Bad Afro
| Bad Afro Records | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Lars Krogh |
| Genre | Psychedelic rock, garage rock, soul, surf rock, stoner rock |
| Country of origin | Denmark |
| Location | Copenhagen |
| Official website | http://www.badafro.dk |
Bad Afro Records is am independent record lanel based in Copenhagen, Denmark.
History
1996-2002
Bad Afro Records is an independent record label based in Copenhagen, Denmark. The label was founded in 1996 with the purpose of releasing rock’n’roll, punk, surf and garage rock from the Scandinavian countries and Finland. The name, logo and the original slogan “Pushing Scandinavian Rock to the Man!” was inspired by blaxsploitation movies from the early 70’s like Superfly, Foxy Brown and Dolemite.
Bad Afro Records was originally an offshoot of Moshable Magazine (1986–2000). Moshable was an underground punk and garage rock magazine that had focus on the Scandinavian music scene and featured early interviews with bands like The Hellacopters, Turbonegro, Gluecifer and The Flaming Sideburns. In the mid 90’s the Scandinavian garage rock scene was in full bloom and bands that appeared in Moshable started to be released on vinyl on Bad Afro Records. The original idea and goal was to release 50 7” vinyl singles in 10 years to document the music scene in Scandinavia at the time. This goal was never reached – 10 years later only 45 7”singles had been released.
Bad Afro Records began as a singles club where members could sign up and receive the upcoming six vinyl 7” singles on the label. The concept was inspired by the American label Sub Pop which had started their singles club nearly a decade earlier with great success. In 1999 the first album by The Flaming Sideburns was released and although the singles club continued a few years after that the focus of the label shifted towards full album releases.
In the early years most releases on Bad Afro Records could be described as garage rock and punk rock with a few excusions into weirder musical territories. At the time the label worked with artists such as The Hellacopters, Turbonegro, The Nomads, The Flaming Sideburns, The Burnouts, Backyard Babies, Gluecifer, Larry & the Lefthanded, The Chronics, Festermen and The Royal Beat Conspiracy as well as many other bands pretty much in the same vein.
2002-2009
In many ways 2001 to 2004 was the heyday of Bad Afro Records. Scandinavian rock’n’roll was praised all over the world and The Flaming Sideburns were doing very well touring all over the world and was licensed to countries like USA and Australia. In 2003 came the national breakthrough for Bad Afro Records with the release of the Baby Woodrose album “Money For Soul” that featured two major hits on National Radio and was nominated for a Danish Grammy. Baby Woodrose also did a collaboration with Danish beat legend Peter Belli that topped the charts on National Danish Radio and the band played two years in a row on the main stage at the famous Roskilde Festival.
In 2003 Bad Afro re-issued the debut album “Blows Your Mind” by Baby Woodrose which led to some controversy and discussions on freedom of speech for artists. The original artwork was done by the Italian artist collective Malleus and the most important music outlet at the time, Myspace, banned the cover and censored the artwork on several occasions. The artwork was an erotic painting that also made the German pressing plant refuse to print the LP version.
From 2003 and on the Bad Afro Records slowly took a bend towards psychedelic rock in the sense that most of the new bands that was signed in this period often had a psychedelic edge. Besides keeping on releasing Baby Woodrose albums it also meant collaborations with artists like On Trial, The Setting Son, Dragontears and Sarena-Maneesh.
2009-2012
After 13 years of "Pushing Scandinavian Rock to the Man!", as the original slogan goes, the label took another turn in 2009 and decided that it was too limiting only releasing music from Scandinavia. In came The Dolly Rocker Movement from Australia and The Mojomatics from Italy and there is releases by US bands Cosmonauts and Royal Baths on the way in 2012.
As a curiosum it can be mentioned that Bad Afro Records since the beginning as a vinyl based record label has had a policy that makes it easy to tell the difference between first print of the LP’s or 7” singles and later prints. First print is on black vinyl, second print is on red vinyl, 3rd print is on green vinyl and 4th print is on purple vinyl.
