Labeled: The Stories, Rumors & Legends of Tooth & Nail Records

Chapter 19

Mike Weiss is the guitarist from the legendary label darlings mewithoutYou. Mike’s point of view of the band is far from comprehensive, but give us some unique insight that most media coverage is not able capture, especially regarding his brother, the enigmatic frontman Aaron Weiss.

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SONGS YOU HEARD ON THIS EPISODE:

mewithoutYou "January 1979"
mewithoutYou "Red Cow" Audiotree Live Session
twothirtyeight "There Is No Dana"
Starflyer59 "Blue Colar Love"
Further Seems Forever "The Moon is Down"
The Operation "To Prevent Fall-Apart"
mewithoutYou live at Cornerstone '02
mewithoutYou "Gentlemen"
mewithoutYou "Messes of Men"
Pedro the Lion "Indian Summer"
mewithoutYou "Carousels"
mewithoutYou "Torches Together"
mewithoutYou jam session
mewithoutYou "Julia (or 'Holy to the Lord' on the Bells of Horses)"
mewithoutYou "Chapelcross Towns" Audiotree Live Session
mewithoutYou "Leaf"
mewithoutYou live at Cornerstone '02

MORE FROM TOOTH & NAIL:

* Labeled: Music From The Podcast: smarturl.it/labeledplaylist

* DISCOVER IT: New Tracks from T&N Records: smarturl.it/TNNDiscover

* This Is Solid State: New Tracks from Solid State Records: https://spoti.fi/2CUCsaH   

* Tooth & Nail Store (LABELED Patreon members get 20% off everything): tnn.lnk.to/store

Chapter 18

This isn't a Norma Jean episode per se, because of Norma Jean’s legend and significance in the heavy music scene. SolidState and Tooth & Nail history is much too large to begin to cover in an episode, so we will cover it from a variety of angles over time. But as far as Norma Jean goes, Cory Brandan is certainly a very central figure, and his career in this scene intersects multiple important bands and he is one of the very few individuals that has been able to find a way to thrive (although sometimes merely survive) and contribute for 20 years.  Cory has been able to find or create  paths when it seemed that none existed. What's even more hard to imagine is that Cory stayed focused on creating music and found his way despite the fact that by 1994 at the age of 18 he had already had his first child.  I talked to Cory about his journey and mindset beginning with his first band Eso Charis, his connection to Living Sacrifice, and how he eventually became the leader of the almighty Norma Jean.

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SONGS YOU HEARD ON THIS EPISODE:

Norma Jean "Vertabraille"
Eso Charis "Born With a Future"
Living Sacrifice "Reborn Empowered"
Eso Charis "The Narrowing List"
Living Sacrifice "Imminent War"
Empty "From a Chemist's Point of View"
Norma Jean "The Human Face Divine"
Norma Jean "The Shotgun Message"
Norma Jean "1,000,000 Watts"
Norma Jean "Blueprints for a Future Home"

MORE FROM TOOTH & NAIL:

* Labeled: Music From The Podcast: smarturl.it/labeledplaylist

* DISCOVER IT: New Tracks from T&N Records: smarturl.it/TNNDiscover

* This Is Solid State: New Tracks from Solid State Records: https://spoti.fi/2CUCsaH   

* Tooth & Nail Store (LABELED Patreon members get 20% off everything): tnn.lnk.to/store

Chapter 17

Showbread is one of the bands that was able to follow in the footsteps of the bands who pioneered the music scene that we all love. There was a very special time when the market was not overcrowded with touring musical acts, but the scene was established enough that there was a great hunger for independent and expressive music. If you had a message, some talent, and were really willing to sacrifice, you could be a touring band. Even without a label or fans, you could get shows and win fans. And if you did that, perhaps a label would notice.

It was a very open-minded and supportive time. If you were a Christian kid looking to have some artistic boundaries broken from your conformist upbringing and you like raw music, Showbread might just kill you.

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SONGS YOU HEARD ON THIS EPISODE:

Showbread "Your Friends are Fake"
Showbread "I am a Machine Gun"
90 LB Wuss "Blank Stare"
Joy Electric "Chapter 1, The White Song Book"
Selfmindead "Liar"
Showbread "Mouth Like a Magazine"
Showbread "So Selfish It's Funny"
Showbread "Oh! The Emetophobia!"
Showbread "I’m Lost"
Showbread "I'm Afraid That I'm Me"
Showbread "I Am Horrible at Processing Rejection"

MORE FROM TOOTH & NAIL:

* Labeled: Music From The Podcast: smarturl.it/labeledplaylist

* DISCOVER IT: New Tracks from T&N Records: smarturl.it/TNNDiscover

* This Is Solid State: New Tracks from Solid State Records: https://spoti.fi/2CUCsaH   

* Tooth & Nail Store (LABELED Patreon members get 20% off everything): tnn.lnk.to/store

Chapter 16

KJ-52 is a Christian rapper who struggled to get his career off the ground in the 90’s after being rejected by his dream label and dropped early on by a major label and then found his home among the rest of us punk, DIY and hardcore folks.  KJ embodies many of the same values that we often discuss here but his music fit much better in the BEC and CCM worlds so he is a terrific individual to help us understand the similarities and differences in that world and the one we spend most of our time in.

