The Most Secret Method released two fine albums, Get Lovely on Slowdime and Our Success on Superbad, in the late 90s and early 2000s. These albums are now available to download from the Dischord webstore and also from itunes, e-music, amazon and all of the other download services that carry regular Dischord releases.

This trio of releases from the Dischord archives should make 80s DC punk enthusiasts very happy: The Artificial Peace album Complete Session, Nov. '81, the Government Issue album Boycott Stab Complete Session and the re-issue of the first single from Reptile House, are all now available on our website and in stores.

The Artificial Peace album Complete Session, Nov. '81 features the entire session that the band recorded in November 1981. Three of the songs from this session were released on the Flex Your Head compilation, but the rest were shelved when the band unexpectedly broke up after playing for barely over a year. Three members went on to form Marginal Man, who would have a very successful run well into the late 80s. This album will be available on 12" LP and MP3 Digital and we just reversed ourselves and decided to issue it onto CD as well.

When Government Issue recorded their first full-length album, Boycott Stabb, in November 1982 they initially tracked 20 songs, including several previously recorded tracks. The band had been through a major line-up change and eventually decided to release only the 9 songs that had been written with their current line-up and the remaining tracks were never mixed, nor released, until now. The Boycott Stab Complete Session 12" LP includes the original 'Boycott Stabb' songs on side A and rest of the session out-takes, mixed by Ian MacKaye in 2010 from the master tapes, on side B. This album will be available on 12" LP and MP3 Digital only (no CD).

Government Issue (John Stabb, Tom Lyle, J. Robbins, and Pete Moffett) will be playing a reunion benefit show at the Black Cat in Washington, DC on Saturday December 11.

Reptile House was a seminal mid-80s punk band from Baltimore, Maryland that featured Daniel V. Strasser (aka Daniel Higgs) on vocals, guitarist Joe Goldsborough, bassist Leigh Panlilio, and London May (who later went on to play in Samhain) on drums. This 4-Song single was Reptile House's first release, issued in 1985 as a split between Dischord and Druid Hill Records. The EP has been out of print for many years but will re-issued on Dischord on November 8, 2010.

In going through our warehouse we came upon several boxes of CDs and LPs from Slowdime Records and decided to use this discovery as an opportunity to put a spotlight on the bands that recorded with this important label. We'll be selling all Slowdime albums for $5 per LP and $4 per CD while supplies last.

Slowdime was founded by Amanda MacKaye and Juan Luis Carrera in 1996. The label's intent was to offer an outlet for some of the younger and more experimental bands that were making noise in the DC underground at the time. The first Slowdime release was an LP by the highly influential avant-hardcore band Meta-matics. The next several releases, by ex-Hoover mates Regulator Watts, Kerosene 454, and All-Scars were released in conjunction with Dischord Records.

Slowdime eventually dropped the Dischord half-label affiliation but Dischord continued to act as a partner, offering full production and distribution services. Amanda, who had previously run Sammich Records, decided to move on shortly after the first releases, and John Wall, bassplayer for Kerosene 454, soon joined Juan as partner until 2002 when the label became inactive.

Slowdime cultivated bands from seemingly disparate DC scenes. Bands like Meta-matics, Meltdown, The Crainium and Chrom-Tech–were experimental in nature; and those like Regulator Watts, Kerosene 454 and Most Secret Method were post-hardcore bands with experienced pedigrees that were dedicated to the DIY touring circuit. Bands like Golden and The Sorts straddled the two. Over time Slowdime also began releasing albums from bands outside of the DC scene altogether. HIM, Victory at Sea and Three Second Kiss were introduced to the label as touring partners of bands that were already on the roster.

Slowdime was an important label, especially for the time period in which it existed. So-called "alternative music" had just begun to assert itself into the consciousness of mainstream culture and bands were either trying to take advantage of this recognition or were redoubling their efforts to remain both independent and artistically relevant. In retrospect it is clear that the boldness of bands like Meltdown, Crainium and Crom Tech, bands that completely freaked out some of the most "alternative" sensibilities, set a standard of clarity and bravery for a generation of experimental bands that are just now finding success and acceptance. It's no accident that bands populated with ex-Slowdime members and ex-tour mates of these bands popped up in the vibrant new millenium scenes in Baltimore and Brooklyn.

See all the Slowdime titles for sale here