Vagrant Records

Vagrant Records is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California and is run by President Jon Cohen. The label is home to artists such as The 1975, Eels, Bad Suns, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, CRUISR, Active Child, PJ Harvey, School of Seven Bells, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, James Vincent McMorrow, Black Joe Lewis, Wake Owl, Blitzen Trapper, Bombay Bicycle Club, and more.

Vagrant Records was founded in 1996 by Rich Egan and Jon Cohen. The label’s original roots were in punk rock, pop punk, and emo and included artists such as Dashboard Confessional, Saves The Day, The Get Up Kids, and Alkaline Trio.

It was acquired by BMG Rights Management in 2014.

History

The first band signed by Vagrant Records was Boxer and their album, The Hurt Process, was released on May 5, 1998. The pop-punk album notably featured drummer Chris Pennie, who would go on to play with Dillinger Escape Plan and Coheed and Cambria.

The Get Up Kids

In 1999, Vagrant Records signed Kansas City, Missouri, band, The Get Up Kids, and the band's Vagrant debut, Something to Write Home About, was released in September 1999. Egan and Cohen borrowed US$50,000 from Cohen's parents to fund the recording of the Get Up Kids album, derived from the mortgaging of the family house. The album was wildly successful, and single-handedly made Vagrant Records one of the top independent labels in the country.

Alkaline Trio

Alkaline Trio is an American punk rock band from McHenry, Illinois. The band consists of guitarist and vocalist Matt Skiba, bassist and vocalist Dan Andriano, and drummer Derek Grant. Founded in late 1996 by Skiba, bassist Rob Doran, and drummer Glenn Porter, Alkaline Trio released its debut single, "Sundials", in 1997. Following its release, Doran departed from the band and was replaced by Dan Andriano. The band subsequently recorded an EP, For Your Lungs Only (1998), and its debut studio album, Goddamnit (1998). Following the release of the band's second album, Maybe I'll Catch Fire (2000), Porter left the band and was replaced by Mike Felumlee for its subsequent album, From Here to Infirmary (2001).

Backed by the singles "Stupid Kid" and "Private Eye", From Here to Infirmary significantly increased the band's exposure, and its follow-up, Good Mourning (2003), charted highly on the Billboard 200. Good Mourning marked the recording debut of current drummer Derek Grant. In 2005, the band released Crimson which expanded upon the band's punk rock influences, with prominent overdubs and additional instrumentation, and continued with this direction on Agony & Irony (2008), which was released on V2 Records.

Band of Skulls

Band of Skulls are an English rock band from Southampton, consisting of Russell Marsden (guitar, vocals), Emma Richardson (bass, vocals), and Matt Hayward (drums). The group formed after meeting in college, although Marsden and Hayward have been friends since school. Band of Skulls have released three studio albums, their most recent being Himalayan in March 2014.

History

Initially, the group played at night clubs in the Greater London area and recorded some demos under the name of Fleeing New York before changing their name to Band of Skulls in November 2008. The band's original demos were recorded in Hayward's father's shed-studio.

Band of Skulls' debut album Baby Darling Doll Face Honey, distributed by Shangri-La Music, was released exclusively on the iTunes Store on 6 March 2009, followed by a general release on 20 March. The track "I Know What I Am" was chosen as iTunes' free Single of the Week to coincide with the digital release. The song was also featured in the soundtrack for TV series Friday Night Lights, Volume 2, which was released on 4 May 2010. The song also appeared in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock. Another track that was not actually on the album, "Friends", was included on The Twilight Saga: New Moon soundtrack in November 2009.

Albert Hammond, Jr.

Albert Louis Hammond, Jr. (born April 9, 1980) is an American musician and fashion designer. He played guitar and keyboards for the indie rock band The Strokes. He is the son of singer-songwriter Albert Hammond (best known for his 1972 hit single "It Never Rains in Southern California"). Hammond, Jr. released his debut album Yours To Keep in 2006 and followed up with ¿Cómo Te Llama? in 2008 and his EP, AHJ in 2013. His third solo album, Momentary Masters, was released through Vagrant Records on July 31, 2015.The Beach Boys, Buddy Holly, Frank Black, Guided By Voices, John Lennon, Matthew Sweet and The Velvet Underground are often cited as his major influences.

Life and career

Hammond was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of British-Gibraltarian singer/songwriter/musician Albert Hammond and Argentine former model and beauty pageant winner Claudia Fernández. Hammond, Jr. was sent to the elite boarding school Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland at the age of 13. While there, he met Julian Casablancas, who would go on to be a fellow band member.

Albert Hammond

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Albert Louis Hammond OBE (born 18 May 1944) is a Gibraltarian singer, songwriter, and record producer who grew up in the British Mediterranean territory of Gibraltar.

Birth and early success

Hammond was born in London, England, to where his family had been evacuated from Gibraltar during World War II. His family returned to Gibraltar shortly after his birth, and it is there he grew up. In 1960, he started in music with Gibraltarian band The Diamond Boys, which had no real commercial success, but played a part in Spain's introduction to pop and rock music. The Diamond Boys performed at the first nightclubs in Madrid to stage modern bands alongside Spanish rock and roll pioneers such as Miguel Ríos. In 1966 Hammond co-founded the British vocal group the Family Dogg, scoring a UK Top 10 hit with "A Way of Life" in 1969.

Main career

He also wrote songs for others with frequent collaborator Mike Hazlewood. These include "Little Arrows" for Leapy Lee, "Make Me An Island" (1969) (which Hammond himself re-recorded in 1979, in a Spanish disco-style version), and "You're Such a Good Looking Woman" (1970) for Joe Dolan, "Gimme Dat Ding" for the Pipkins in 1970 (itself a cover from the Freddie and the Dreamers album, Oliver in the Overworld), "Good Morning Freedom" for Blue Mink, "Freedom Come, Freedom Go" for the Fortunes in 1971 and "The Air That I Breathe" which was a hit for the Hollies in 1974. In 1971. Hammond also sang on Michael Chapman's fourth album, Wrecked Again, and worked briefly with the Magic Lanterns on recordings of his and Hazlewood's songs and other material.