BIOGRAPHY Joel Leoschke and Bruce Adams were working at Cargo Distribution in Chicago in the spring of 1993. From time to time over Korean food they discussed (in a backseat driver sort of way) how they would run a label if they had one. One day Joel motioned Bruce into his office. Joel had a 7" single from a band called Labradford. It was unlike anything either one had heard among the piles of indie rock at the workplace. Joel wrote Labradford asking if they had plans to record a full length album. Labradford agreed to be guinea pigs for a new label started by two guys they had never met. The name "curmudgeon" was bandied about as a label name, but a lady friend of Joel's suggested "cranky." It was short, sharp and an apt description of the personality type of the co-founders. To fall in line with the tradition of great American brand names like kleenex, esso, rite-aid and the like, the record label was named kranky.
The first kranky release was "Prazision" by Labradford, released in November 1993 on double vinyl LP and compact disc. kranky slowly began to contact other bands. On a trip to New Zealand in the fall of 1993 Joel ran into Kim Pieters and Peter Stapleton of the recently deceased Dadamah. They agreed to allow kranky to compile their LP and single tracks into a compact disc. Another former Dadamah member, Roy Montgomery, brought kranky recordings of his new project Dissolve. After hearing singles by Jessamine, Bowery Electric and The Spiny Anteaters, kranky began to work with those bands.
As the label became established demo tapes began to show up in the post office box. A series of strangely marked cassettes from a group calling themselves Magnog arrived, along with submissions from Tomorrowland and Jessica Bailiff. One day Adam Wiltzie, on tour as soundman for Mercury Rev got in touch with kranky and soon Stars Of The Lid were on the label. The English group Amp, looking for better American distribution sent kranky tapes. Amp member Gareth Mitchell sent home recordings and Philosopher's Stone became a kranky band. In the fall of 1997 a Canadian band named godspeed you black emperor! were looking for help in getting a Chicago gig. That began a process that resulted in the kranky CD release of "f#a#00" in mid-1998. Since 1993 kranky has been fortunate enough to work with established artists Bruce and Joel have long admired: Windy & Carl, Doldrums, Low and James Plotkin.
From the esthetic and economic points of view the label has always strived for independence. All kranky releases are manufactured by the label. As much as possible costs are kept low and the vanities of the music business eschewed. New and unknown bands are the label's primary interest and kranky is drawn towards idiosyncratic and self-sufficient artists operating outside the fashion capitols. The chief goal has always been to release albums that the partners will want to hear in ten years' time.
1998 was a big year for kranky. godspeed you black emperor! toured the east coast of North America and then Europe to near drooling acclaim. Jessica Bailiff played a series of shows with Low. Low recorded a full length album with Steve Albini that kranky is releasing in North America. Flagship band Labradford hosted a festival in London and then recorded their fifth album, which will be released in North America on kranky. Windy & Carl and Roy Montgomery wowed 'em at Terrastock II. Southern Records and kranky have begun an exclusive distribution relationship that will result in kranky titles being cheaper and more available in the UK and Europe and Southern relesed the European only label sampler "kompilation."
1998 phased into 1999 with Low's amazing Secret Name album being released in North America on kranky and the band undertaking touring. godspeed you black emperor! released a two song, 27+ minute CD EP called Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada that [along with their slow burning live shows] confirmed the band's sonic mastery. Guitarist James Plotkin's long distance collaborations with Mark Spybey and Brent Gutzeit were released as A Peripheral Blur and Mosquito Dream, respectively. Roy Montgomery, collaborating with his partner in Dissolve Chris Heaphy, released the soundtrack to a play called True. Jessica Bailiff's second album, Hour Of The Trace, was recorded once again with Alan Sparhawk of Low and demonstrated Jessica's able mixing of songcraft and sound manipulation. Doldrums released an album called Desk Trickery, a stuttering mix of prog rock, mountain boogie and computer manipulation. Under the Philosopher's Stone monicker, Gareth Mitchell recorded the austere Apparatus and placed himself in the company of electronic minimalists like Ryochi Ikeda and Bernard Gunter. When the leaves turned color Labradford and godspeed you black emperor! toured North America, then Low released their beautiful Christmas CD.
kranky started the last year of the 20th Century [we're sticklers] by releasing Mark Nelson's second Pan American album, 360 Business / 360 Bypass in North America. May 29 the debut album from Fontanelle will be out. This is a new band featuring former Jessamine members Andy Brown and Rex Ritter. Windy & Carl have a new album in the works and Stars Of The Lid are finished a triple LP/ double CD for 2000 release. godspeed you black emperor! will have a new double CD set out on kranky in the fall of 2000. There will be a mystery megamix album, some new bands and a six band kranky showcase in Chicago Oct. 27 and 28 all happening later in the year. Don't touch that dial.