Burnt Hair Records

Burnt Hair Records
Parent company unknown
Founded 1990
Founder Larry Hofmann
Status Inactive
Distributor(s) independent
Genre Space rock, drone
Country of origin USA
Location Dearborn, MI

Burnt Hair Records was a record label involved with Michigan's space rock alternative music scene in the 1990s. The label is said to have been most responsible for cultivating the Detroit sound of this period.[1] Burnt Hair recorded artists in various experimental genres also known by appellations such as indie pop, indie rock, ambient music, drone music, dream pop and electronica. The label was founded by Larry Hofmann in Dearborn. Burnt Hair released recordings by artists and bands including Windy & Carl, Hopewell, Mahogany, Ten Second Dynasty, Miss Bliss, Tomorrowland, DELTA WAVES,[2] Starphase 23, Füxa, Auburn Lull,[3] Monaural (Band), Gravity Wax, Asha Vida,[4] Flowchart (DJ Sean O'Neal) and Alison's Halo.[5][6]

History

Burnt Hair records was "unquestionably the label most responsible for cultivating Detroit's sound"[1] of space rock, one of the most exciting[1] regional scenes to emerge in the latter half of the 1990s.[1]

Larry Hofmann was a DJ on WHFR and helped many bands make their first recordings.[7]

Burnt Hair got the Mahogany (band)'s recording career started after Larry Hofmann saw the band perform in 1996. Burnt Hair released a split 12" for them.[8] Burnt Hair also recorded Mahogany's The Dream of a Modern Day 51 minute CD.[9] Mahogany's Andrew Prinz produced and designed the sleeve for Auburn Lull's debut full-length album Alone I Admire, which was released on Burnt Hair and reissued by California by Darla Records in 2002.[10][11] Burnt Hair also released Mahogany's 2000 album The Dream of a Modern Day that Darla Records calls "their favorite album of 2000".[12] It was later rereleased on Darla Records.[12] Monaural

Burnt Hair also issued the debut album of Michigan band Monaural with the 12" EP Harmonic/ Rhodes in 1996. The instrumental music of the two long tracks was said to have been inspired by the British shoegazers. Monaural used live instrumentation recorded into their computers.[13] Burnt Hair also recorded space trio Asha Vida, a band that "became the epitome of the American underground band" and "managed to mass a small international cult following, as well as critical acclaim." [14] The group offered the underground music press an alternative to grunge in the early '90s, and "Attention was briefly diverted by the discovery of a small, but flourishing Michigan-based space-rock scene... including ethereal-minded bands from the Detroit area (that) flooded the market with singles and 45s, all attempting to get a piece of the psychedelic rock pie." [14] On Asha Vida's 1998 Burnt Hair records release, Nature's Clumsy Hand, the trio abandoned traditional song structure and created "a sonic feast of live improvs and art-noise bliss".[14]

Burnt Hair recorded Alison's Halo's debut full-length CD album Eyedazzler, a collection of "spaced-out dreampop recorded over the course of 4 years" from 1992 to 96.[15] The songs were captured to "glorious" 2,4, & 8 cassette portastudios at the band's own Jetpack Studios.[5] Tracks include: Raindrop, Wishes, Melt, Chime, Always April, Slowbleed, Torn, Leech, Sunshy, Chalkboard James and two bonus live tracks recorded at 1995's Beautiful Noise Festival.[5] The album was reviewed in the UK.[16] At the end period of the label Burnt Hair released the DELTA WAVES which was a split release with Top Quality Rock & Roll in 2002 called the DELTA WAVES dream in real time .[17] This was a mix of all things Burnt Hair (space rock, drone, electronic, shoegaze, and experimental).

Music genre

The space rock music genre has British roots from the 60s and 70s with bands such as Pink Floyd. The genre saw a revival in the 1990s including regional music scenes and grass roots interest that developed into small independent record labels in various countries. Distribution methods for the groups and their independent labels included cassette releases of 50 or so at a time, magazine give-away promotions and tribute album compilations.[18] Sometimes recorded on 2, 4, and 8 track tapes,[19] the music was also traded among college students in a wired world.[1] The limited release singles were later collected in "singles compilations" where the often out-of-print tracks and sometimes a few alternate takes and live recordings, such as from a local Detroit public radio station, filled out the releases.[20]

Fans of the bands recorded by Burnt Hair refer to the music as dreampop, indie pop, drone, ethereal, avant garde, alternative and ambience layered over electronic percussion.[21] The music has also been described using adjectives like swooshy, swirly, dreamy, noisy, whammybarorama music, and been referred to as electronica, indie rock, and Americana. Reverb drenched guitars, keyboard synthesizers and effects pedals are used for effect.[22]

