Suicide Squeeze Records is a Seattle, Washington-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 ...

that releases rock,

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' ( ...

, and

metal A metal (from ancient Greek, Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, e ...

music. Suicide Squeeze releases content on vinyl, CD, cassette, and digital. The label has also released comedy and

performance art Performance art is an artwork or art exhibition created through actions executed by the artist or other participants. It may be witnessed live or through documentation, spontaneously developed or written, and is traditionally presented to a pu ...

CD and DVDs. Founded in 1996 by David Dickenson, it got its start releasing singles by artists such as

Elliott Smith Steven Paul Smith (August 6, 1969 – October 21, 2003), known professionally as Elliott Smith, was an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Smith was born in Omaha, Nebraska, raised primarily in Texas, and lived much of hi ...

and

Modest Mouse Modest Mouse is an American rock band formed in 1992 in Issaquah, Washington, and currently based in Portland, Oregon. The founding members are lead singer/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. Strongly influence ...

. Current artists include The Coathangers, L.A. Witch, Nü Sensae,

This Will Destroy You This Will Destroy You (abbreviated as TWDY) is an American post-rock band from San Marcos, Texas, formed in 2004. They typically compose lengthy atmospheric instrumental pieces, featuring layers of effects-laden guitar and a heavy usage of dy ...

, Audacity, Guantanamo Baywatch, White Woods, and

Yamantaka // Sonic Titan Yamantaka // Sonic Titan is a Canadian experimental music and performance art collective.

. In the spring of 2014, Oregon-based

Fort George Brewery Fort George Brewery is located in Astoria, Oregon, United States, and produces over 40 varieties of beer distributed throughout Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. It is the 15th largest brewery in the state of Oregon and among the fastest growing bre ...

and Suicide Squeeze created the

craft beer Craft beer is a beer that has been made by craft breweries. They produce smaller amounts of beer, typically less than large breweries, and are often independently owned. Such breweries are generally perceived and marketed as having an emphasis o ...

"Suicide Squeeze IPA." In recent years, Suicide Squeeze has released music by L.A. Witch,

Ty Segall Ty (stylized as ty) is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. It was founded by Ty Warner in 1986. It designs, develops and sells products, most notably Beanie Babies, exclusively to speci ...

cumgirl8 cumgirl8 is an American post-punk band based in Manhattan, New York, founded in 2019 by Lida Fox, Veronika Vilim, Avishag Cohen Rodrigues, and Chase Lombardo (also known as Chase Noelle). Describing themselves as a "sex-positive alien amoeba entit ...

Minus the Bear Minus the Bear was an American indie rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 2001, and comprising members of Botch, Kill Sadie, and Sharks Keep Moving. Their sound was described as " Pele-esque guitar-taps and electronics with sophisticate ...

, Michael Nau (of Cotton Jones), and The Coathangers.

History

Founding, early releases

Suicide Squeeze Records was started in August 1996 in

Seattle, Washington Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region ...

by owner David Dickenson. After the initial release of a 7" single from Seattle band 764-Hero, the label quickly grew from Dickenson's full-time hobby to a cottage industry by the late-1990s. By 1997 the label had released singles by popular Northwest artists

and

. The label has also released comedy and

CD and DVDs, and continues to press a significant number of releases on vinyl. In an interview with ''The Stranger'', Dickenson said "A highlight of those early days for me was our first 746-HERO release under my belt. Getting to work with David Bazan. And Modest Mouse was a big one. Isaac rock, singer/guitarist of Modest Mouseused to come into Hot Lips, a pizza place that I worked at on the Ave, and he’d be selling these dial-a-song cassettes. He basically was just going to the dumpsters behind the Muzak office, pulling the discarded tapes, making his own artwork, and selling them."

2000–2009

In August 2003, Suicide Squeeze put out a limited-edition

vinyl Vinyl may refer to: Chemistry * Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer * Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation * Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry * Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl ...

single for "Pretty (Ugly Before)", a song that

had been playing since his Figure 8 tour. Shortly afterwards in 2004, the label released a spoken CD by

Eugene Mirman Eugene Boris MirmanJackson, Todd (2009). Eugene Mirman. Retrieved on May 13, 2009 from . (born July 24, 1974) is a Russian-American actor, comedian, and writer, known for playing Yvgeny Mirminsky on ''Delocated'' and Gene Belcher on the animated ...

, a Russian-born American comedian and writer. ''The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman'' was also released on DVD, and was voted one of the Best Albums of 2004 by both '' The A.V. Club'' and '' Time Out New York''. Goon Moon, an American rock band composed of

Jeordie White Jeordie Osbourne White (born June 20, 1971), better known Twiggy Ramirez or simply Twiggy, is an American musician, mostly known as the former bassist and guitarist of the rock band Marilyn Manson. Previously, he was the bassist for A Perfect ...

