Megaphone Records (3)

Megaphone Records (3)

Profile:
Megaphone Records is an American independent record label, launched by Jason Willett in the early 1990s and based in Baltimore, Maryland. Between '92 and 2012, Megaphone released only CD albums — except for two 7" singles by Jac Berrocal in 1996. Since 2012, most editions have come out jointly released with Knock'em Dead Records in CD and LP formats (often accompanied by a limited edition on transparent/colored vinyl). Megaphone Records also had a short-lived Megaphone Cassette Special series. The latest album to date, Xmas In March CD/LP by Jason Willetts's trio with Jac Berrocal and David Fenech, came out in June 2020.

The label's story began with an eponymous record store, Megaphone Music, which Jason Willett opened in the fall of 1990 in his hometown Frederick (a Maryland city around 80 km from Baltimore and DC). In addition to an expansive inventory of experimental, radical and obscure music of all genres, Jason's store regularly hosted live gigs and events, featuring acts like Dog Faced Hermans, God Is My Co-Pilot, Boredoms, No Safety, and Hasil Adkins. Some regular customers, including Benb Gallaher and Andrew Barranca, later played in various bands with Willett and participated in the label's activities. Jason closed "Megaphone Music" after three years and moved to Baltimore, where he now runs The True Vine store.

For the inaugural release on Megaphone Records, Jason Willett produced Slow Crimes, the first CD reissue of Tim Hodgkinson's seminal UK post-punk band The Work. The new pressing also included bonus tracks from I Hate America 7" single. More Hodgkinson's recordings followed, both archival and contemporary, mostly co-released between Megaphone and Tim's label Woof Records. The first ten Megaphone albums continuously focused on archival and rare material, including experimental rock-centric British and American bands, such as The Honkies or The Molecules, or the iconic French composer and trumpeter Jac Berrocal's CD compilation of unreleased tracks.

In 1994, Jason started a new imprint, Megaphone Limited, which released CDs with handmade artwork in editions of 500 copies. It focused on Willett's numerous bands and side projects, starting with The Dramatics "self-titled" by a newly-formed duo with Martha Colburn. Concurrently, Jason moved into Martha's warehouse in downtown Baltimore, which became a home base for Megaphone Studio. In 2008, the label started Megaphone Unlimited, another subsidiary focused on "library music." It only presented one release so far, a collection from Music De Wolfe archives. (The same year, Jason Willett had The Sounds Of Megaphone Unlimited CD compilation out on MT6 Records, which confusingly presented material and unreleased tracks only from Megaphone Limited roster, and none from "Unlimited.")

Since 2012, Megaphone began extensively partnering with Knock'em Dead Records, and all subsequent albums were co-produced and co-released by two labels on compact discs and vinyl. The first joint Megaphone/Knock'em Dead release was R. Stevie Moore's 2xLP compilation Hearing Aid, initially compiled by Jason for a '96 Megaphone CD release but shelved for decades. After Stevie approached Willett about the project again in 2011, they brought 'Hearing Aid' to fruition as a double album. In 2014, Megaphone presented more archival reissues, including an LP repress of The Work's Slow Crimes (the label's inaugural release), and two LP reissues of Morgan Fisher's cult '80 avant/experimental collection Miniatures. Megaphone also continued to present new music from local Baltimore artists and Willett's collaborators, such as Batu Malablab LP/CD, a debut solo album by M.C. Schmidt, one-half of renowned Matmos.
Sublabels
Contact Info:
Megaphone Records
P.O. Box 2982
Baltimore, MD 21229
U.S.A.

Sites:

Label

Releases

Status Catalog Number  Image Artist Title ( Format) Label Catalog Number  Country Year Actions
010 Vacuum Tree Head - Excel (Eye Eye) Vacuum Tree Head Excel (Eye Eye)(CD, Album) Megaphone Records (3) 010 US 1993 Sell This Version
013 Vacuum Tree Head - The Oob Eye Works Vacuum Tree Head The Oob Eye Works(CD, Album) Megaphone Records (3) 013 US 1994 Sell This Version
21 Jason Willett, Jad Fair, Gilles Rieder - Jason Willett, Jad Fair, Gilles Rieder Jason Willett, Jad Fair, Gilles Rieder Jason Willett, Jad Fair, Gilles Rieder - Jason Willett, Jad Fair, Gilles Rieder(Cass, Album, RE) Crass Lips Records, Megaphone Records (3) 21 US 2020 Sell This Version
024 R. Stevie Moore - Hearing Aid R. Stevie Moore Hearing Aid(2xLP, Ltd, cle) Knock'em Dead Records, Megaphone Records (3) 024 US 2012 Sell This Version
025CD Officer! - Ossification Officer! Ossification(CD, Album, RE) Megaphone Records (3), Knock'em Dead Records 025CD US 2014 Sell This Version
026 The Work - Slow Crimes The Work Slow Crimes(LP, Album, Ltd, RE, 180 + 7", Single, RE) Megaphone Records (3), Knock'em Dead Records, Megaphone Records (3), Knock'em Dead Records 026 US 2014 Sell This Version
027 Various - Miniatures (A Sequence Of Fifty-One Tiny Masterpieces Edited By Morgan-Fisher) Various Miniatures (A Sequence Of Fifty-One Tiny Masterpieces Edited By Morgan-Fisher) (Album) 027 US 2014 Sell This Version
028 The Work - Slow Crimes The Work Slow Crimes(LP, Album, RE + 7", Single) Megaphone Records (3), Knock'em Dead Records, Megaphone Records (3), Knock'em Dead Records 028 US 2014 Sell This Version
029 The Work - Slow Crimes The Work Slow Crimes (Album, Single) 029 US 2014 Sell This Version
Ad Hoc 14 The Work - See The Work See(CD, Album, RM, Dig) Ad Hoc Records Ad Hoc 14 US 2007 Sell This Version
DM-NE-CD-4001 The Work - See The Work See(CD, Album) Discmedi, Nova Era DM-NE-CD-4001 Spain 1992 Sell This Version
MEG022 Ron Anderson - Anything Is Possible Ron Anderson Anything Is Possible(CD, Album) Megaphone Records (3), Amanita MEG022 US 2000 Sell This Version
MEG035 Guigou Chenevier, Sophie Jausserand - A L'Abri Des Micro-Climats Guigou Chenevier, Sophie Jausserand Guigou Chenevier, Sophie Jausserand - A L'Abri Des Micro-Climats(LP, Album) Megaphone Records (3), Knock'em Dead Records MEG035 France 2018 Sell This Version
MEG036 Stop Motion Orchestra - Lightworks Stop Motion Orchestra Lightworks (Album) MEG036 US 2018 Sell This Version
MEGA 007 The Molecules - Down Under The Black Light The Molecules Down Under The Black Light(CD, Album) Megaphone Records (3), Tragic Mule MEGA 007 US 1993 Sell This Version
MEGA 025LP Officer! - Ossification Officer! Ossification (Album) MEGA 025LP US 2014 Sell This Version
MEGA 031 CD M.C. Schmidt* - Batu Malablab M.C. Schmidt* Batu Malablab(CD, Album) Megaphone Records (3), Knock'em Dead Records MEGA 031 CD US 2015 Sell This Version
MEGA 031LP M.C. Schmidt* - Batu Malablab M.C. Schmidt* Batu Malablab(LP, Album) Megaphone Records (3), Knock'em Dead Records MEGA 031LP US 2015 Sell This Version
MEGA034 Ig Witzelsucht - Sometimes Puns Are a Sign of a Damaged Brain Ig Witzelsucht Sometimes Puns Are a Sign of a Damaged Brain (Album) MEGA034 US 2017 Sell This Version
MEGA2982 Vince Taylor / Jac Berrocal - Rock'n Roll Station Vince Taylor / Jac Berrocal Vince Taylor / Jac Berrocal - Rock'n Roll Station(7", Pin) Megaphone Records (3) MEGA2982 US 1996 Sell This Version
Megaphone 001 The Work - Slow Crimes The Work Slow Crimes(CD, Album, RE) Megaphone Records (3) Megaphone 001 US 1992 Sell This Version
MEGAPHONE 002 Fred Frith / Tim Hodgkinson - Live Improvisations Fred Frith / Tim Hodgkinson Fred Frith / Tim Hodgkinson - Live Improvisations(CD, Album) Woof Records, Megaphone Records (3) MEGAPHONE 002 UK & US 1990 Sell This Version
Megaphone 003 Fat (2) - Magnetizer Fat (2) Magnetizer(CD, Album) Megaphone Records (3) Megaphone 003 US 1992 Sell This Version
MEGAPHONE 004 Valentina Ponomareva*, Ken Hyder, Tim Hodgkinson - The Goose Valentina Ponomareva*, Ken Hyder, Tim Hodgkinson Valentina Ponomareva*, Ken Hyder, Tim Hodgkinson - The Goose(CD, Album) Megaphone Records (3), Woof Records MEGAPHONE 004 US 1992 Sell This Version
