Universal Warning Records is a record label and video production company located in the greater

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

area. Universal Warning produces and releases independent music from local and national bands, as well as produces music videos, live concerts for DVD and digital transmission as well as music documentaries, primarily from the indie, punk, and hardcore genres.

History

The label was established in the Spring of 2000 by founders Tim Martinkovich, Mike Varga, and Clint Weiler. The three met while studying at

Kutztown University Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (Kutztown University or KU) is a public university in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher ...

. The label was created as a foundation for the partners' punk-alternative band The Covert Agency and to promote area acts that the partners appreciated. After releasing a compilation of regional Pennsylvanian bands entitled ''The Warning Compilation'' during the founders last year in Kutztown, Martinkovitch moved the label and started their first office in Denver Colorado in Summer 2001. Universal Warning Records went on to release full lengths of several Colorado bands such as ManAlive! and Against Tomorrow's Sky. Later that year the label branched out and began signing artists as far south as Louisiana, where Victim of Modern Age ruled the

Lafayette Lafayette or La Fayette may refer to: People * Lafayette (name), a list of people with the surname Lafayette or La Fayette or the given name Lafayette * House of La Fayette, a French noble family ** Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757� ...

scene. In the Spring of 2008, Weiler left his position as publicist for the label to pursue free lance work and business ventures including a bobble head company called Aggronautix. Since its foundation in 2000, Universal Warning Records has had offices in

Denver, Colorado Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

and

Royersford, Pennsylvania Royersford is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States, northwest of Philadelphia, on the Schuylkill River. History The town drew its name from the location of a Ford ( ...

To date, the label has released 19 CDs, 4 records, and 4 DVDs and filmed nearly 100 live shows including

Earth Crisis Earth Crisis is an American hardcore punk band from Syracuse, New York, active from 1989 until 2001, reuniting in 2007. Since 1993 the band's longest serving members are vocalist Karl Buechner, lead guitarist Scott Crouse, bassist Ian Edwards ...

and

Sick of it All Sick of It All is an American hardcore punk band formed in 1986 in Queens, New York City. The band's lineup consists of brothers Lou and Pete Koller on lead vocals and guitars respectively, Armand Majidi on drums, and Craig Setari on bass. Sick ...

. In May 2011, Universal Warning Records had its 10-year anniversary and the upstart of two new label imprints Fast Break Entertainment and Candy Colored Dragon.

Industry relationships

* Universal Warning Records got their start releasing music by working with Ryan Fennical and his Marshalls Creek area recording studio. * The label has had a close relationship with popular Philadelphia indie rockers The Jazz June and their subsequent incarnation Snakes & Music, having released albums and DVDs by the band. * Universal Warning Records media has been distributed by

Initial Records Initial Records was an independent record label in Louisville, Kentucky, that was founded in 1992. The label released music by Falling Forward, Boysetsfire and Ink & Dagger, and created the annual weekend long music festival, Krazy Fest. Hist ...

Revelation Records Revelation Records is an independent record label focusing originally and primarily on hardcore punk. The label is known for releases by bands such as Youth of Today, Warzone, Sick of It All, Quicksand, Side By Side, Chain of Strength, Shelte ...

, Lumberjack Distribution, Revolver, Very, Choke, Music Video Distributors, Carrot Top, and Hostile City Distribution. * Founder Mike Varga also owned Grata Video and produced or worked on videos and DVDs for

Andrew W.K. Andrew Fetterly Wilkes-Krier (born May 9, 1979), known professionally as Andrew W.K., is an American conceptual performance artist, rock singer, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and actor. Raised in Michigan, Wilkes-Krier began his m ...

DEVO Devo (, originally ) is an American rock band from Akron, Ohio, formed in 1973. Their classic line-up consisted of two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs (Mark and Bob) and the Casales (Gerald and Bob), along with Alan Myers. The band had a ...

Dr. Dog Dr. Dog is an American rock band based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Its lineup consists of Toby Leaman (bass guitar), Scott McMicken (lead guitar), Frank McElroy ( rhythm guitar), Zach Miller (keyboard), Eric Slick ( drums), an ...

and

The Queers The Queers are an American punk rock band, formed in 1981 by the Portsmouth, New Hampshire native Joseph “Joe” P. King (a.k.a. Joe Queer) along with Scott Gildersleeve (a.k.a. Tulu), and John “Jack” Hayes (a.k.a. Wimpy Rutherford). With t ...

Discography

Music videos

* Victim of Modern Age: Instruct to Destruct *Holiday Bodybag: Dead Leaves *American Speedway: Ship of Fools *Fifty Caliber Kiss: Hide the Razor *

Wisdom In Chains Wisdom in Chains is an American hardcore punk band based out of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The band's name is taken from the lyrics of a song by the New York hardcore band Killing Time. "Wisdom", from Killing Time's 1989 debut album, '' Bright ...

: Back To The Ocean *

: Chasing The Dragon

Media released on other labels

“New York vs London” (released as a CD/DVD combo w/ ''

Based on a True Story (Sick of It All album) ''Based on a True Story'' is the ninth studio album by New York hardcore band Sick of It All. It was released on April 20, 2010, on the band's new label Century Media Records (though Abacus, their previous label, was a subsidiary of Century Med ...

Century Media A century is a period of 100 years. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages. The word ''century'' comes from the Latin ''centum'', meaning ''one hundred''. ''Century'' is sometimes abbreviated as c. A centennial or ...

References

External links

* {{Authority control American independent record labels Companies based in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Record labels established in 2000 2000 establishments in Pennsylvania