Happy New Year! Thanks again for taking the time to support this lil’ old label. I can’t express in words how crazy it is and how much I have appreciated everyone’s support for last 25 years. The last two years in particular were pretty crazy. The new found interest in what the label has released over the past 25 years in addition to some new releases from the likes of Attic Salt, Broadcaster, Off With Their Heads, Mind Power, and The Readymen has really recharged the batteries here. Can’t thank everyone enough. It’s very much appreciated. There’s still a lot of work to do to get things to a consistent level, but how much I’ll be able to do that, who knows? Lots of potential changes in the future, but regardless, a lot of great releases coming down the pipe in 2022. We can’t wait to announce them!
To celebrate the New Year as well as continuing to celebrate 25 years of making bad decisions, here’s a little something from the ol’ Jump Start way back machine…
Back in 2001 I was living in State College, Pennsylvania, 3 years removed from graduating college and living the dream playing in a notoriously fun punk-ska band called No On 15. Jump Start was only five years removed from it’s first release, but I’d like to think I was finally getting my sea legs under me when I decided to reach out to other Pennsylvania punk bands about participating in a PA band only comp. At the time Pittsburgh and Philadelphia had well established scenes, but there were also a lot of great bands playing throughout the state. No On 15 was lucky enough to have played with almost all the bands that eventually ended up on this comp. The only problem was that by the time I had the artwork and all the audio ready, a half dozen bands on the comp had broken up.
Bummer.
Fast forward two more years and I’ve now updated the comp with new bands to replace the ones that had broken up. But again, same as before, by the time all the tracks were compiled and the artwork was updated several of the bands again broke up putting me back at square one.
Well, it’s 2022. The last two years have been a total shitshow. Let’s get weird.
Here’s this long, lost compilation of 24 Pennsylvania punk/emo/whatever bands from over 20 years ago. It’s not a complete picture by any means, as you’ll notice an apparent lack of bands from the Philly scene at the time, but that makes sense considering this was a snapshot of the Pennsylvania scene at large in 2001 as seen by and through me and my travels playing every and each corner of the state.
FUCK THE EAST BAY… WE’RE FROM PA!
I want to point out that I have nothing but love for East Bay punk. If it weren’t for Lookout! Records and bands like Op Ivy, Dance Hall Crashers, and Green Day there’s a chance this label would never exist.
The name of the comp was merely a tongue in cheek way of saying “Hey, that stuff is cool, but we’re doing cool shit too.” So much attention was being directed at bands from the East Bay scene, and California at large at the time as well I just felt like people should know about all the fun and crazy shit going down in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania. I think this original tracking of the compilation does a great job of showing you what the scene across the state was like. Standouts include Wormbath (my personal favorite track on the comp), Wonderdog, Dutchland Diesel, The Overdrives, Fire in the Radio, The Peabodys, Digger, The Commercials, One Up on Lucy, and The Mad Cows, but honestly, I love all the bands on this compilation for one reason or another. Ken Adams, or better know as K3N from the Victory Records Victory Style comps, delivered some equally awesome yet ridiculous artwork.
Head on over to our Bandcamp page and download a copy of this 2001 audio snapshot for FREE. Nodda. Zilch. Name your price… how about FREE dollars? Sounds good if you ask as me.
Thanks again for your continued support! Take care and have a Happy New Year!