Megaphone 005 The Work - See The Work See(CD, Album) Woof Records, Megaphone Records (3) Megaphone 005 UK 1992 Sell This Version
MEGAPHONE 006 The Honkies - All My Screws Fell Out The Honkies All My Screws Fell Out(CD, Album) Megaphone Records (3) MEGAPHONE 006 US 1993 Sell This Version
Megaphone 008 Jac Berrocal - Fatal Encounters Jac Berrocal Fatal Encounters(CD, Comp, RM) Megaphone Records (3) Megaphone 008 US 1993 Sell This Version
Megaphone 009 Jon Rose - The Virtual Violin Jon Rose The Virtual Violin(CD, Album) Megaphone Records (3) Megaphone 009 US 1993 Sell This Version
megaphone 011 Happy New Year (2) - Happy New Year Happy New Year (2) Happy New Year(CD, Album) Megaphone Records (3) megaphone 011 US 1994 Sell This Version
Megaphone 012 Jason Willett, Jad Fair, Gilles Rieder - Jason Willett, Jad Fair, Gilles Rieder Jason Willett, Jad Fair, Gilles Rieder Jason Willett, Jad Fair, Gilles Rieder - Jason Willett, Jad Fair, Gilles Rieder(CD, Album) Megaphone Records (3) Megaphone 012 Canada 1993 Sell This Version
Megaphone 014 Tim Hodgkinson - Each In Our Own Thoughts Tim Hodgkinson Each In Our Own Thoughts (Album) Megaphone 014 UK & US 1994 Sell This Version
Megaphone 015 The Honkies - Who Eats? The Honkies Who Eats?(CD, Album) Megaphone Records (3) Megaphone 015 US 1993 Sell This Version
Megaphone 016 Jon Rose - Violin Music For Supermarkets Jon Rose Violin Music For Supermarkets(CD, Album) Megaphone Records (3) Megaphone 016 US 1994 Sell This Version
MEGAPHONE 018 Happy New Year (2) - Live From The Back Part Of The Flag Happy New Year (2) Live From The Back Part Of The Flag(CD, Album) Amanita, Megaphone Records (3) MEGAPHONE 018 Europe 1995 Sell This Version
Megaphone 019 The Recordings - Recordings The Recordings Recordings(CD) Megaphone Records (3), Reference Recordings (2) Megaphone 019 US 1996 Sell This Version
Megaphone 020 Kräldjursanstalten - Voodoo Boogie / Nu Är Det Allvar!! Kräldjursanstalten Voodoo Boogie / Nu Är Det Allvar!!(CD, Album, Comp) Megaphone Records (3) Megaphone 020 US 1993 Sell This Version
Megaphone 021 Exiles (3) - Exiles 1. Exiles (3) Exiles 1.(CD, Album) Megaphone Records (3) Megaphone 021 US 1996 Sell This Version
Megaphone 023 Sejayno - Laity Sejayno Laity(CD) Megaphone Records (3) Megaphone 023 US Unknown Sell This Version
Megaphone 024 R. Stevie Moore - Hearing Aid R. Stevie Moore Hearing Aid(2xLP, Comp, Bla) Knock'em Dead Records, Megaphone Records (3) Megaphone 024 US 2012 Sell This Version
Megaphone 026 Konk Pack - Doing The Splash Konk Pack Doing The Splash(CD, Album) Megaphone Records (3), Knock'em Dead Records Megaphone 026 US 2013 Sell This Version
Megaphone 032 Stepmother (4) - Calvary Greetings Stepmother (4) Calvary Greetings (Album) Megaphone 032 US 2014 Sell This Version
Megaphone 037 Jac Berrocal, Jason Willett, David Fenech - Xmas In March Jac Berrocal, Jason Willett, David Fenech Jac Berrocal, Jason Willett, David Fenech - Xmas In March Megaphone 037 US 2020 Sell This Version
Megaphone Record 2983 Jac Berrocal - Noconnexion Jac Berrocal Noconnexion(7", pin) Megaphone Records (3) Megaphone Record 2983 US 1996 Sell This Version
none People Like Us & Kenny G - Nothing Special People Like Us & Kenny G People Like Us & Kenny G - Nothing Special(Cass, RE) Megaphone Records (3) none US 2015 Sell This Version
none Matmos - In Lo Fidelity Matmos In Lo Fidelity(Cass, RE) Megaphone Records (3) none US 2012 Sell This Version
none People Like Us - A Fistful Of Knuckles People Like Us A Fistful Of Knuckles(Cass, RP) Megaphone Records (3) none US 2015 Sell This Version
none Matmos - Like All Men Of The Library, I Have Travelled In My Youth... Matmos Like All Men Of The Library, I Have Travelled In My Youth...(Cass, Comp) Megaphone Records (3) none US 2015 Sell This Version
none The Attitude Robots - The Attitude Robots R Unable 2 Assist U The Attitude Robots The Attitude Robots R Unable 2 Assist U(Cass) Megaphone Records (3) none US 2016 Sell This Version