Listening Back with JT Fitzgerald of Dadstache Records
It’s a sad time to be a fan of “Dad Rock For Young Punks,” because Dadstache Records have announced that they will be taking a hiatus after a fierce and applaudable eight year run. Rest assured that the Rochester, NY rock ‘n’ roll institution will continue to operate in some senses, (so if you just ordered that new Gabriel Bernini tape they just put out last month, it will still get shipped to you) but the record label will cease to release new music in the foreseeable future.
That said, Dadstache Records undoubtedly still has plenty of new-to-you music to check out, having championed underdogs of the independent music circuit worldwide since 2013 and boasting a very strong 50+ release deep discography featuring Slight Of, Comfy, River Gods, Skirts, Calicoco, Elephants, and others.
Wormbrain spoke to JT Fitzgerald, one of the three original co-founders of Dadstache and its central operating force from 2015 on, about the label’s full spread of releases and got the inside scoop on where to dive in.
Curious where to start? Here is what to check out if you’re looking for a song to…
…best represent the "early years" of the record label?
"Indian Premier League" by Skirts [LISTEN HERE]
“Skirts was the first band on the label, and the first band I played in on the label. We were playing this song a lot when I joined the band, and it's come to really represent that time of my life and the early days of the label.”
…best represent the "later years" of the record label?
“Other People” by Slight Of [LISTEN HERE]
“This whole record really embodies the growth from a scrappy label putting out loose and sloppy indie rock and garage to a collection of artists making thoughtful, mature work that still absolutely rips. Jim's old band Cottage Jefferson played the first show the label ever put on, and to have been able to continue to work with Jim through all of these years really represents the connections I'd always hoped to make when we started out.”
…turn a boring regular party into a dance party?
"Anaconda" by Hard Nips [LISTEN HERE]
“Ask anyone, whenever Hard Nips plays, it's a party.”
…then immediately ruin that same dance party?
"I Was The Devil" by Calicoco [LISTEN HERE]
“This song has yet to not bring me to tears as soon as I hear it, it could bring any room to a screeching halt without a doubt.”
…get added to a video game soundtrack (and which)?
"Four Knocks" by BC Likes You! [LISTEN HERE]
“Very early on in the label's life we were pretty involved in the local chip[tune] music scene, so this record ended up being something of an anomaly, but BC would later make actual soundtracks for video games like Halloween Forever!”
…start a singalong around a campfire with all of your friends?
"You Got Me" by Gabriel Bernini [LISTEN HERE]
“The whole album is a group of friends, making a record about friendship. I can't think of a better song for that.”
…put on the b-side of a mixtape you're making your crush?
"Lovesick Canyon" by Ben Morey and the Eyes [LISTEN HERE]
“It's been a long time since I made a mixtape for a crush, but thinking back I absolutely would put a song with the lyrics ‘Romance me after the rain and let me love you like a thunder cloud’ on it, I was certainly not subtle.”
…bring yourself (or someone else you know) to "happy" tears?
"Should I Try" by Comfy [LISTEN HERE]
“The first time I heard the finished version of this song and the string section kicked in after the dual guitar solo, I really did cry! When Comfy played the very first Dadstache show, Connor only had one 30 second song on Bandcamp, and this song feels like such an incredible realization and expansion of the vision on that first song, I couldn't help but be so happy I teared up.”
“...from a scrappy label putting out loose and sloppy indie rock and garage to a collection of artists making thoughtful, mature work that still absolutely rips.”
Photo by Jeremy O’Reilly.
…anonymously dedicate to your mortal enemy via local radio?
"Trash U" by Total Yuppies [LISTEN HERE]
“This one was actually about that for someone else, and it did cause a problem. You couldn't play this on the radio without editing it heavily but it really happened!”
…hype up a junior varsity football team before their big game?
"Customers" by Onesie [LISTEN HERE]
“That riff was what sealed the deal on working with Onesie - even if the song is about brands using cult-like marketing, that riff speaks for itself. You can't hear that and not be hyped up.”
…soundtrack a fight between two really huge ugly monsters?
"Push Push Push" by The Sharp Shadows [LISTEN HERE]
“I've been watching a lot of Godzilla movies lately and you could sync this up to any one of those fights, those thundering drums as the monsters battle it out and the small moments of respite in between before they're at it again. It doesn't hurt that this keeps repeating ‘tiny fists pounding through my ribs until I split’ either!”
W.W: What is Wormbrain?
JTF: Wormbrain is the tangled knot of worm thoughts.
W.W: Thank you for sharing with Wormbrain.
Dadstache Records (2013-2021) may be getting put out to D.I.Y. Twitter pasture, but Fitzgerald has teased what seems to be the next eventual evolution / venture into the music scene and certainly seems worthy of excitement!
