G7 Welcoming Committee Records was a Canadian independent record label based in

Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...

. The label mostly released material by artists and speakers with a radical left-wing point of view.

History

G7 Welcoming Committee Records was founded by Chris Hannah and Jord Samolesky of punk band,

Propagandhi Propagandhi is a Canadian punk rock band formed in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba in 1986 by guitarist Chris Hannah and drummer Jord Samolesky. The band is currently located in Winnipeg, Manitoba and completed by bassist Todd Kowalski and guitari ...

, and their friend, Regal, in 1997."Propagandhi machine"
Robert Everett-Green, ''Globe and Mail'', Mar. 19, 2009 The label operated out of Winnipeg's

The Old Market Autonomous Zone The Albert Street Autonomous Zone, also known as A-Zone or the Old Market Autonomous Zone, was founded in 1995, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, by local activists Paul Burrows and Sandra Drosdowech, who also co-founded Winnipeg's Mondragon Booksto ...

. During its years of operation about 50 albums were released. The label ceased operations in April 2008 although it did briefly come out of hibernation in 2010 to release a 3-track EP of

songs from 1993 to 1996 as a benefit for

Partners In Health Partners In Health (PIH) is an international nonprofit public health organization founded in 1987 by Paul Farmer, Ophelia Dahl, Thomas J. White, Todd McCormack, and Jim Yong Kim. Partners in Health provides healthcare in the poorest areas of de ...

. In early 2015, it was announced on the G7 website that none of their previous releases were available for purchase as either physical copies or downloadable albums, but that most of their catalog was available on music streaming sites.

Political aspect

According to the G7 website, when the label was established, the founders hoped "to create a label that politically radical bands and speakers could unflinchingly support and call home; where the driving force behind the label's output was social change and radical thought; and where the structure of the organization didn't contradict itself by mimicking the structures of unbalanced power and hierarchy in the profit-driven corporate world." To this end the label incorporates the economic structure

Parecon Participatory economics, often abbreviated Parecon, is an economic system based on participatory decision making as the primary economic mechanism for allocation in society. In the system, the say in decision-making is proportional to the impa ...

proposed by

Robin Hahnel Robin Eric Hahnel (born March 25, 1946) is an American economist and professor emeritus of economics at American University. He was a professor at American University for many years and traveled extensively advising on economic matters all over t ...

and

Michael Albert Michael Albert (born April 8, 1947) is an American economist, speaker, writer, and political critic. Since the late 1970s, he has published books, articles, and other contributions on a wide array of subjects. He has also set up his own media ...

.Faulkner, Robert. Agitrock rolls on; Today's groups continue a long tradition of activism, belting out songs of protest at the world's wrongs. ''Toronto Star.'' 3 Dec. 2000. The name is a reference to the G7 which brings together the world's richest and most powerful countries in yearly summits to discuss the global political and economic society and to make collective decisions. The label's website explains, "The G7 Welcoming Committee is an idea of resistance ..A 'Welcoming Committee' to tell them, with words and actions, what we think of their power and neo-colonialism, around the world and at home, and that people are willing to fight back ..."

Associated bands

The following artists have released albums on G7: *

Bakunin's Bum Norman Nawrocki (born in Vancouver, British Columbia), is a Montreal-based comedian, sex educator, cabaret artist, musician, author, actor, producer and composer.Norman NawrockLes Pages NoiresAccessed 15 October 2006 Nawrocki together with Sylvain ...

* ...But Alive * Che: Chapter 127 *

Clann Zú Clann Zú were an Australian- Irish band that formed in late 1999 in Melbourne. By early 2002 they had relocated to Dublin. The group issued two albums, '' Rua'' (2002) and '' Black Coats & Bandages'' (June 2004), before disbanding in May 2005. ...

* Consolidated * GFK * Giant Sons * Head Hits Concrete * Hiretsukan *

The (International) Noise Conspiracy The (International) Noise Conspiracy (abbreviated T(I)NC) were a Swedish rock band formed in Sweden in the late months of 1998. The line-up consists of Dennis Lyxzén (vocals), Inge Johansson (bass), Lars Strömberg (guitar), and Ludwig Dahlbe ...

I Spy I spy is a guessing game where one player (the ''spy'' or ''it'') chooses an object within sight and announces to the other players that "I spy with my little eye something beginning with...", naming the first letter of the object. Other players a ...

Jamaica Plain Jamaica Plain is a neighborhood of in the City of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Settled by Puritans seeking farmland to the south, it was originally part of the former Town of Roxbury, now also a part of the City of Boston. The commun ...

Greg MacPherson Gregory Hector Macpherson (born May 3, 1950) is a Democratic politician in the US state of Oregon. From 2003 to 2009, he served as the state representative from District 38, which includes most of Lake Oswego and portions of southwestern Por ...

* Malefaction *

Mico People * Mićo Janić (born 1979), Croatian sprint canoer * Mićo Ljubibratić (1839–1889), Serbian revolutionary * Mico Palanca (1978–2019), Filipino actor * Mićo Smiljanić (born 1974), Serbian/Montenegrin footballer * Mićo Stanišić (born ...

* Painted Thin *

* Randy *

The Rebel Spell ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

* Red Fisher *

Rhythm Activism Rhythm Activism was a Canadian, Montreal-based musical collective, revolving around the core duo of Sylvain Côté and Norman Nawrocki. The group, formed in 1985 as a poetry and music ensemble, evolved into performing a politically radical brand ...

* John K. Samson * Subhumans * Submission Hold * Swallowing Shit *

warsawpack Warsawpack was a Canadian experimental rap rock group"Warsawpack cred ...

"Warsawpack Name Names and Point Fingers"
'' Exclaim!'', September 2003. *

The Weakerthans The Weakerthans are an award-winning and Juno-nominated Canadian indie rock band from Winnipeg. The band, led by John K. Samson, has released four studio albums and is currently inactive. History The band was formed in 1997 in Winnipeg, Manito ...

It also carries spoken word material by

Noam Chomsky Avram Noam Chomsky (born December 7, 1928) is an American public intellectual: a linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, historian, social critic, and political activist. Sometimes called "the father of modern linguistics", Chomsky i ...

Ward Churchill Ward LeRoy Churchill (born 1947) is an American author and political activist. He was a professor of ethnic studies at the University of Colorado Boulder from 1990 until 2007.

, Ann Hansen, and

Howard Zinn Howard Zinn (August 24, 1922January 27, 2010) was an American historian, playwright, philosopher, socialist thinker and World War II veteran. He was chair of the history and social sciences department at Spelman College, and a politica ...

Compilation albums

* ''

Return of the Read Menace ''Return of the Read Menace'' is a compilation album, released in 1999 on G7 Welcoming Committee Records. Track listing # Screeching Weasel, "My Own World" # J Church, "Tightrope" # No Use For a Name, "Hybrid Moments" ( Misfits Cover) # Pitchshi ...

'' (1999) * ''

Take Penacilin Now ''Take Penacilin Now'' is a 2005 compilation album released on G7 Welcoming Committee Records. The compilation features almost every artist that has released material on the label. It features a new exclusive track from Propagandhi, unreleased tra ...

'' (2005)

References

External links