Discography
Albums
The Flaming Sideburns – It’s Time to Testify…Brothers and Sisters CD (AFROCD001) – 1999
Union 69 – Holiday 2000 CD (AFROCD003) – 2000
The Burnouts – Go Go Racing CD (AFROCD004) – 2000
The Royal Beat Conspiracy – Gala Galore CD (AFROCD005) – 2000
Festermen – Full Treatment CD (AFROCD006) - 2000
The Chronics – Soulshaker CD (AFROCD009) – 2000
The Flaming Sideburns – Hallelujah Rock’n’Rollah CD/LP (AFROCD011/AFROLP011) – 2001
The Burnouts – Close to Breakevil CD/LP (AFROCD013/AFROLP013) – 2001
The Chronics – Make You Move CD/LP (AFROCD014/AFROLP014) – 2001
The Royal Beat Conspiracy – Dig It! CD/LP (AFROCD015/AFROLP015) – 2002
Sweatmaster – Sharp Cut CD/LP (AFROCD017/AFROLP017) – 2002
Baby Woodrose – Money For Soul CD/LP (AFROCD018/AFROLP018) – 2003
Baby Woodrose – Blows Your Mind CD/LP (AFROCD020/AFROLP020) – 2003
Silver – White Diary CD/LP (AFROCD019/AFROLP019) – 2004
Baby Woodrose – Dropout CD/LP (AFROCD021/AFROLP021) – 2004
Viva Vertigo – Viva Viva CD/LP (AFROCD023/AFROLP023) – 2004
The Defectors – Turn Me On CD/LP (AFROCD024/AFROLP024) – 2004
Sweatmaster – Tom Tom Bullet CD/LP (AFROCD025/AFROLP025) – 2005
Slideshaker – In the Raw CD/LP (AFROCD026/AFROLP026) – 2005
On Trial – Forever CD/LP (AFROCD027/AFROLP027) - 2006
The Flaming Sideburns – Back to the Grave CD/LP (AFROCD028/AFROLP028) – 2006
Silver – World Against World CD (AFROCD033) – 2006
The Defectors – Bruised and Satisfied CD/LP (AFROCD029/AFROLP029) CD – 2007
Dragontears – 2000 Micrograms From Home CD/LP (AFROCD032/AFROLP032) – 2007
The Setting Son – s/t CD/LP (AFROCD034/AFROLP034) – 2007
Baby Woodrose – Chasing Rainbows CD/LP (AFROCD035/AFROLP035) – 2007
Dragontears – Tambourine Freak Machine CD/LP (AFROCD037/AFROLP037) – 2008
The Setting Son – Spring of Hate CD/LP (AFROCD036/AFROLP036) – 2009
Baby Woodrose – s/t CD/LP (AFROCD038/AFROLP038) – 2009
The Dolly Rocker Movement – Our days Mind the Tyme CD/LP (AFROCD039/AFROLP039) – 2010
Dragontears – Turn On Tune In Fuck Off!! CD/LP (AFROCD040/AFROLP040) – 2010
Baby Woodrose – Mindblowing Seeds & Disconnected Flowers CD/LP (AFROCD041/AFROLP041) - 2011
Baby Woodrose - Love Comes Down CD/LP (AFROCD042/AFROLP042) – 2011
Telstar Sound Drone - Comedown LP (AFROLP045) - 2013
EPs
The Flaming Sideburns – It’s Time to Testify...Brothers and Sisters 10” (FRO1001) – 1998
The Royal Beat Conspiracy – Music to Rock the Nation 10” (FRO1002) – 1999
The Royal Beat Conspiracy – Shake What You Have Got CD (AFROCD007) – 2000
The Hellacopters/The Flaming Sideburns – Split CD/10” (AFROCD008/FRO1003) – 2001
The Maggots – This Condition is Incurable CD/10” (AFROCD012/FRO1004) – 2002
Sweatmaster – Song With no Words CD/12” (AFROCD022/FRO1006) – 2004
The Defectors/Powersolo - Snot Dum Split 12" (FRO1008) - 2005
22 Pistepirkko/The Others – Ou Wee! CD/12” (AFROCD031/FRO1009) – 2006
Compilations
V/A – Pushing Scandinavian Rock to the Man! vol. 1 CD (AFROCD002) – 1999
