WGNS Recordings releases music recorded by WGNS Studios.

History

WGNS was initially started by

Gray Matter Grey matter is a major component of the central nervous system, consisting of neuronal cell bodies, neuropil (dendrites and unmyelinated axons), glial cells (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes), synapses, and capillaries. Grey matter is distinguis ...

's Geoff Turner in

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

in the early 1980s as a cassette label. WGNS stood for "We Gots No Station." Initial recordings were mastered to a cassette and then dubbed from the master to cassettes which were numbered and sold. The releases typically included a

ziploc Ziploc is a brand of reusable, re-sealable sliding channel storage bags and containers originally developed and test marketed by The Dow Chemical Company in 1968 and now produced by S. C. Johnson & Son. The plastic bags and containers come in ...

bag containing artwork and lyric sheets. As time went on, Turner built WGNS Studios as a basement recording studio for local musicians. The studio moved many times, with locations in Maryland,

Washington, DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...

, and

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

. In 1984 the first

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 m ...

release, the Bloody Mannequin Orchestra's ''Roadmap to Revolution'' LP, a 12" 33⅓ rpm record was released. WGNS was responsible for the rise of great artists such as Ennui and

Dave Grohl David Eric Grohl (born January 14, 1969) is an American musician. He is the founder of the rock band Foo Fighters, in which he is the lead singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter. Prior to forming Foo Fighters, he was the drummer of gru ...

. In the summer of 1991,

Scream Scream may refer to: *Screaming, a loud vocalization Amusement rides * Scream (Heide Park), a gyro drop tower in Soltau, Germany * Scream! (ride), a tower ride at Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Six Flags New England * Scream! (roller coaster), at ...

drummer Grohl went into WGNS Studios and recorded four songs, playing all the instruments himself. A tape of the songs, given by Grohl to

Simple Machines A simple machine is a mechanical device that changes the direction or magnitude of a force. In general, they can be defined as the simplest mechanisms that use mechanical advantage (also called leverage) to multiply force. Usually the term refer ...

co-founder

Jenny Toomey Jennifer "Jenny" Gillen Toomey (born 1968) is an American indie rock musician and arts activist. Career Toomey was a member of the bands Geek, Tsunami, Liquorice, Grenadine, So Low and Choke, among others, and has also recorded under her own ...

, became a candidate for the label's ''Tool Cassette Series''. Simple Machines released the songs on the

Pocketwatch (album) ''Pocketwatch'' is a cassette album by Dave Grohl, under the pseudonym ''Late!'', released on June 30, 1992, on the now-defunct indie label Simple Machines as part of their Tool Cassette Series. Background In the summer of 1991, Dave Grohl went i ...

using Grohl's pseudonym Late! in summer 1992. In May 1992, Ennui recorded at the WGNS studio located in

Arlington, Virginia Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the District of Columbia, of which it was once a part. The county is ...

. Grohl recorded again at WGNS Studios in 1996, when it was back in Washington, DC.

References

Releases

*''Simply Suberbe'' *''Gots No Station Compilation'' *''Streetlights in the Dark'' *''The Candy's Not Poisoned'' *''Roadmap to Revolution'' *''WGNS/Metrozine Compilation'' *''The Halloween Cassette''

History

References

Releases

See also