BEC recordings is the CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) leaning imprint of Tooth & Nail Records and plays a very important role in expanding the company, generating revenue, and enabling Tooth & Nail/Solid State to have a larger and more competent staff.  Admittedly CCM music has a reputation for being cheesy or unoriginal, but like most things, if you look closer you will find that there is much more nuance than you’d expect.

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SONGS YOU HEARD ON THIS EPISODE:

KJ-52 "KJ-52"
Strongarm "Supplication"
John Ruben "Devine Inspiration"
KJ-52 "Are You Real"
Anberlin "Love Song"
Thousand Foot Krutch "Wish You Well"
Jeremy Camp "Understand"
Demon Hunter "Summer of Darkness"
KJ-52 "Right Here'
KJ-52 "Wake Up"
KJ-52 "Dear Slim"
KJ-52 "1230"

MORE FROM TOOTH & NAIL:

* Labeled: Music From The Podcast: smarturl.it/labeledplaylist

* DISCOVER IT: New Tracks from T&N Records: smarturl.it/TNNDiscover

* This Is Solid State: New Tracks from Solid State Records: https://spoti.fi/2CUCsaH   

* Tooth & Nail Store (LABELED Patreon members get 20% off everything): tnn.lnk.to/store

Chapter 15

Today's episode is intended to give you an inside and personal perspective on Tooth & Nail, Brandon Ebel, and the music scene as the label grew into its 2000’s dominance. Anneka Winters was an accountant at Tooth & Nail Records from 1998 to 2004, but she was much more than just an accountant. She assisted and worked with Jim Worthen and also became Brandon's Personal Assistant, she lived in a communal house with other Tooth & Nail employees, and she was around through the biggest staff and culture change in the company, driven in part by the merger with EMI, the shift in genres, and the success of BEC Records.

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SONGS YOU HEARD ON THIS EPISODE:

Underoath "When the Sun Sleeps"
Roadside Monument "Oh So Fabled"
Beloved "Death To Traitors"
Underoath "It's Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door"
mewithoutYou "Nice and Blue"
Joy Electric "(I Am) Made From The Wire"
Slow Coming Day "Captivated"
The Dingees "Carry On With The Countdown"

MORE FROM TOOTH & NAIL:

* Labeled: Music From The Podcast: smarturl.it/labeledplaylist

* DISCOVER IT: New Tracks from T&N Records: smarturl.it/TNNDiscover

* This Is Solid State: New Tracks from Solid State Records: https://spoti.fi/2CUCsaH   

* Tooth & Nail Store (LABELED Patreon members get 20% off everything): tnn.lnk.to/store

Wolves at the Gate is band that very much continues the tradition and follows in the sonic footsteps of Solid State Records and the era of Underoath, Beloved, Dead Poetic, and As Cities Burn; none of whom are currently making this particular style of music. The approach is being deep, heavy, brutal singing and screaming with a strong spiritual component that gives weight to the music. Steve Cobucci is the guitarist, writer, singer, and lyricist for the band along with screamer Ben Summers.

Steve is a terrific musician and person whose ministry-driven approach to his art makes him fit nicely in the Tooth & Nail/Solid State world.

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SONGS YOU HEARD ON THIS EPISODE:

The Blood Brothers "Cecilia and the Silhouette Saloon"
mewithoutYou "January 1979"
Dead Poetic "New Medicines"
As Cities Burn "Thus from My Lips, By Yours, My Sin is Purged"
Wolves at the Gate "A Voice in the Violence"
Wolves at the Gate "Evil are the Kings"
Wolves at the Gate "Eclipse"

MORE FROM TOOTH & NAIL:

* Labeled: Music From The Podcast: smarturl.it/labeledplaylist

* DISCOVER IT: New Tracks from T&N Records: smarturl.it/TNNDiscover

* This Is Solid State: New Tracks from Solid State Records: https://spoti.fi/2CUCsaH   

* Tooth & Nail Store (LABELED Patreon members get 20% off everything): tnn.lnk.to/store

Oh, Sleeper is a special band on the Solid State roster, and a truly unique metal band. They very much embody the DIY ethic and artistic zone of the Christian punk/hardcore scene, but the members didn't come up as Tooth & Nail punk and hardcore kids like many guests on this show. Frontman Micah Kinard explains on this Labeled special that they come more from the mainstream mall metal and nu metal scene until he discovered our culture beginning with Norma Jean.

