Hello CD of the Month Club

Last updated
Hello CD of the Month Club
Founded1993
Founder John Flansburgh
Marjorie Galen
Defunct1996
StatusInactive
Genre Alternative rock, alternative country, experimental rock
Country of originUnited States
LocationPalisades, New York

The Hello CD of the Month Club, also known as the Hello Recording Club or simply Hello, was a subscription-only record company that operated from 1993 to 1996. Hello was organised by John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants and Marjorie Galen. [1] Members of Hello received monthly issues of CD extended plays, each containing four or five songs by a particular artist. These EPs were exclusive to Hello. [2]

Contents

Company history

John Flansburgh founded the Hello CD of the Month Club with Marjorie Galen in 1993 as a way to provide an outlet for his solo material Hello issued four Mono Puff releases, as well as two EPs by Flansburgh's bandmate John Linnell while also providing a platform for both established musicians signed to other labels and new artists. Galen and Flansburgh originally intended Hello to be a standard independent label. However, this was not financially plausible, so Hello adopted a subscription model instead. [3] Although Flansburgh and Galen had to seek out artists for Hello's first year of operation, by 1994, musicians were contacting the label themselves. [1] In its first year, the label faced difficulties with understaffing. [4]

Flansburgh has stated that the purpose of Hello was to produce and distribute music projects cheaply for the artist and the consumer. Hello only produced as many discs as the number of subscribers. It did not achieve outstanding financial success; however, Flansburgh reported that the label was in the black. [1] [3] Proceeds from They Might Be Giants' 1985 Demo Tape, an optional addition to 1994 subscriptions, were donated to the People With AIDS Coalition. [5]

The label dissolved after its 1996 subscription year due to a level of demand that the small label could no longer service. Some members did not receive the final 1996 releases till May 1997. For a brief time afterward, the Hello back catalogue was still available for purchase. [6] Over the span of Hello's existence, it issued releases from thirty-four different artists.

Release history

Hello produced thirty-nine EPs over four years, as well as two promotional samplers, a promotional copy of a full-length Mono Puff album, and one compilation of original material by various artists. Hello also issued a live sampler from They Might Be Giants, and reissued their 1985 Demo Tape on cassette.

1993

ArtistTitleFormatTypeMonthNotes
Brian Dewan Brian DewanCDEPMarchFirst release
Nelories The NeloriesCDEPApril
Flat Old WorldFlat Old WorldCDEPMayIncluded bonus cassette
They Might Be Giants 1985 Demo TapeCassetteDemoMayBonus reissue cassette sent with the May EP for an additional $5
Kurt Hoffman's Band of WeedsKurt Hoffman's Band of WeedsCDEPJune
Eugene Chadbourne Eugene ChadbourneCDEPJuly
The Residents Prelude to "The Teds" CDEPAugustLater released as part of "Our Poor, Our Tired, Our Huddled Masses"
Hello The Band Hello The BandCDEPSeptember
Duplex Halloween PlanetDuplex Halloween PlanetCDEPOctober
Frank Black Frank BlackCDEPNovember
The Minus 5 Hello EP CDEPDecember

1994

ArtistTitleFormatTypeMonthNotes
Various ArtistsHello 1993 SamplerCDPromoN/AIncluded selections from 1993 catalogues
Various ArtistsA Hello CD of the Month Club SamplerCDPromoN/AIncluded selections from 1993, 1994, and 1995 catalogues
Portastatic PortastaticCDEPFebruary
Drink MeFive SongsCDEPMarch
The JicketsThe JicketsCDEPApril
Peter Stampfel Peter StampfelCDEPMay
John Linnell State SongsCDEPJuneLater expanded to a full album
Brian Dewan Brian DewanCDEPSeptember
Spanish FlyInsert Tongue HereCDEPOctober
Andy Partridge Andy PartridgeCDEPNovember
Chaz and the MotorbikesChaz and the MotorbikesCDEPDecemberIncluded bonus CD
They Might Be Giants Live!! New York City 10/14/94 CDLiveDecember Elektra Records promotional CD sent with December EP

1995

ArtistTitleFormatTypeMonthNotes
John Flansburgh's Mono Puff John Flansburgh's Mono PuffCDEPMarch
My Dad is DeadMy Dad is DeadCDEPApril
AlaskaAlaskaCDEPMay
SpondeeSpondeeCDEPJune
Freedy JohnstonFreedy JohnstonCDEPJuly
The Coctails The CoctailsCDEPAugust
Philco BendyxPhilco BendyxCDEPSeptember
Amy Allison and The MaudlinsAmy Allison and The MaudlinsCDEPOctober
Dave Schramm Dave SchrammCDEPNovember
Various ArtistsHello Family Santa SpecialCDCompilationDecember Christmas-themed compilation

1996

ArtistTitleFormatTypeMonthNotes
The Gothic Archies Looming in the Gloom CDEPMarch
Will RigbyWill RigbyCDEPApril
Mono Puff UnsupervisedCDAlbumMaySpecial advance promo; not commercially available
Soul Coughing Soul CoughingCDEPJune
Laura Cantrell Laura CantrellCDEPJulyLater reissued independently
John Linnell House of MayorsCDEPAugust
Hal SirowitzHal SirowitzCDEPSeptember
You Were Spiraling You Were SpiralingCDEPOctober
Mono Puff The Hal Cragin YearsCDEPNovember
Mono Puff The Steve Calhoon YearsCDEPDecemberFinal release

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Miller Rosenblum, Trudy. "Shoestring Label Provides an Outlet for Side Projects". Billboard, April 1994. Archived by Google. Retrieved 2012-12-25.
  2. The subscription model is explained in a Hello ad, which is archived here. Retrieved 2012-11-24.
  3. 1 2 "Brain Child of a Giant". Creative Loafing. 6 January 1994.
  4. Flansburgh, John. "Partytime in the Summertime 1993". Summer, 1993 Hello Newsletter. Archived here. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  5. 1985 Demo Tape. They Might Be Giants. Hello Recordings. 1994.
  6. "Mono Puff FAQ", including Hello information. MonoPuff.org Retrieved 2012-11-25.