Gringo Records

Gringo Records
Founded	1996
Distributor(s)	Cargo Records
Genre	Experimental Rock, DIY music
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Location	Nottingham
Official website	www.gringorecords.com

Founded in 1996, Gringo Records is a long-running independent record label based in Nottingham, England. It is known for releasing experimental rock music and its DIY ethic.

History

The label formed in Colchester in 1996 from involvements in the Damn You! fanzine, and inspired by the International Pop Underground Convention.^[1] Its first release was a Lando/Teebo split 7″ which was given to Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai (his former band Eska later released on Gringo Records).^[2] The label's second release, Hirameka Hi-Fi's ‘Munchin’, received radio air play from both BBC Radio 1's John Peel and Steve Lamacq which importantly saw the label gain distribution for releases. Following this San Lorenzo and Reynolds released singles on the label and the three acts regularly played live shows together as a Gringo package. With their second release on Gringo Records entitled the "Play Hard" EP Hirameka Hi-Fi received further national airplay and press coverage prompting professional interest from the music industry. Later Hirameka Hi-Fi recorded a "Session Unsigned" session for the Evening Session.^[3] The bands Wolves! (Of Greece), Reynolds and Hirameka Hi-Fi performed live for Radio 1 in 2002, and in 2003 Bilge Pump were invited to play a Peel Session.^[4] Gringo Records artists have also received mainstream press attention,^[5] such as Hookworms' album Pearl Mystic, and the label continues to be important regionally.^[6] Gringo Record's lengthy regional importance and influence was recognised with its nomination in 2013 for Best Small Label at the national AIM Independent Music Awards.^[7] Both Yannis of Foals and Bloc Party have named themselves as fans of Gringo.^[8] Gringo's That Fucking Tank toured with the Foals in 2014.^[9]

Artists

Current

• Bilge Pump
• Broken Arm
• Cold Pumas
• Fists
• Grey Hairs
• Hookworms
• I'm Being Good
• Kogumaza
• Sauna Youth
• Soeza
• That Fucking Tank
• The Unit Ama
• The Wharves
• Vision Fortune

Former

• Erase Errata
• Eska
• Hey Colossus
• Hirameka Hi-Fi
• Kill Yourself
• Lords
• Ox Scapula
• Part Chimp
• Polaris
• San Lorenzo
• Souvaris
• Spin Spin the Dogs
• Wolves! (of Greece)

Discography

• Lando/ Teebo - split 7"
• Hirameka Hi-Fi - Munchin
• San Lorenzo - single
• Reynolds - single
• Hirameka Hi-Fi - Play Hard EP
• Red Monkey/ Erase Errata - 7" (2003)^[10]
• That Fucking Tank - Tanknology (2009)^[11]
• That Fucking Tank - TFT (CD version, 2012)^[12]
• That Fucking Tank - A Document Of The Last Set (Vinyl/MP3, 2013)^[13]

References

1. "Label Focus No.5 - Gringo Records". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
2. "Gringo Records feature". Diskant. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
3. "Label Focus No.5 - Gringo Records". Drowned In Sound. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
4. "FAQ". Gringo. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
5. "Soeza - Why Do You Do review". Drowned In Sound. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
6. "Independent Record Labels". Impact. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
7. "AIM Independent Music Awards Nominees Announced". The Association of Independent Music. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
8. "Gringo Records feature". Leftlion. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
9. "That F*cking Tank announce tour dates with Foals". Soundsphere. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
10. "Erase Errata / Red Monkey (2) - Erase Errata / Red Monkey (Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-06-02.
11. "NME review", July 9, 2009
12. "NME review", March 12, 2012
13. "Drowned In Sound review", October 7th, 2013