Skip Groff (November 20, 1948 - February 18, 2019)

To say that that Dischord Records wouldn’t exist had it not been for Skip Groff isn’t really a stretch.

It was Skip that took The Teen Idles to Inner Ear Studio back in 1980 to record what would become Dischord #1 and it was Skip, having gone through the process with his own Limp Record label, that walked us through the steps of getting a record pressed. The very fact that he had his own label was a huge inspiration to a bunch of DC kids who had no idea how the music industry worked or that the ability to create records would be within our reach. And it was Skip’s record shop, Yesterday and Today, that first sold our records and it was Skip’s trust in us and belief in the label that led him to lend us money to press records when we were completely broke.

Making the trip to his shop became an instant ritual for young punk rockers like those of us who were discovering a new universe of music and culture in the late 70s and early 80s. Y&T blew our minds. The breadth of Skip’s knowledge about music, especially music from the 60s, was staggering and to this day I’ve never met any other person who, given a song title, was more able to name the artist, composer, producer, label, and year of release. He used to say that, while impressive, this talent didn’t really have much of a practical application outside of the record shop (for instance, try putting a fire out with that sort of information), but I don’t think it was merely a party trick. In my mind it something akin to proof of a higher power.

Skip clearly sought and found joy in music and it was through the vernacular of music that he empowered so many to experience the same.

Skip, we love you!

- Ian, Jeff, and Dischord Records

Autoclave's S/T LP out 3/29

On March 29th, we will release Autoclave's discography as a single LP for the first time ever. This 12” combines the band’s 7” and 10” singles as well as two extra demo tracks. The music has been remastered from the original tapes by TJ Lipple and cut for vinyl by Bob Weston at CMS. You can pre-order the record now via our website and Bandcamp page.

Formed in 1990, Autoclave lasted for one year and played only a handful of shows. In 1991, the quartet released a three-song 7" on the "DisKord" label -- a joint effort between Dischord and Olympia, Washington's K Records. The band's second release was a posthumous 10" that came out via Billotte's label, Mira Records. Autoclave was Christina Billotte, Mary Timony, Nikki Chapman, and Melissa Berkoff.

Jawbox announce 2019 shows

This summer Jawbox -- J. Robbins, Kim Coletta, Bill Barbot, and Zach Barocas -- will reunite to perform a number of US tour dates. This will be the first time that the band has performed together since appearing on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon in 2009 and their first proper shows since 1997. The sets will draw from most of their discography with an emphasis on the Robbins/Coletta/Barbot/Barocas recordings, especially ​For Your Own Special Sweetheart​ and ​Jawbox​,​ albums which mark the peak of their creative and performative time together. You can find the complete itinerary at the band's website and also via our tours page.

TK Echo S/T EP out 1/25

TK Echo is a new band with Chris Richards (Q and Not U), Fiona Griffin (Et At It), Josh Blair (Supersystem), and Aaron Leitko (Protect-U). We are helping them to release their debut 3 song digital EP on 1/25. You can pre-order the tracks and hear the song "Fade My Mind" via our Bandcamp page.

The Messthetics announce UK/EU tour dates

Early next year, The Messthetics will head to the UK and Europe for two weeks of dates. In March, the band will travel to Knoxville, TN to perform as part of the Big Ears Festival. A complete list of the band's forthcoming shows is available here.

The Messthetics on tour with Clutch in December

This winter, The Messthetics will join Clutch for a week's worth of dates in the Northeast. You can find the complete list of shows via our tours page. The band also recently performed three songs as part of NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series, which can be streamed here. The Messthetics are Brendan Canty, Joe Lally, and Anthony Pirog.

Fort Reno 50th Anniversary Fundraiser

This summer will mark the 50th year of Washington, D.C.'s Fort Reno Concert Series. The organizers are currently conducting a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for an extended the season and also, hopefully, to fund the series into the future. If so inclined, you can view the project here. The Fort Reno Summer Concert Series is an all-volunteer Washington, D.C. institution that has presented free shows in the park for the last 50 years. The bills often feature a mixture of young bands just starting out alongside more seasoned bands -- all from the area's independent music scene. The concerts typically take place during July, with shows on Monday and Thursday evenings.

Red Hare's "Little Acts of Destruction" out May 18th on Dischord/Hellfire

This spring, Dischord and Hellfire Records will co-release Little Acts of Destruction, the second full-length by Red Hare. Red Hare are Shawn Brown, Jason Farrell, and Dave Eight -- all former members of Swiz -- and Joe Gorelick. The record includes 14 songs and was recorded and mixed by J. Robbins. It's available for pre-order now on CD, LP, and digital download via this site and also through our Bandcamppage. The band will perform a short run of tour dates on the East coast starting May 30th in Washington, D.C.

"Instrument" screening in Australia w/ Guy Picciotto Q&A

In May, Guy Picciotto will travel to Australia for three screenings of Jem Cohen and Fugazi's film "Instrument," which will be followed by a Q&A. The film will be shown in Melbourne on May 24th and in Sydney on May 25th and 26th. Ticket and venue information are available here.