Misplaced Pages

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) A major contributor to this article appears to have a close connection with its subject. It may require cleanup to comply with Misplaced Pages's content policies, particularly neutral point of view. Please discuss further on the talk page. (March 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Light in the Attic Records" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (October 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this message) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Light in the Attic Records
Founded	2002 (2002)
Founder	Matt Sullivan Josh Wright
Genre	Various
Country of origin	U.S.
Location	Seattle, Washington
Official website	www.lightintheattic.net

Light in the Attic Records is an independent record label that was established in 2002 in Seattle, Washington by Matt Sullivan. The label is known for its roster of reissue projects and for its distribution catalog. Light in the Attic has re-released work by The Shaggs, Betty Davis, Serge Gainsbourg, Jim Sullivan, Jane Birkin, Monks and The Free Design. The label has also released albums by contemporary bands The Black Angels and Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators.

History

When Sullivan was in high school, he was already interested in starting his own label. "I always wanted my own label," Sullivan told The Stranger in 2006, "but it was always the wrong time."

After high school and college at the University of Arizona, Sullivan interned for Seattle, Washington-based record labels like Sub Pop and the now-defunct Loosegroove Records. Susie Tennant, Sub Pop’s then radio-promotions director, offered Sullivan a chance to intern with Madrid, Spain-based record label, Munster Records. Munster Records focused primarily on reissues of bands like The Stooges and Spacemen 3, inspiring Sullivan to begin rethinking his own concept behind the still active idea of starting a record label.

Upon Sullivan’s return to the states he began producing live shows in the Seattle area including performances by performers like Saul Williams, Clinic, and Kid Koala under the name Light In The Attic. With a stronger interest in the production of records, Sullivan returned to his original idea of a reissue label.

Major projects were, among others:

• a reissue of The Last Poets first two releases - The Last Poets and This Is Madness.
• the reissue of the soundtrack to 1974 blackploitation film Lialeh composed by Bernard Purdie.
• the reissue of several works from The Free Design.
• Wheedle's Groove, a collection of songs from forgotten soul and funk groups from Seattle, including, amongst others, Patrinell Wright, The Black & White Affair, Kenny G, Ron Buford, Overton Berry
• in 2006, Light in the Attic released the album "Passover" from the psych-rock group The Black Angels. This was their first contemporary release.
• the reissue of Betty Davis' albums Betty Davis and They Say I'm Different. Davis agreed with the project, but did not co-operate.
• In 2009, the label acquired the rights to distribute deceased Serge Gainsbourg's classic album Histoire de Melody Nelson. This was their first project with an already established artist.
• In 2010, they launched their 50th album. This album was a release of old demos by folk-country singer Kris Kristofferson and was named Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends: Publishing Demos 1968 - 1972.
• In 2011, the reissue of U.F.O. by singer-songwriter Jim Sullivan.
• In 2014, the label released the compilation album Native North America, Vol. 1.
• In 2017, for the occasion of Record Store Day, they released the official soundtrack of the cult film Ciao! Manhattan in vinyl and CD formats on their Cinewax imprint. This marks the first time that the soundtrack has been commercially released in any form.

Imprints

cinewax

In 2010, Light in the Attic announced their first imprint, cinewax, for vintage and contemporary film. The imprint has released the Winter's Bone Original Soundtrack, Winter's Bone Original Score by Dickon Hinchcliffe, the Project Nim Original Soundtrack also by Dickon Hinchcliffe, and Jennifer Maas' Wheedle's Groove film.

Modern Classic Recordings

Light in the Attic's second imprint, Modern Classic Recordings started in 2011. The imprints first release, Mercury Revs' Deserter's Songs was released in November 2011. Their second release, Morphine's Cure For Pain, will follow in 2012.

Retail and distribution

As well as their own products, Light in the Attic distributes a large portfolio of smaller American and hard-to-find international labels. Light in the Attic currently distributes: Cultures of Soul, Deanwell Global Music, Delmore Recordings, Favorite Recordings, Flat Field Records, Heavenly Sweetness, Heavy Light, Hot Casa, Kindred Spirits, Lion Productions, Masstropicas, Materia Collective, Medical Records, Now-Again, Paradise of Bachelors, Regenerator Records, Rhino Handmade, Secret Seven, Secret Stash, Strawberry Rain, Timmion, Trikont, Vadim Music, Votary Disk/Roundtable, Voyag3r and Golden Pavilion.

Discography

References

1. Levin, Hannah. "Counting Backward: Reissuing Obscure Gems, Local Indie Label Turns Up The Past". The Stranger. Retrieved September 26, 2006.
2. ^ Levin, Hannah. "Counting Backward: Obscuring Reissuing Obscure Gems, Local Indie Label Turns Up The Past". The Stranger. Retrieved September 26, 2006.
3. Sullivan, Matt. "About Light In The Attic". Light In The Attic. Retrieved January 1, 2003.
4. ^ Mudede, Charles. "The Collector's Soul". The Stranger. Retrieved March 19, 2003.
5. Segal, Dave. "Wheedle's Groove". The Stranger. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
6. Matos, Michelangelo. "Thrift Store Finds". Seattle Weekly. Retrieved August 18, 2004.
7. Howe, Brian. "The Black Angels". Pitchfork.
8. Barr, Brian J. "Betty Davis Is Back, Thanks To Light In The Attic". The Seattle Weekly.
9. Barr, Brian J. (31 March 2009). "Serge Gainsbourg: The King of French Pop". Seattle Weekly.
10. Barr, Brian J. (4 May 2010). "Seducing Kris Kristofferson". Seattle Weekly.
11. "The Strange Tale of Jim Sullivan’s U.F.O.", AquariumDrunkard, November 10, 2010. Retrieved 14 October 2015
12. "Light in the Attic Unearths the Forgotten History of First Nations Music with 'Native North America' Compilation". Exclaim!, October 8, 2014.
13. "V/A - Ciao! Manhattan - Ciao! Manhattan Original Motion Picture Soundtrack".
14. "Light In The Attic goes to the movies with our new film imprint -- cinewax". Light In The Attic.
15. "Light In The Attic enters the "Modern" era ..." Light In The Attic.
16. "V/A - Pacific Breeze Pacific Breeze: Japanese City Pop, AOR & Boogie 1976-1986". Light in the Attic Records. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2019.

External links

• Light in the Attic Records Official Page
• Light in the Attic on Discogs

• American independent record labels
• Companies based in Seattle
• 1990s establishments in Washington (state)
• Reissue record labels