Talk:Fat Wreck Chords

Independent?
Is fat wreck chords really an independent record label? they appear on the RIAA list of members. http://www.riaa.com/about/members/default.asp Jdufresne 04:07, 25 September 2005 (UTC)
 * I removed the word independent for the reason above. Jdufresne 18:53, 25 September 2005 (UTC)
 * I don't quite understand - why couldn't Fat Wreck Chords be a member of RIAA and still be an independent label? - Quirk 18:53, 23 November 2005 (UTC)
 * Well I suppose it depends how you define Independent. But RIAA represent the conglomerate that is the record industry. If a label is a member of the RIAA they hardly seem independent from it. If they were truly independent then their interests would be much different than the RIAA's and would not want them to represent them. Jdufresne 21:03, 23 November 2005 (UTC)
 * independent in terms of record labels solely refers to not being an affiliate of the 'big 4', Warner, BMG, Universal and EMI, which combined sell 75% of the music in the world, and 85% of the music in the US. The RIAA opens membership to all labels to help in industry standards. Fat Wreck is owned by Epitaph records, therefor is an independant. AKMask 09:54, 25 November 2005 (UTC)

From http://www.fatwreck.com/community/faq it is an independently owned and operated record label founded by Fat Mike and his wife Erin. They still own it and they both still run the place.

Fat Wreck Chords and RIAA listing
I've read in several places that Fat Wreck Chords, despite being listed as a member of the RIAA, is not in fact a member of the RIAA, and opposes the RIAA.


 * http://yro.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=172552&cid=14367498 -- "In fact, they had to fight for over a year to get the RIAA to stop claiming that they were a member."
 * http://groups.google.co.uk/group/hr.alt.punk/browse_thread/thread/21feaec8b5664a96/39ad8946d5da469d -- "Yesterday the RIAA (Record Industry Asshole Association) filed suit against 261 internet song swappers. I thought people should know that Fat Wreck Chords has never been a member of the RIAA and more importantly, we think they're dumb."
 * http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1522790 -- NPR story
 * http://www.rojisan.com/blog/2003/11/indies_stuck_in_the_riaa_member_list.html

The last cites Erin Kelly-burkett, who I read elsewhere is wife of Fat Mike, saying: "basically, the only way we could get ourselves removed from that site was to threaten to sue them, which i don't even believe in. i wanted my name off the site, and it really took us saying to them you know, this is defamation of character, this is copyright infringement, which is what.. supposedly you guys are all against right now and basically that's what you're doing to me."

Apparently their names were removed, and then, ... ...put back!

LionKimbro

Notable releases from non-Fat Wreck bands
I have a few problems with this section. Firstly, it doesn't list releases, but bands instead. Second off, I thought Fat Wreck signed bands to one album contracts, so what distinguishes bands that have only ever released one recording with the label? Third, all caps looks suspiscious. Until someone comes up with something addressing these issues I'm reverting. Zytsef (talk) 03:58, 5 December 2007 (UTC)