Ripple Music is a California-based

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 ...

founded in 2010 by Todd Severin and John Rancik. The company encompasses a

record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...

, a music publishing business, a marketing, promotion and sales team, and distribution for independent heavy metal bands (Heavy Ripples Distro). It has become well known in the subculture of underground

doom metal Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' ...

and adjacent genres.

History

Ripple Music, the record label, evolved out of the music site The Ripple Effect, which Severin and Rancik launched in October 2007. With a tagline of "The Best Music You're Not Listening To," the Ripple Effect concentrated on in-depth music reviews of new, lost classic, and unheralded artists. Early in their existence, Severin, a former radio DJ, and Rancik (former lead singer of a punk/metal band, concentrated on reviews from their own extensive record collections and then expanded to include new reviews, interviews, streaming songs, video uploads, downloads, and previews/sneak peeks. The Ripple Effect was ranked as one of the top music sites in the world by GuitarWorld Magazine and several other music sites. As the Ripple Effect's popularity grew, a radio show was added which was originally produced by Chris James Ripple Radio, on blogtalkradio.com. Shortly, Ripple Radio was recognized as one of the featured radio shows at blogtalkradio.com, and guests such as

Marky Ramone Marc Steven Bell (born July 15, 1952) is an American drummer. He began playing in hard rock bands in the New York City area, notably Dust and Estus. He was asked to drum for punk rock band Richard Hell and the Voidoids. He replaced drummer Tommy ...

Fee Waybill John Waldo "Fee" Waybill (born September 17, 1950 in Omaha, Nebraska) is the lead singer and songwriter of San Francisco band The Tubes. Waybill has also worked with other acts, including Toto, Richard Marx, and Billy Sherwood. Early life and ...

, and

Cy Curnin Cyril John Curnin (born 12 December 1957, Wimbledon, England) is a singer/songwriter and musician and is the lead vocalist for the new wave music group, the Fixx. As a songwriter, he has co-written over a dozen songs that have appeared on the ' ...

stopped by to chat with Severin (Racer) and Rancik (Pope JTE). Severin and Rancik were approached by protometal band

JPT Scare Band JPT Scare Band is an American rock band. It took its name from its members first initials and their "scary" acid rock sound. Although the band did not release their first album until the early 1990s, they had formed in the early 1970s and made ...

, with the proposition of releasing several previously unheard JPT tracks. This facilitated the start of Ripple Music, the record label. Shortly thereafter, several bands signed with Ripple Music, including two 1970's protometal icons,

Poobah Grand Poobah is a satirical term derived from the name of the haughty character Pooh-Bah in Gilbert and Sullivan's ''The Mikado'' (1885). In this comic opera, Pooh-Bah holds numerous exalted offices, including "First Lord of the Treasury, Lord C ...

and Iron Claw. Since 2017, the label has hosted several RippleFest events in the United States and Europe as well as RippleFest Virtual in December 2020. In 2019, the label expanded its presence on the East Coast when co-founder John Rancik moved to Baltimore, Maryland. In 2020, the label began a 12-inch vinyl series called "Blood and Strings: The Ripple Acoustic." The first release in this series was

The Obsessed The Obsessed is an American heavy metal band from Potomac, Maryland, led by Scott "Wino" Weinrich. The band combines elements of doom metal, stoner rock, and punk rock. Formed in 1980, they recorded a few demos and played a handful of liv ...

founder

Scott Weinrich Robert Scott Weinrich (born 1961), better known as Wino, is an American singer and guitarist. He has been highly influential in helping develop and codify doom metal's trademark sound, and is also considered an influential figure in the stoner r ...

's solo album ''Forever Gone.'' As of early 2021, the label lists over 300 releases on Discogs and 189 titles appear on All Music. In January 2021, Ripple Music was joined by Ozzy Osbourne bassist

Rob "Blasko" Nicholson Rob "Blasko" Nicholson (born November 24, 1969) is an American bassist. He performed on Rob Zombie's solo albums and is currently part of Ozzy Osbourne's band. He is also noted for his contribution as bassist to metal band Cryptic Slaughter with ...

as its new Executive Vice President of A&R and Special Projects.

Artists

Scott "Wino" Weinrich Robert Scott Weinrich (born 1961), better known as Wino, is an American singer and guitarist. He has been highly influential in helping develop and codify doom metal's trademark sound, and is also considered an influential figure in the stoner r ...

Fatso Jetson Fatso Jetson is an American desert rock band from Palm Desert, California, formed in 1994 by Yawning Man members Mario Lalli and Larry Lalli, along with Tony Tornay. They are often credited as the fathers of the desert strain of stoner rock la ...

Yawning Man A yawn is a reflex lasting 4-7 seconds, and is characterized by a long inspiratory phase with gradual mouth gaping, followed by a brief climax (or acme) with muscle stretching, and a rapid expiratory phase with muscle relaxation. For fish a ...

* Hermano *

Roadsaw Roadsaw is an American rock band, formed in 1994. To date, the band has released six studio albums. History Early years (1994–1997) In the year 2000, the band gave the following explanation for their name:"We were really, really stoned, ...

References

External links

Ripple Music Official Site
{{Authority control American record labels Doom metal record labels Heavy metal record labels Rock record labels

History

Artists

See also

References

External links