What Are Records? (or W.A.R.?) is an independent record label located in Boulder, Colorado. Founded in New York City in 1991 by owner Rob Gordon, former director of A&R at EMI,[1] the company moved to Boulder in 1994.
What Are Records? | |
---|---|
Founded | 1991 |
Founder | Rob Gordon |
Distributor(s) | Select-O-Hits |
Genre | Various |
Country of origin | U.S. |
Location | Boulder, Colorado |
Official website | whatarerecords |
W.A.R.? has released over 100 records by Frank Black (of The Pixies), Bill Burr, Stephen Lynch, The Samples, Maceo Parker, Melissa Ferrick, and Whitest Kids U' Know.[2]
What Are Records? was founded in Gordon's New York City loft in 1991. From the beginning, it fostered a direct-to-stores and direct-to-consumers distribution strategy[3] Friend of Gordon and The Samples then-manager,[4] Ted Guggenheim, urged W.A.R.? to sign The Samples and they soon were among the first signings to the label.[5] Other early acts included comedian Stephen Lynch,[6] funk saxophone legend Maceo Parker (known for having played in James Brown’s band), former Squeeze frontman Glen Tilbrook, Grammy and Tony-nominated composer and piano man David Yazbek, singer-songwriter David Wilcox, and singer-songwriter Melissa Ferrick.
Gordon relocated the company to Boulder in 1991[7] and has been operating out of the offices designed by architect Charles Haertling ever since.[8]