V/A – Pushing Scandinavian Rock to the Man! vol. 2 CD (AFROCD010) – 2001
V/A – Pushing Scandinavian Rock to the Man! vol. 3 CD (AFROCD016) - 2002
Live LPs
Baby Woodrose – Live at Gutter Island LP (FRO1005) – 2003
The Defectors – Live at Gutter Island LP (FRO1007) - 2004
On Trial - Live at Gutter Island LP (FRO1010) - 2007
7" vinyl singles
Trouble Bound Gospel - Shakin' Ray 7" (FRO001) – 1996
The Hellacopters - Misanphropic High 7" (FRO002) – 1996
Larry & The Lefthanded - Johnny The Void 7" (FRO003) – 1997
The Nomads - Love's Gone Bad 7" (FRO004) – 1997
Turbonegro - Suffragette City 7" (FRO005) - 1997
Gluecifer - Dambuster 7" (FRO006) – 1997
The Flaming Sideburns - Get Down Or Get Out 7" (FRO007) – 1997
Submerged – Mr. Blues 7" (FRO008) – 1997
The Royal Beat Conspiracy - It's Not Enough 7" (FRO009) – 1998
The Grinners - Girl From Outer Space 7" (FRO010) – 1998
The Duplo - Cold Ring of R'n’R 7" (FRO011) - 1998
Backyard Babies – (Is It) Still Alright to Smile 7" (FRO012) – 1998
Shake Appeal - Beer is the Way Out 7" (FRO013) - 1998
Union 69 - Come Smell the Magic 7" (FRO014) – 1999
The Tremolo Beer Gut - Squaresville 7" (FRO015) – 1999
Turpentines - Showstopper 7" (FRO016) - 1999
The Burnouts - No Erection, No Love 7" (FRO017) – 1999
Festermen – Toelake Snakeman 7" (FRO018) - 1999
Mother Superior – 3 track EP 7" (FRO019) –1999
Dialtones – So Many Girls 7" (FRO020) - 2000
Rockets – Creatures Nite Out 7" (FRO021) - 2000
Peepshows – Genius 7" (FRO022) – 2000
The Chronics - Fire Up 7" (FRO023) - 2000
The Maggots – Gonna Make You Pay 7" (FRO024) - 2000
Ricochets – Fall Down Dead 7" (FRO025) - 2001
The Flaming Sideburns - Street Survivor 7" (FRO026) - 2001
Thee Ultra Bimboos - PMS 666 7" (FRO027) - 2001
Sweatmaster - Hold It 7" (FRO028) - 2001
Cosmo Jones Beat Machine - 7" (FRO029) - 2001
Sewergrooves – I've Got Levitation 7" (FRO030) - 2002
On Trial - Higher 7" (FRO031) – 2002
Baby Woodrose - Never Coming Back 7" (FRO032) - 2002
Sweatmaster – Well Connected 7" (FRO033) - 2003
Baby Woodrose – Disconnected 7" (FRO034) - 2003
Silver – Evacuate 7" (FRO035) - 2004
Peter Belli & Baby Woodrose - Nok Af Dig 7" (FRO036) - 2004
Boomhauer – Work on a Spell 7" (FRO037) - 2004
Ghost Rocket – Drug Freedom 7” (FRO038) – 2004
Baby Woodrose/Sweatmaster – Split 7” (FRO039) - 2004
Sweatmaster – Dirty Rabbit 7” (FRO040) - 2005
Slideshaker – Bones 7” (FRO041) - 2005
Columbian Neckties – Get It For You 7" (FRO043) – 2006
The Flaming Sideburns – Count me Out 7” (FRO044) – 2006
The Setting Son – In a Certain Way 7” (FRO045) - 2007
Baby Woodrose – Coming Around Again 7” (FRO046) - 2008
Baby Woodrose/Dollhouse – Split 7” (FRO047) – 2008
Serena-Maneesh – Montrose 7” (FRO048) - 2009
The Mojomatics – Don’t Believe me When I’m High 7” (BARINT001) - 2009
The Dolly Rocker Movement – Our Brand New World 7” (BARINT002) - 2009
Radio Saigon – Another Time 7” (FRO049) - 2010
On Trial – On Trial 2x7” (FRO050) - 2011
