Born in the spare bedroom of a dingy share-house over a decade ago, Poison City has grown from a weekend hobby to one of Australia’s most prolific and well-respected independent labels. Home to the likes of The Smith Street Band, Harmony, Clowns, Batpiss, The Bennies, Deep Heat and Mere Women, Poison City is as much of a music community as a label or record store; presenting tours, local shows and their annual Weekender Fest. Feat. The Meanies, Screamfeeder, Flour and Pale Heads (members of The Nation Blue /Batpiss/ ex.The Drones).
We asked label owner Andrew Hayden his thoughts on some of his favourite records and the influence they’ve had on his life and his label Poison City Records.
What was the first release Poison City?
FAST TIMES ‘No End To This’
and
A DEATH IN THE FAMILY ‘Demo EP’ were PCR001 and PCR002 – released around the same time.
What EPs or albums have Poison City released in the last 12 months?
BATPISS ‘Biomass’ LP/ CD/ Digital
PALE HEADS ‘Headless’ LP/ Digital
PAPER ARMS ‘Great Mistakes’ LP/ CD/ Digital
THE MEANIES ‘10% Weird’ 2xLP Reissue
LUCA BRASI ‘Loose Threads’ 7”
SWERVEDRIVER ‘I Wasn’t Born To Lose You’ LP/ CD/ Digital
CLOWNS ‘Bad Blood’ LP/ CD/ Digital
THE SMITH STREET BAND ‘Wipe That Shit-Eating Grin…’ 7”
THE SMITH STREET BAND ‘Throw Me In The River’ LP/ CD/ Digital
THE BENNIES ‘Heavy Disco’ 7”/ CD
THE MEANIES ‘Gangrenous/ In Search Of’ LP Reissue
THE MEANIES ‘Come N See’ LP Reissue
LINCOLN LE FEVRE ’30 Watt Heart’ LP
THE GIFTHORSE ‘Give My Body To This Town’ LP/ Digital
SCREAMFEEDER ‘Fill Yourself With Music’ LP Reissue
SCREAMFEEDER ‘Kitten Licks’ LP Reissue
SAMIAM ‘Astray’ LP Reissue
KNAPSACK ‘This Conversation Is Ending’ LP Reissue
KNAPSACK ‘Day Three Of My New Life’ LP Reissue
APART FROM THIS ‘Spinning’ 7”
FREAK WAVE ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ LP/ Digital
MERE WOMEN ‘Your Town’ LP/ Digital
What is your favourite album of all time?
The impossible question for any long-time music addict!! Sorry I’m going to have to list 3 of equal importance to me:
FUGAZI ‘Repeater’
ARCHERS OF LOAF ‘Icky Mettle’
SCREAMFEEDER ‘Burn Out Your Name’
What was the first album you bought with your own money?
METALLICA ‘…And Justice For All’ Tape
What has been your favourite EP or album release of 2015 so far?
LOVE OF DIAGRAMS – ‘Blast’
What was playing on your family stereo growing up?
Mostly light-weight family friendly goodness like Beach Boys, Men At Work, The Carpenters, The Beatles etc – but for some reason Mum had a copy of Alice Cooper ‘Welcome To My Nightmare’ LP which was a nice contrast!
Which album did you play to death as a teenager?
The first 3 Metallica albums – until I discovered punk-rock and good underground Aussie music. Then it was The Meanies ‘Come N See’ and the early Magic Dirt EPs on very high rotation!
What record stores can you not live without visiting regularly and why?
Well other than turning up at my own store everyday….which I still love even 8 years down the track….I love visiting Tym Guitars/ Records up in Brisbane and when overseas I dig Vopo Records in Berlin and Independent Outlet in Amsterdam.
What do you love most about putting out records on your own label?
Mostly working with bands/ artist that we truly dig and helping them have their music heard by as many people as possible. I also love hearing a band’s early demos and listening to everything in between until you finally get to hear the finished songs on a test pressing for the first time.
If you could have released any record in the world what would it be and why?
HUSKER DU ‘Zen Arcade’
What album has had the most memorable artwork on Poison City and why?
Probably The Smith Street Band’s recent 7” ‘Wipe The Shit-Eating Grin Off Your Punchable Face’ featuring a creepy painting of our creepy national leader.
What other releases are in store for Poison City in the second half of 2015?
FLOUR ‘Morbid Thoughts’ LP
THE MEANIES – New LP
SCREAMFEEDER ‘Rocks On The Soul’ LP reissue
plus a few new 7”s and other surprises!
Leaps and Bounds and Label of Love Present:
Poison City Records
Thursday 16th July
Shadow Electric Bandroom
Screamfeeder // The Meanies // Flour // Pale Heads
Doors 7pm
Tickets available from shadowelectric.com.au