(also known as Twiggy Ramirez from

Marilyn Manson Brian Hugh Warner (born January 5, 1969), known professionally as Marilyn Manson, is an American rock musician. He came to prominence as the lead singer of the band which shares his name, of which he remains the only constant member since it ...

) and

Chris Goss Christopher Ryan Goss (born August 17, 1958) is an American record producer and musician. Best known for producing records for Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age, he is regarded as an important figure in the development of stoner rock and des ...

, released a mini-LP on Suicide Squeeze called '' I Got a Brand New Egg Layin' Machine'' in 2005. Chin Up Chin Up was an American

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 s ...

band from Chicago, who released '' This Harness Can't Ride Anything'' on October 10, 2006 on Suicide Squeeze. Also in 2006, Canadian rock band Black Mountain released their "Stormy High" single and EP on Suicide Squeeze. In 2006, to celebrate their tenth anniversary, the label released the compilation album ''Suicide Squeeze Records: Slaying Since 1996.'' Minus the Bear - 2008 Bonnaroo Music Festival

Minus the Bear - 2008 Bonnaroo Music Festival

is an indie rock band from Seattle, whose sound has been described as " Pele-esque guitar-taps and electronics with sophisticated time signature composition." '' Interpretaciones del Oso'', an album of remixed songs from their second full-length album '' Menos el Oso'', was released on February 20, 2007 through Suicide Squeeze, who also released the band's third full-length album, titled ''

Planet of Ice ''Planet of Ice'' is the third full-length album from Minus the Bear, released in the UK on August 20, 2007 and in the US on August 21 by Suicide Squeeze Records. It was produced and recorded by the band's former keyboard player, Matt Bayles, in ...

'', on August 21, 2007. In 2017, Minus the Bear released their sixth-studio album ''VOIDS'' on Suicide Squeeze. Page France was an American indie folk-pop music band that played melodic and emotional music. Their last record deal was with Suicide Squeeze, before the disbandment in 2008. Their second album, '' Hello, Dear Wind'', was re-released by Suicide Squeeze. Page France's last album and third full-length, '' …and the Family Telephone'', was released May 8, 2007 on Suicide Squeeze. For their third studio album,

These Arms Are Snakes These Arms Are Snakes was an American post-hardcore band that formed in 2002 and featured former members of Botch and Kill Sadie. Before disbanding in 2009, they released three studio albums: ''Oxeneers or the Lion Sleeps When Its Antelope Go H ...

signed to Suicide Squeeze. Tail Swallower and Dove'' was released in October 2008. The album was seen as a departure from their more hardcore-sounding songs and took a more experimental approach, and also more traditional song structures. On January 27, 2009,

The Cotton Jones Basket Ride Cotton Jones (formerly The Cotton Jones Basket Ride) is an American indie folk band, with elements of psychedelic folk, dream pop, baroque pop, and Americana (music), Americana, based in Cumberland, Maryland and currently signed to Suicide Squeez ...

released their second LP, and their debut for Suicide Squeeze Records, '' Paranoid Cocoon''. It was described as a "weepy, reverb-drenched blend of Pacific Northwest, 1960s folk-pop, and heartland rock." On August 24, 2010, the band released their third LP, '' Tall Hours in the Glowstream''. It was described as "classic country music filtered through a dream-pop haze."

2009–present

released the albums '' Tunnel Blanket'' on Suicide Squeeze, as well as the "Black Dunes" 7" single. ''Tunnel Blanket'' was released in May 2011, and it entered the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...

'' Heatseekers Album Chart at number 25. The Coathangers are a punk group from

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...

, Georgia. After putting out a 7" on Suicide Squeeze in 2011, they released their third album, ''Larceny and Old Lace'' for Suicide Squeeze, to generally positive reviews. In 2012, Julia Kugel of The Coathangers released a 7" record on Suicide Squeeze, under the name "White Woods.". Other releases by The Coathangers on Suicide Squeeze include ''Suck My Shirt'' (2014), ''Nosebleed Weekend'' (2016), ''Perfume/Watch Your Back'' 7" (2016), ''Parasite'' EP (2017). Nü Sensae is a

Vancouver, British Columbia Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. The ...

, punk and grunge trio. Their second album, "Sundowning", was released on August 7, 2012 via Suicide Squeeze and was given an 8.0 rating by

Pitchfork Media ''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog. Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...