Telstar Sound Drone – Mirror Pieces 7” (FRO051) – 2011
CD singles
The Royal Beat Conspiracy – Disco Boy CDs (FROCDS001) - 2000
The Flaming Sideburns – Loose My Soul CDs (FROCDS002) - 2001
The Flaming Sideburns – Flowers CDs (FROCDS003) – 2002
The Royal Beat Conspiracy – Good All Over CDs (FROCDS004) - 2002
Baby Woodrose – Carry CDs (FROCDS005) - 2003
Silver – Intimate Cussing CDs (FROCDS006) – 2004
Silver – Angels Calling CDs (FROCDS008) – 2004
Silver – Funeral Class One (FROCDS009) - 2004
The Defectors - It's Gonna Take Some Time CDs(PROMOFRO002)- 2004
Baby Woodrose – I Can’t Explain CDs (FROCDS010) – 2004
Viva Vertigo – Viva Viva (Edie Sedqwick) CDs (FROCDS011) – 2004
Sweatmaster – Maggots CDs (FROCDS012) – 2005
Sweatmaster – Dirty Rabbit CDs (FROCDS013) – 2005
Slideshaker - Bones CDs (FROCDS014) - 2005
Sweatmaster – Good looks, Big Deal CDs (FROCDS015) - 2006
The Defectors – The Final Thrill CDs (FROCDS016) – 2006
References
http://rockandrollreport.com/the-rock-and-roll-report-indie-label-spotlight-is-on-bad-afro-records (English)
http://www.ox-fanzine.de/web/itv/394/interviews.212.html (German)
http://www.b.dk/kultur/foerste-led-i-musikkens-foedekaede (Danish)
http://www.diskant.dk/artikler/interviews/bad-afro-records-interview.htm (Danish)
http://www.freakout-online.com/special.aspx?idspecial=53 (Italian)
Video Clips
The Flaming Sideburns – Blow The Roof – 2001 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tdMw-JVYPU&feature=related
The Flaming Sideburns – Flowers – 2002 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHvlNtT-N80
Baby Woodrose – Pouring Water – 2003 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvfU0cgnnEM
Silver – Intimate Cussing – 2004 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_wViQ3u1H0&feature=related
Silver – Funeral Class One – 2004 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQQWbPvVfRE
The Defectors – It’s Gonna Take Some Time – 2004 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqWnuy1SMJs
Sweatmaster – Song With no Words – 2004 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl6DLzVSsTE
Sweatmaster – Good Looks, Big Deal – 2005 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDVxJprajYw
Baby Woodrose – All Over Now – 2006 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9Md9m1V0-E
Baby Woodrose – Kitty Galore – 2006 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjxS_S-jjsA
Silver – The Personal Decay – 2006 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4KHR2MQnF4
The Mojomatics – Don’t Believe me When I’m High – 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5Je5PUDMWw
The Setting Sin – Soulmate – 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plM42390fvo
Baby Woodrose – Twilight Princess – 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3KSHS8_MlM
The Dolly Rocker Movement – Memory Lane – 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=846SF4gWVpU