie Discography (2nd Edition) Published by Canon Books Ltd. (US/CAN) .