Bad News from Touch & Go Records

Very sad to hear the legendary Touch & Go Records must “drastically cut back its staff and cease its distribution services.” Touch & Go has been a ground-breaking indie-rock and punk record label for over 25 years and has always embodied the true DIY work ethic, earning  great respect within the community by always treating its bands and its customers fairly and putting out exceptional product. Here’s a list of bands they’ve worked with.

In an e-mail, Merge founder Mac McCaughan calls Touch and Go “the most straight-up and ass-busting-for-music-they-love people we know.”

“Corey Rusk is the most meticulous, cautious, thoughtful business person I know,” he said, “which is what makes this whole thing so unbelievable and such a bad portent for the rest of the independent music business — if a company that did everything the right way can’t survive in this environment (and the environment existed before the current worldwide financial disaster — the Bush economic legacy only piled on), then who can?” More from The L.A. Times.

Hopefully they will rebound. In the meantime, enjoy this great video about the history of the label and founder Corey Rusk, a real good guy.

And here’s the almighty Pegboy — older and fatter, but still rocking and funny as hell –being interviewed during Touch & Go’s 25th Anniversary Show:

TAGS: chicago. indie rock • corey rusk • mekons • pegbot • Pegboy • Punk • steve albini • touch and go • Touch & Go Records