TKO Records

TKO Records
Founded1997 (1997)
FounderMark Rainey
GenreHardcore punk, street punk
Country of originU.S.
LocationPortland, Oregon
Official websitetkorecords.com

TKO Records is an independent punk rock record label in Portland, Oregon. The label is primarily known for its role in the late 1990s American street punk scene and has continued its notability as a source of new releases, reissues, and archival recordings.[1] The OC Weekly newspaper recognized the label as "best record label" in Orange County in 2011[2] and its record store of the same name as "best punk-rock record store" in Orange County, 2008.[3]

History

TKO Records was founded by Mark Rainey in 1997 in San Francisco, California. Early on the label rose to prominence with releases from the Dropkick Murphys, Lower Class Brats, Anti-Heros, Swingin' Utters, The Templars, Pressure Point, Workin' Stiffs, U.S. Bombs, and The Forgotten.[2] The label helped to establish a sound and aesthetic for the street punk scene in the United States that was then rising in popularity. As TKO's prominence within the punk rock scene increased, the label also began releasing records from veteran punk bands such as Cocksparrer, Angelic Upstarts, the Partisans, Slaughter and the Dogs, The Bruisers, Chelsea, The Business, The Real Kids, and Antiseen.[4]

Eventually the label relocated to Orange County, California and from 2000 to 2005 continued building a name with notable releases from "Beach Punk" bands such as the Smut Peddlers, the Stitches, Smogtown, the Crowd and Broken Bottles while continuing to release street punk and Oi! records.[5]

In 2007 TKO Records opened a record store in Fountain Valley, California as part of the label's ten year anniversary. The label continues to release reissues and archival recordings from seminal punk bands, such as Poison Idea, the Templars, T.S.O.L., The Meatmen, Antiseen, No For An Answer, Channel 3, and Iron Cross, as well as new recordings from Giuda, The label's store front relocated to Huntington Beach, California in 2013 and has hosted readings from punk rock related writers, such as Tesco Vee, Jack Grisham, Alice Bag, Chris D. and Legs McNeil, as well live performances from artists including Deniz Tek, Chuck Dukowski, Scott Weinrich, Joe Keithley and Channel 3. The store specializes in rare, out of print records, as well as new releases from punk, hardcore, garage, reggae, ska, rock, and metal bands.[2][3]

In the Fall of 2014, the label relocated to Portland, Oregon.

After being sold to new owners in 2016, the TKO Records record store in Huntington Beach, CA closed in January 2020.

Mark Rainey has also co-run the imprint record label Flat Records, along with Ken Casey of the Dropkick Murphys. Flat's releases have included records from Agnostic Front and Blood For Blood.[6]

Recent Roster

  • ANTiSEEN (2000-Present)
  • Death Ridge Boys (2023)
  • Long Knife (2023)
  • Lower Class Brats (1997-Present)
  • No Time (2023)
  • Poison Idea (2007-Present)
  • Rose Of Victory (2022)
  • Savage Beat (2022)
  • Soft Kill (2020)
  • the Templars (1997-Present)
  • Tyrant (2023)

Former

[4]

Flat Records roster

References

  1. ^ Travis, Tiffini A (April 13, 2012). Skinheads: A Guide to an American Subculture (First ed.). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. p. 37. ISBN 0313359539.
  2. ^ a b c "Best Record Label Orange County 2011". OC Weekly. October 13, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Best Punk-Rock Record Store Orange County 2008 - TKO Records". OC Weekly. October 9, 2008. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  4. ^ a b Discogs, Discogs. "TKO Discogs Page". Discogs. Discogs. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
  5. ^ Alim, Nadeem (December 20, 2010). "Making and Selling Music, for the Record". Fountain Valley Patch. Fountain Valley Patch. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
  6. ^ Discogs, Page. "Flat Records Discogs Page". Discogs. Discogs. Retrieved 2014-07-15.