Sargent House is an independent record label founded in June 2006 by Cathy Pellow.[1] Named after the historic home where its offices reside — situated between Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles — the company was created because Pellow's then-managed band RX Bandits needed to release their album ...And the Battle Begun, and Pellow wanted to operate differently from the traditional label model.[1][2] The label signed and released a notable cluster of Sacramento-area experimental, math-rock and heavy artists across the early 2010s, including Zach Hill (and his band Hella), Tera Melos, and ex-Sacramentan Chelsea Wolfe.[3][4][5][6] Submerge described it as "one of the best indie labels out there."[7]
At a glance
- Founded June 2006 by Cathy Pellow; named after the historic Los Angeles building housing its offices.[1][2]
- Independent label characterized by Submerge as one of the best in indie music.[7]
- Released Zach Hill's solo album Face Tat (2010); Hill played drums for one of six groups then on the label's roster.[3]
- Home to Sacramento math-rock trio Tera Melos.[7][5]
- Released Hella's new album (2011) and Chelsea Wolfe's Pain Is Beauty (2013) and Abyss (2015).[4][8][6]
- Reported 2011 roster also included Omar Rodriguez Lopez, Native, Russian Circles, This Town Needs Guns, RX Bandits, Red Sparowes and Good Old War.[7]
- Local videographer Sean Stout (Terroreyes.tv) joined the label as its "main video dude," relocating from Sacramento to Los Angeles in 2011.[7]
- Operates a "no submissions" policy, preferring to develop bands from within its roster.[1][2]
Profile and standing
Submerge characterized Sargent House as "absolutely killing it" and "one of the best indie labels out there," citing a deep roster of acts.[7] The label was identified by Submerge as Los Angeles–based; in 2011 a Sacramento videographer's move to take a job with the label entailed relocating to Los Angeles.[7] As an out-of-region label that worked with Sacramento artists rather than a Sacramento institution itself, it is treated here as non-local (touring) relative to the Sacramento scene.
Beyond management and a record label, Sargent House encompasses multiple divisions: a PR company (US/Them Group), a video-production site (Terroreyes TV), and a licensing and music-supervision division (1656 Music).[2][1] The label operates a "no submissions" policy, preferring to add new artists from within its existing management roster rather than accepting outside demos.[1][2]
Founding and background
Cathy Pellow founded Sargent House in June 2006.[1] According to ALARM Magazine, her path to founding the company spanned multiple industries: she began as a 20-year-old representing fashion photographers in New York, then worked in film production, owned a talent boutique, created a music-television show, and commissioned music videos for Island and Atlantic Records.[2] The immediate catalyst for launching the record label was the need to release RX Bandits' album ...And the Battle Begun; Pellow also wanted to do things differently from the traditional record-label model.[1][2]
Rodriguez Lopez Productions imprint
Pellow also helmed the Rodriguez Lopez Productions imprint, founded by The Mars Volta guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López. The imprint launched under Sargent House in March 2009, and the partnership between Rodriguez Lopez Productions and Sargent House ended in early 2014.[1][2]
Roster (per Submerge coverage)
In April 2011 Submerge listed the label's artists as including (but not limited to) Omar Rodriguez Lopez of The Mars Volta, Native, Russian Circles, This Town Needs Guns, RX Bandits, Red Sparowes, Good Old War, and Zach Hill's solo work.[7] In 2010, Zach Hill was reported to play drums for one of six groups then on the label.[3]
Sacramento connections
The label's significance to the Sacramento scene comes from the local-origin artists it released:
- Zach Hill / Hella — Sacramento drummer Zach Hill released his solo album Face Tat (scheduled Oct. 19, 2010) through the label, recorded with Andy Morin at home studios "all over town."[3] Hella's new album was recorded in Oak Park with Andy Morin and set for a July or August 2011 release via Sargent House.[4]
- Tera Melos — The Sacramento "genre-smashing math-rock trio," signed to the label, recorded a new full-length (at Earth Tone in Rocklin with Pat Hills) with an early-2013 release expected via Sargent House.[7][5] Guitarist/vocalist Nick Reinhart was reported to be moving to Los Angeles in 2011 alongside videographer Sean Stout.[7]
- Chelsea Wolfe — Ex-Sacramentan Chelsea Wolfe released Pain Is Beauty, which Submerge ranked No. 1 on its Top 30 Albums of 2013 list, via Sargent House; she followed with Abyss, set for release Aug. 7, 2015, also on Sargent House.[8][6]
- Sean Stout / Terroreyes.tv — Local videographer Sean Stout reportedly teamed up with the label as its "main video dude," a role he called a "dream job," heading to Los Angeles in May 2011.[7] Terroreyes TV operates as a formal video-production division within the Sargent House company.[2]