IOWA MUSIC SHOWCASE PODCAST - Episode 62: Music of Sump Pump Records, Part 2 of 2

This episode, we just continue presenting some of the different and various artists that you can find on the Des Moines record label, Sump Pump Records.

You can catch the first part here - http://iowamusicshowcase.blogspot.com/2018/03/episode-61-music-of-sump-pump-records.html

Sump Pump Records NOT only produces their own records, but distributes a shit ton of Iowa music that you can find on their web page right here - http://sumppumprecords.com/promoted-1/

And they also feature videos from their records - http://sumppumprecords.com/videos-1/ - and a list of shows their bands are performing - http://sumppumprecords.com/events/

And in case, you didn't read the little history we presented last episode, here's how they describe themselves on their "About us" page on their website:

"SUMP PUMP RECORDS WAS FOUNDED IN 1998 BY DAN HUTCHISON, BRIAN WIKSELL AND BILL HEARD. WE RELEASED A VINYL 7" EP FOR WHY MAKE CLOCKS IN 1998 AND A FULL-LENGTH CD FOR CHAD O'NEALL IN 2000...THEN WE GOT PREOCCUPIED WITH OUR BANDS.

"NOW, IT'S A 5 WAY PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN DAN, BRIAN, WILL TARBOX, CHUCK HOFFMAN & TOM REELITZ RELEASING RECORDS WITH A DIY APPROACH, BY OURSELVES AND OTHER BANDS WE LOVE."

Artwork by Stutterin Jimmy

IOWA MUSIC SHOWCASE PODCAST - Episode 61: Music of Sump Pump Records, Part 1 of 2

This month on the Iowa Music Showcase podcast, we present to you a sampling of some of the offerings you can find from Des Moines record label, Sump Pump Records.


This actually started with Chuck Hoffman of Sump Pump sending me a few submissions. So I suggested he send a few more and we could do an episode. He and one of his partners in crime at Sump Pump, Tom Reelitz, ended up sending me enough material for two episodes!

So, if any of you are involved in a record label based somewhere in our fair state, feel free to get a hold of me here at iowamusicshowcase@gmail.com! I'll be happy to promote any of your Iowa (or Omaha, Quad Cities, and Sioux Falls) artists!

Cover by Stutterin Jimmy

But back to Sump Pump Records!

"The story of Sump Pump Records officially begins in 1998 when Dan Hutchison and Bill Heard formed the label to release the debut 7" EP of Why Make Clocks, then a duo of Hutchison and Brian Wiksell. A second release, Chad O'Neal's Evolution No. 9 CD, followed in 2001 before the label went dormant as its proprietors focused on their bands.

"In 2013, Hutchison embarked on a project of his own devising to release a compilation of music from artists based in Des Moines recorded entirely on 4-track cassette. Recording the majority of the tracks himself in his own basement, Hutchison enlisted Wiksell and a few other trusted former members of Why Make Clocks to re-launch Sump Pump Records for its release.

"Since then, Sump Pump Records has produced an eclectic selection of vinyl releases, and amassed a distribution inventory of other releases, largely by artists based in, rooted in, or connected in some way with the label's home state of Iowa, all available through their online store at sumppumprecords.com."
- from an email sent to us

OTHER SOURCES: The Des Moines 4 Track Compilation Vol​.​1

Coming up next week, we have our first of two episodes highlighting the music from the Iowa record label, Sump Pump Records.

In the meantime, to help sorta give you a taste of what's to come, we are presenting a special compilation album that they put out.

"This compilation features 13 Des Moines bands recorded from April 2013-Feb. 2014, on a Tascam MKII 4 Track Cassette Portastudio. Comes packaged in a beautifully screen printed black & white sleeve illustrated by John Huffman. Package also contains a full download of the LP, liner notes and a collage..."

"I wanted to release a compilation that was representative of the music of Des Moines, regardless of age, genre, personal connections, etc. All the bands were asked to contribute one unreleased song 4 minutes or less (give or take a little). The decision to use the 4 track to record them was to level the playing field for everyone: creating a consistency by allowing access to the same engineer & equipment, the same options and the same limitations. I wanted to capture a black and white snapshot of what these bands sound like when you're standing right in front of them.

All tracks were recorded by Dan Hutchison on the same Tascam 414 MKII 4 Track cassette Portastudio."
- from the compilation's Bandcamp page

In case you're interested, Sump Pump Records also released a compilation of Madison artists:
https://sumppumprecords.bandcamp.com/album/mesmerized-in-madison-2

UPDATE: The Madison compilation was mistakenly said to have been made by Sump Pump Records instead of just released by them. Thanks for correcting, Dan Hutchison!

And a 4-track album of artists from across the country:
https://sumppumprecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-national-4-track-compilation

Sump Pump Records' home page:
http://sumppumprecords.com/

Sump Pump Records on Bandcamp:
https://sumppumprecords.bandcamp.com/

More OTHER SOURCES posts from IMSC:
http://iowamusicshowcase.blogspot.com/search/label/Other%20Sources

More IMSC posts featuring compilation albums:
http://iowamusicshowcase.blogspot.com/search/label/compilation%20albums

More IMSC posts featuring Sump Pump Records:
http://iowamusicshowcase.blogspot.com/search/label/Sump%20Pump%20Records

More IMSC post featuring Des Moines area artists:
http://iowamusicshowcasesongs.blogspot.com/search/label/Des%20Moines%20area

Album cover by John Huffman