Saying Goodbye To Touch & Go
Some pretty sad news broke late last week: one of new music’s most important labels has apparently hit some very tough times. Chicago’s Touch & Go Records is not only cutting out new releases entirely for an indefinite period of time, they’re also closing their valued distribution arm. As a feature on Pitchfork outlines, that could have devastating results for smaller (but still excellent) labels like Merge, Drag City, Jade Tree, and Suicide Squeeze.
Not only does that mean it could be significantly harder to find releases by amazing artists like Minus The Bear, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, and Spoon (among countless others) on those labels that heavily rely on the distro arm, but it means a label that has literally changed the face of modern music will no longer be bringing us brave new sounds.
It’s so hard to imagine a world without seminal albums from bands like Slint, Big Black, the Jesus Lizard, Pinback, TV On The Radio, Shellac, and the Mekons. There are a lot of labels that boast impressive rosters and classic albums, but I would wager that there hasn’t been one so cutting edge and ahead-of-its-time in decades.
As a tribute to Touch & Go I’ll be playing tracks from some of my favourite releases on the label this Thursday morning from 7:00 to 8:00am. Apologies in advance to the early risers that may not be stoked to hear Necros first thing in the morning, but I promise it’ll be over quickly.
Big Black - He's A Whore [2:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Calexico - Sunken Waltz [2:28m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Slint - Good Morning Captain: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadListen in at CJTR’s website Thursday morning and please, please, please, give some of your money to Touch & Go. Fuck the recession!
Lots of fans will miss the discs but Louisville musicians will really be whacked, as TNG has been a primary label and distributor of Louisville groups. I don’t think a lot of them here have figured that out yet, though.