Candy Ass Records was an

independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...

in Portland, Oregon that was run by Jody Bleyle, a member of the bands Team Dresch and

Hazel The hazel (''Corylus'') is a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae,Germplasmgobills Information Network''Corylus''Rushforth, K. (1999). ...

and of the

queercore Queercore (or homocore) is a cultural/social movement that began in the mid-1980s as an offshoot of the punk subculture and a music genre that comes from punk rock. It is distinguished by its discontent with society in general, and specifical ...

bands Family Outing and Infinite Xs. The label is best known for the 1995 release of the double LP compilation '' Free to Fight''. Featuring all-women bands and musicians such as The Third Sex,

Rebecca Gates The Spinanes were an American indie rock band, primarily active during the 1990s. The band was founded by and consisted only of singer-songwriter/guitarist Rebecca Gates and drummer Scott Plouf. They released three albums on the Sub Pop label bef ...

of The Spinanes,

Fifth Column A fifth column is any group of people who undermine a larger group or nation from within, usually in favor of an enemy group or another nation. According to Harris Mylonas and Scott Radnitz, "fifth columns" are “domestic actors who work to un ...

, Containe,

Heavens to Betsy Heavens to Betsy was an American punk band formed in Olympia, Washington in 1991 with vocalist and guitarist Corin Tucker and drummer Tracy Sawyer. The duo were part of the DIY riot grrrl, punk rock underground, and were Tucker's first band befo ...

, Excuse 17,

Lois Lois is a common English name from the New Testament. Paul the Apostle mentions Lois, the pious grandmother of Saint Timothy in the Second Epistle to Timothy (commending her for her faith in 2 Timothy 1:5). The name was first used by English Chri ...

, Cheesecake and Team Dresch, all contributing songs dealing with women's safety, defense against harassment and

rape Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ...

and pertinent topics surrounding these issues. The recording also featured self-defense instructions led by Anna LoBianco and Staci Cotler, which were included in a 75-page illustrated booklet accompanying the LPs/CD. As well, the booklet contained a great variety of other contributions from women such as

bell hooks Gloria Jean Watkins (September 25, 1952December 15, 2021), better known by her pen name bell hooks, was an American author and social activist who was Distinguished Professor in Residence at Berea College. She is best known for her writings on ...

, Sue P. Fox and others, in the form of stories, practical advice and poems, all dealing with self-defense. Jody Bleyle is interviewed in the documentary film ''

She's Real, Worse Than Queer Lucy Thane (born 1967) is a British documentary filmmaker, event producer and performer, living in Folkestone. Her films include ''It Changed My Life: Bikini Kill in the UK'' (1993) and ''She's Real (Worse than Queer)'' (1997). Life and work Thane ...

'' speaking about Candy Ass Records and the release of ''Free to Fight'', along with Alice Stagg, who contributed several segments on self-defense on the recording and accompanied Team Dresch on the tour promoting the release. Candy Ass also co-released, with Chainsaw Records, the first Team Dresch LP, ''Personal Best'', in 1994 and the band's second LP, ''Captain My Captain'', in 1995. Jody Bleyle also released recordings by her other band Hazel. After the release of ''Free to Fight'', the label planned to issue several follow-up singles by various artists under the same name as the original compilation and dealing with the same issues. The first release, called ''Free to Fight #1'', was a split single with

Sleater-Kinney Sleater-Kinney ( ) is an American rock band that formed in Olympia, Washington, in 1994. The band's current lineup features Corin Tucker (vocals and guitar) and Carrie Brownstein (guitar and vocals), following the departure of longtime member ...

and Cypher in the Snow accompanied by self-defense tips. However, this first release was also to be the last, due to the label's financial constraints. Aside from these endeavors the label also released separate recordings by artists such as The Lookers (with Sarah Dougher), Vegas Beat, and Cypher in the Snow.

Roster

* Cheesecake * Containe * Cypher in the Snow * Excuse 17 *

* Heavy Johnson Trio *

* Lync * The Lookers * Mizzery * New Bad Things * Ovarian Trolley *

* Sone * Surf Maggots * Team Dresch * The Third Sex * hirty Ought Six * Vegas Beat * Veronica

References

External links

The 'Free to Fight' CD and booklet - includes downloadable MP3s

{{Authority control American independent record labels LGBT-related record labels Companies based in Portland, Oregon Queercore record labels Oregon record labels Privately held companies based in Oregon

Roster

See also

References

External links