Partial discography

External links

Notes and references

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Of the many regional scenes to have exploded in the mid-to-late '90s, Detroit’s space rock scene was certainly among the most exciting. " Fitzpatrick, Ian. "Dusted reviews: Auburn Lull", Dusted Magazine, May 18, 2005. Retrieved December 20, 2008.
  2. ↑ Press release for Delta Waves release http://www.topqualityrockandroll.com/press/Delta_Waves_One_Sheet.pdf
  3. ↑ "Auburn Lull have proven surprisingly hard to forget. Minor members of Michigan's minor space rock scene-- think Burnt Hair Records, Windy and Carl, Mahogany; call it suburbgaze-- the Lansing quartet are now on their fourth Darla (Records) release" Record Review by Andrew Gaerig, June 19, 2008 Pitchfork Media http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/51075-begin-civil-twilight
  4. ↑ "On their 1998 Burnt Hair records release, Nature's Clumsy Hand the trio totally abandons traditional song structure, instead creating a sonic feast of live improvs and art-noise bliss." Asha Vida biography by Dale Nicholls from Allmusic, on CMT http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/asha_vida/bio.jhtml
  5. 1 2 3 Alison Halo discography webpage http://www.alisonshalo.com/sound.html
  6. ↑ " The album was originally released in 1999 on Burnt Hair Records, the Michigan label known for drone excursions by groups like Füxa and Windy & Carl" Auburn Lull band webpage http://www.auburnlull.com/pages.php?tabid=5&pageid=8&title=Alone+I+Admire+-+Pitchfork+review
  7. ↑ Gravity Wax band profile Silvergirl.com http://www.silvergirl.com/gravitywax.html
  8. ↑ "Dream pop band Mahogany was formed in December 1995 by Allysa Massais and Andrew Prinz, who shared a love for composers such as Debussy and bands such as Section 25. In February 1996, Larry Hofmann of Burnt Hair Records saw the duo play one of its first shows in Lansing, MI, and later released a split 12" with fellow Lansing band Auburn Lull." Mahogany artist profile MTV.com http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/mahogany/artist.jhtml
  9. ↑ "While there are apparently 11 separate tracks here, the construction of them makes it sound like there's really just one long beautiful, spacey song on this, occasionally broken up by pauses that signify you're actually going onto something new. " Mahogany - The Dream of a Modern Day: Burnt Hair Records by Holly Day 2001-05-20 Music Dish http://www.musicdish.com/mag/?id=3793
  10. ↑ "In 1999, Mahogany's Andrew Prinz produced and designed the sleeve for Auburn Lull's debut full-length, Alone I Admire, which was initially released on Burnt Hair and reissued by California-based Darla Records in 2002" About Auburn Lull 1/1/1995 Detroit Metro Times http://www.metrotimes.com/music/artistprofile.asp?id=3296
  11. ↑ "EXTREMELY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! NOW REISSUED!!! One of our favorite albums, period. Originally released March, 1999 on Burnt Hair Records this classic ambient/ethereal masterpiece produced by Andrew Prinz of Mahogany, has been out of print for over a year." Tonevendor.com album profile http://www.tonevendor.com/item/16
  12. 1 2 http://www.darla.com/catalog/desc.asp?id=2474
  13. ↑ "'Monaural charts the highways and byways of inner and outer space, but the groups also indulges a subterranean dub aesthetic - sculpting thick, hypnotic soundscapes against a relentlessly low pulsebeat.' -Raleigh Spectator Monaural shifted from their much-heralded first release, a 12" on Burnt Hair records" http://www.badabingrecords.com/artist.php?artist_id=145
  14. 1 2 3 Asha Vida biography by Dale Nicholls from Allmusic CMT http://music.yahoo.com/ar-6310421-bio--Asha-Vida
  15. ↑ "Debut full-length on Michigan's infamous Burnt Hair Records." Alison Halo discography webpage http://www.alisonshalo.com/sound.html
  16. ↑ Eyedazzler review by Le Samourai 18/07/2000 Unsung section of Head Heritage UK website https://www.headheritage.co.uk/unsung/review/128
  17. 1 2 http://topqualityrockandroll.com/delta_waves.htm
  18. ↑ Introspection [3xCD box] (Blue Flea) Windy & Carl album review (bottom of webpage) http://home.comcast.net/~nosoapradio/december.htm
  19. ↑ https://www.headheritage.co.uk/unsung/review/128
  20. ↑ "My selection as the archival release of the year." Introspection [3xCD box] (Blue Flea) Windy & Carl album review (bottom of webpage) http://home.comcast.net/~nosoapradio/december.htm
  21. ↑ Lysator, the Academic Computer Society in Linköping University in Linköping, Sweden. http://www.lysator.liu.se/~chief/avalyn/av98-046.htm
  22. ↑ http://www.topqualityrockandroll.com/press/Delta_Waves_One_Sheet.pdf
  23. ↑ http://www.silvergirl.com/gravitywax.html
  24. ↑ "Monaural shifted from their much-heralded first release, a 12” on Burnt Hair records, with Monitor Interference" http://www.brainwashed.com/badabing/monaural.html
  25. ↑ http://www.theorchard.com/dist/releaseInfo.php?upc=669910477014
  26. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/artist/Flowchart
  27. ↑ http://www.fuzzybox.com/content/news.html
  28. ↑ "Hopewell was formed in 1994 and caught the attention of Burnt Hair Records, a Detroit psychedelic label that released Hopewell's first seven inch. " Hopewella pstch, rock, opera success story by Gary S. Angelo 9/30/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment The Jambar
  29. ↑ http://usedbinforever.blogspot.com/2006/08/ten-second-dynasty-heres-psychedelic.html
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