WE ARE NOT SIGNING NEW BANDS, PLEASE DO NOT WRITE US ABOUT SENDING YOUR DEMO TAPE. Thank you and good night...
Frontier Records was founded in 1980 by Lisa Fancher. It was one of the first independent labels to document the nascent hard-core punk rock scene of Los Angeles, before it branched out into other scenes and sounds, such as the Paisley Underground and (always) guitar-based bands such as Thin White Rope, The Young Fresh Fellows and Heatmiser.
After learning the indie label ropes from her mentors Greg and Suzy Shaw at Bomp! Records, Fancher hit the first jackpot with the release of the Group Sex album by the Circle Jerks (though the Flyboys EP was the actual first Frontier release.) The success of Group Sex set the label up for iconic punk releases by the Adolescents, T.S.O.L., China White, and Suicidal Tendencies --whose defining anthem "Institutionalized" made its appearance here.
Also of note from this era was discovering the ultimate Goth band, Christian Death, and its releasing its masterpiece-- Only Theatre of Pain. The importance of these albums cannot be overstated, its hard to imagine the future worldwide success of the Offspring, Green Day or Blink 182 without them!
Frontier Records took a turn for the Technicolor in the mid-80s with such bands as the Salvation Army and the Long Ryders. The Salvation Army's psychedelic pop may have been perplexing to punk purists, but their genius was more than welcome to the labels musical expansion. A name change to Three O'Clock and two more Frontier releases, then the boys went on to what they thought were going to be bigger things The Long Ryders can take credit for kick starting the alt.country scene a good 10 years ahead of the pack, as if theyd want to.
By 1986, the Frontier staff had their hands full with Thin White Rope, Naked Prey, the Pontiac Brothers, EIEIO, Flying Color and American Music Club. All of them were ahead of their time and/or critical darlings, but only AMC survived long enough to see a measurable degree of financial success (if thats what success is measured by.) The Pontiac Brothers took the Stones/Faces ball and moved it onto their own court, writing retro without becoming clothes-horse parodies. If they'd lasted a couple years longer, the world would have been their oyster Of Thin White Rope-- not enough superlatives can be said. Truly one of the greatest guitar bands that ever made ears ring, they disbanded in 1992 after a show in Ghent, Belgium which was recorded and released as The One That Got Away.
The first Frontier band from the mighty Pacific Northwest-- Seattle's Young Fresh Fellows. They've defied description for nearly two decades, covering just about every conceivable musical style, and succeeding admirably. From the sublime to the silly, their earnestness burrows its way into the most cynical of souls. Bare Naked Ladies: We think you should be paying tithes to the Young Fresh Fellows! Following YFFs auspicious lead came Portland's Dharma Bums, a rockin' little band with a huge heart and a monster sound to match.
Never at a loss for finding talent, the keen ears of Frontier have found out-of-print classics that demand a re-release and soon became valuable additions to the Frontier family. It began with the former Smoke 7 junque-rock icon, Born Innocent by Redd Kross, soon followed by Dangerhouse Volume 1 and Volume II, which include most of the crucial songs issued by the legendary L.A. punk label.
Portlands Heatmiser furthered the Frontier/Pacific Northwest connection. Heatmiser's distinctive brand of groove-oriented punk rock has won them a slavish following and reams of press praise for their two albums (Dead Air and Cop & Speeder), and interim EP (Yellow No.5). Elliott Smith's tragically short, critically lauded solo career ensures continuing interest in these three emocore classics.
Ten years after Thin White Ropes demise, Guy Kyser has made the world a better place by recording a new record with his wife and new bandmates. Out March 19, 2002, The Mummydogs is making rock critics reach for ever longer and more complex words, when god-like genius really says it all. 2003 was definitely the year of the Weirdos, as Frontier coaxed a second volume of Weird World from the band. Sorry, the Weirdos only release records every 12 years! The band was so re-energized that they have reformed and are making their first foray to Europe in late spring.
The label comes full circle in 2005 (March, to be precise) when it celebrates its 25-year anniversary with the release of an album of mostly previously unreleased Adolescents material The Complete Demos 1980-1986. On CD and colored vinyl of course! From the beginning, Frontier has maintained a small, focused roster, creating a trustworthy bond with our very lifeblood the independent stores, magazines, radio stations and record buyers that have supported us all these years. Heres to us, and cheers to you!