. '' UZU'' by

performing art The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which are the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. Perfor ...

collective

Yamantaka // Sonic Titan Yamantaka // Sonic Titan is a Canadian experimental music and performance art collective.

was released on Suicide Squeeze in 2013. In 2015, Suicide Squeeze released Portland-based punk trio Guantanamo Baywatch's third studio album ''Darling...It's Too Late''. In 2016, Suicide Squeeze celebrated its 20th anniversary by releasing a digital compilatio
Suicide Squeeze: 20 Years
including

, La Luz,

King Tuff Kyle Thomas, known professionally as King Tuff is an American musician recording on Sub Pop Records. King Tuff and his band have released several music videos and have continually toured across the United States, Australia and Europe since 2012 ...

and more. In 2017, Suicide Squeeze released music by

, Michael Nau (of Cotton Jones), and The Coathangers. The label also signed

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

-based trio L.A. Witch for the release of their debut album out September 8, 2017.

Partnerships

In the spring of 2014, the label worked with Oregon-based

to create the

"Suicide Squeeze IPA."

Artists

Current

* Audacity *

Childbirth (band) Childbirth is an American alternative rock band from Seattle, Washington, United States. The band includes members from other popular Seattle-based bands (Julia Shapiro of Chastity Belt, Bree McKenna of Tacocat, Stacy Peck of Pony Time.) The ...

* The Coathangers *

David Bazan David Bazan (; born January 22, 1976) is an American indie rock singer-songwriter from Phoenix, Arizona who now resides in Seattle, Washington. Bazan is the lead singer and creative force behind the band Pedro the Lion and was the lead sing ...

*Death Valley Girls *Guantanamo Baywatch * L.A. Witch *

Michael Nau
* Nü Sensae *The Paranoyds *SadGirl * Shana Cleveland & The Sandcastles *Sun Breaks *

VHS
*White Woods *

Yamantaka // Sonic Titan Yamantaka // Sonic Titan is a Canadian experimental music and performance art collective.

Past

* 764-HERO *

The Aislers Set The Aislers Set is an American indie pop band that formed in San Francisco in 1997, after the breakup of chief songwriter Amy Linton's former band Henry's Dress. The Aislers Set's music is influenced by C86-style British indie pop. The founding me ...

*Antwon *

Aspera Aspera may refer to: Music * Aspera (band), an American indie rock band * ''(a)spera'', a 2009 album by Mirah * Above Symmetry, a Norwegian progressive metal band originally known as Aspera * "Aspera", the lead track from ''We Will Become Like Bir ...

Julianna Barwick Julianna Barwick is an American musician who composes using electronic loops. Her first album, '' The Magic Place'', was released in 2011. Music career Barwick has said that her music is influenced by her participation in church choir while gro ...

The Black Heart Procession The Black Heart Procession (occasionally spelled The Blackheart Procession) is an American indie rock band from San Diego, California. Biography Early years The band was formed in 1997 by Pall Jenkins (Mr. Tube and the Flying Objects, Pallla ...

The Black Keys The Black Keys are an American rock duo formed in Akron, Ohio, in 2001. The group consists of Dan Auerbach (guitar, vocals) and Patrick Carney (drums). The duo began as an independent act, recording music in basements and self-producing their ...

Black Moth Super Rainbow Black Moth Super Rainbow (occasionally abbreviated as BMSR) is an American Psychedelic rock, psychedelic Electronic music, electronic Indie pop, indie Electronics in rock music, rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US. BMSR is a solo music ...

* Black Mountain * Bleached *

Alison Chesley Alison Chesley (born January 4, 1960), known also by her stage name Helen Money, is a Chicago-based cellist and composer. Chesley was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She moved to Chicago to attend Northwestern University, where she ...

* Chin Up Chin Up *

The Constantines Constantines is an indie rock band from Guelph, Ontario, Canada. History Constantines was formed in 1999 by vocalist and guitarist Bryan Webb, drummer Doug MacGregor and guitarist Paul Bright, all of whom had played together in the emo band Sho ...

* Cotton Jones * Crystal Skulls *Davilla 666 *Destruction Unit *

Dirty Beaches Alex Zhang Hungtai (born September 4, 1980 in Taipei) is a Taiwanese-born Canadian musician and actor. In addition to his given name, he makes music under the names Last Lizard and Dirty Beaches. Zhang released several EPs and three albums as ...

* Earlimart *Gap Dream *Heavy Cream * Page France * Goon Moon *

Headphones Headphones are a pair of small loudspeaker drivers worn on or around the head over a user's ears. They are electroacoustic transducers, which convert an electrical signal to a corresponding sound. Headphones let a single user listen to an a ...

HEALTH Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organ ...