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SONGS YOU HEARD ON THIS EPISODE:

Oh, Sleeper "Fissure"
mewithoutYou "January 1979"
Norma Jean "Memphis Will Be Laid to Waste"
Blindside "Pitiful"
Oh, Sleeper "Two Ships"
Oh, Sleeper "Island"

MORE FROM TOOTH & NAIL:

* Labeled: Music From The Podcast: smarturl.it/labeledplaylist

* DISCOVER IT: New Tracks from T&N Records: smarturl.it/TNNDiscover

* This Is Solid State: New Tracks from Solid State Records: https://spoti.fi/2CUCsaH   

* Tooth & Nail Store (LABELED Patreon members get 20% off everything): tnn.lnk.to/store

Chapter 14

Today we continue on our early 2000’s journey with the very important and pivotal Anberlin (Stephen Christian).  I refer to Anberlin as pivotal, because they began as a pop punk band in the vein of late 90's Tooth & Nail, but made an image and musical pivot at just exactly the right time, along with a crop other emerging bands from the southeast, which in turn helped Tooth & Nail pivot and transition to a new era.  Tooth & Nail has just acquired Takehold Records and its founder, Chad Johnson, to be head of A&R, and his connections began to pay off.

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SONGS YOU HEARD ON THIS EPISODE:

Anberlin “Feel Good Drag”
Ghoti Hook “Body Juggler”
Plankeye “Goodbye”
The Juliana Theory “We're at the Top of the World”
Further Seems Forever “The Moon Is Down”
Watashi Wa “Ten Years and Separating States”
SAGOH 24/7 “Days Of Our Lives”
Anberlin “Ready Fuels”
Anberlin “Foriegn Language”
Anberlin “Hello Alone”
Anberlin “Breaking”
Anberlin “Paperthin Hymn”

MORE FROM TOOTH & NAIL:

* Labeled: Music From The Podcast: smarturl.it/labeledplaylist

* DISCOVER IT: New Tracks from T&N Records: smarturl.it/TNNDiscover

* This Is Solid State: New Tracks from Solid State Records: https://spoti.fi/2CUCsaH   

* Tooth & Nail Store (LABELED Patreon members get 20% off everything): tnn.lnk.to/store

Chapter 13

We now continue to move into the 2000’s era of Tooth & Nail Records. Brandon has sold half of the company to EMI and has purchased and absorbed Takehold Records, which brought its founder Chad Johnson on staff. Heavy music was continuing to explode, but also, in keeping with the Tooth and Nail style, Brandon and the staff continued to try to break and include a very wide variety of artists, including a very happy and poppy rock outfit from San Luis Obispo, CA, called Watashi Wa.

Fronted by yet another young man who grew up as a Tooth & Nail kid, Seth Roberts joins Labeled to help paint the picture of that time and the unique challenges they faced. The story is of one dream fulfilled, and of another only partially fulfilled.

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SONGS YOU HEARD ON THIS EPISODE:

Watashi Wa "Clear"
Guns N' Roses "It's So Easy"
MxPx "Let it Happen"
Starflyer 59 "Fell in Love at 22"
Fine China "We Rock Harder Than You Ever Knew"
Watashi Wa "With Love From Me to You"
Watashi Wa "All of Me"
Watashi Wa "Smoke Signals"
Watashi Wa "Face"
Watashi Wa "Ten Years and Separating States"

MORE FROM TOOTH & NAIL:

* Labeled: Music From The Podcast: smarturl.it/labeledplaylist

* DISCOVER IT: New Tracks from T&N Records: smarturl.it/TNNDiscover

* This Is Solid State: New Tracks from Solid State Records: https://spoti.fi/2CUCsaH   

* Tooth & Nail Store (LABELED Patreon members get 20% off everything): tnn.lnk.to/store

Chapter 12

Demon Hunter’s origin story is shrouded in mystery and there are no shortage or rumors. Some that we will confirm today. Now that we have a good background knowledge or Ryan Clark Jon Dunn, Brandon, and the Tooth and Nail Culture at the time, the stage is set for this fun story. We continue where we left off 2 weeks ago, and also cover the continuation of the EMI merger, and the rewards that would come from taking some serious risks.

*Pre-order Wolves At The Gate’s “ECLIPSE”, out July 26th: http://watg.lnk.to/pre*

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SONGS YOU HEARD ON THIS EPISODE:

Demon Hunter "Storm the Gates of Hell"
Demon Hunter "Infected"
Demon Hunter "Dead Flowers"
Demon Hunter "Through the Black"
Demon Hunter "The Heart of a Graveyard"
Demon Hunter "Not Ready to Die"
Demon Hunter "Turn Your Back and Run"
Demon Hunter "Artificial Light"
Demon Hunter "My Heartstrings Come Undone"
Dead Poetic "New Medicines"

MORE FROM TOOTH & NAIL:

* Labeled: Music From The Podcast: smarturl.it/labeledplaylist

* DISCOVER IT: New Tracks from T&N Records: smarturl.it/TNNDiscover

* This Is Solid State: New Tracks from Solid State Records: https://spoti.fi/2CUCsaH   

* Tooth & Nail Store (LABELED Patreon members get 20% off everything): tnn.lnk.to/store