Hazelwood Vinyl Plastics – the Frankfurt based German record label for the tolerant stoic has been around forever.
In the beginning of forever, there was the band Alex Hazelwood feat. TCS. It was named after the captain of the Exxon Valdez, Alex Josef Hazelwood, who, after enjoying a couple of vodka cocktails, decided to pull ashore on a small reef in Alaska’s Prince William Sound. Let’s just say there was a little oil spilled as a result and the whole area was somewhat of a catastrophe (similar to the apartment where the first Hazelwood records were concocted). It is in this apartment that Hazelwood Vinyl Plastics was formed by an autonomous, overzealous and totally vain crew of characters (in other words, a normal bunch of late bloomer adolescents) who wanted to make albums with people like themselves.
Although it is nearly impossible to define the Hazelwood sound and style, it is definitely there. Maybe it’s like a small village that got cut off from the rest of the world because of some sort of natural disaster. After 100 years the village was rejoined with the rest of society and somehow the inhabitants look similar but at the same time are totally different than the rest of the population.
Maybe this is caused by the fact that the label runs its own recording studio. Running your own studio means freedom to think the unthinkable and go for it.
Hazelwood’s bands vary greatly but have one important aspect in common: their attitude. Artists on Hazelwood have a sense of humor, take to the irony of life, and are open-minded about the absurd. People we sign with are endued with generosity, gentleness, modesty and tact. No pretenders, no arrogant cretins, no cheaters or finks. A Hazelwood artist is reflective, curious, and conscious of the fact that he won’t be able to form the world as he thinks best – an acute observer with an appreciation for fairness, who draws fine distinctions whenever it comes to morals.
Trends change, hairstyles change and Hazelwood at any rate has their say in changing the music (but idiots will never change). You could think of Hazelwood along with their bands as somewhat of a clan – a hippie commune without the hippies or a terror cell without the terror.
Pop Ruckus!
John Dear Mowing Club - Cowboy GirlSmokestack Lightnin' - The Big KahunaMardi Gras.BB - Down Down DownFriendly Rich & the Lollipop People - Friendly FireKing Khan & BBQ "Pig Pig" by Candersonhazelwood vinyl user manualthe charwoman had affected an utter inability to understand what she didreason in revolt now thunders