Hella ''Hella'' is an American slang term that originated in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is used as an intensifying adverb such as in "hella bad" or "hella good" and was eventually added to the '' Oxford English Dictionary'' in 2002. It is possib ...

Zach Hill Zachary Charles Hill (born December 28, 1979) is an American multi-instrumentalist and visual artist. He is best known as the drummer and co-producer of the groups Death Grips and the I.L.Y's, and as the drummer of math rock band Hella. Art In ...

*Hint Hint *

Holy Other Holy Other is an English electronic musician and producer originally from Stockport, Greater Manchester. He is best known for his debut album ''Held''. Music career Holy Other made his debut in 2010 with the release of a 7" single, ''We Over'', ...

Human Highway ''Human Highway'' is a 1982 American comedy film starring and co-directed by Neil Young under his pseudonym Bernard Shakey. Dean Stockwell co-directed the film and acted along with Russ Tamblyn, Dennis Hopper, and the band Devo. Included is a ...

Iron & Wine Samuel "Sam" Ervin Beam (born July 26, 1974), better known by his stage name Iron & Wine, is an American singer-songwriter. He has released six studio albums, several EPs and singles, as well as a few download-only releases, which include a l ...

JEFF the Brotherhood JEFF the Brotherhood is an American two-piece rock band consisting of brothers Jake and Jamin Orrall, hailing from Nashville, Tennessee. Their style has been described by music writers as containing elements of psychedelic rock, garage rock, punk ...

* La Luz *

Lil B Brandon Christopher McCartney (born August 17, 1989), professionally known as Lil B and as his alter ego The BasedGod, is an American rapper. Lil B has recorded both solo and with Bay Area group The Pack. His solo work spans several genres, i ...

* The Magic Magicians *Meat Market *Metal Hearts *

Melvins Melvins (sometimes The Melvins) are an American rock band formed in 1983 in Montesano, Washington. Their early work was key to the development of both grunge and sludge metal. Initially, they performed as a trio but later also sometimes appe ...

* Memoryhouse *

*Natural Child *

Nobunny Nobunny was the stage persona of musician Justin Champlin, performing under the moniker since 2001. His debut LP, '' Love Visions'', was home recorded and released in 2008 on Bubbledumb Records to positive reviews. It was re-released with 1-2-3- ...

*The Numerators * Of Montreal *

Past Lives Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the philosophical or religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death. Resurrection is a ...

*Peace *

Pedro the Lion Pedro the Lion is an American indie rock band from Seattle, Washington, United States. David Bazan formed the band in 1995 and represented its main creative force, backed by a varying rotation of collaborating musicians. In 2006 Pedro the Lion ...

*Pennsy's Electric Workhorses Songs *

Red Stars Theory Red Stars Theory is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington. History The band was formed in early-1995 when James Bertram was looking for someone to play guitar with and found Tonie Palmasani (guitar/vocals), Jeremiah Green (drums/per ...

Russian Circles Russian Circles is an American instrumental band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was originally formed by childhood friends Mike Sullivan and Dave Turncrantz after their previous musical projects dissolved. After parting ways with their ...

Shannon and the Clams Shannon and the Clams is an indie garage punk quartet based in Oakland, California. Known for a vintage sound that incorporates elements of doo-wop, classic R&B, garage psych, and surf, Shannon and the Clams has drawn comparisons to both Budd ...

* S * sBACH *The Scenic Vermont *

School of Seven Bells School of Seven Bells (often stylized as SVIIB) was an American indie rock band from New York City, formed in 2007. It originally consisted of Alejandra Deheza (vocals, guitar), her sister Claudia Deheza (keyboards, vocals) and Benjamin Curtis ...

The Six Parts Seven The Six Parts Seven is an American post-rock band formerly based in Kent, Ohio. The band was founded in 1995 by brothers Allen and Jay Karpinski (playing guitar and drums, respectively), who had earlier played with Old Hearts Club, a band of simi ...

*Tammar *

These Arms are Snakes These Arms Are Snakes was an American post-hardcore band that formed in 2002 and featured former members of Botch and Kill Sadie. Before disbanding in 2009, they released three studio albums: ''Oxeneers or the Lion Sleeps When Its Antelope Go H ...

*Track Star *

The Unicorns ''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 ...

* Wax Idols *We Ragazzi

Discography

References

External links

* {{Authority control Record labels established in 1996 American independent record labels Alternative rock record labels Indie rock record labels Music of Seattle 1996 establishments in Washington (state)

History

Founding, early releases

2000–2009

2009–present

Partnerships

Artists

Current

Past

Discography

See also

References

Further reading

External links