hell-cat v.s. fat wreck chords

[Shawn]

witch is better

[scumbucket77]

I think Fat Wreck back in their day was the label to beat but over the last 4 or 5 years the new artists they've signed have failed to impress. I'd have to give it to Hellcat. Someone please slap Fat Mike and wake him up.

[ChrisJones]

I think Fat Wreck back in their day was the label to beat but over the last 4 or 5 years the new artists they've signed have failed to impress. I'd have to give it to Hellcat. Someone please slap Fat Mike and wake him up.

From a business standpoint each label has it's strengths and weaknesses....
Rise Against, Anti Flag, Less Than Jake, Against Me....seems like these ex-fatwreck bands have impressed somebody. Fat Mike signs his bands to one record deals, surrenders all licensing rights to the artist, and has killer distribution to 20somethin countries. They don't do much for publicity for the bands, which is why a lot of bands have left the label. These bands felt they could gain better exposure at labels that are household names. He prefers bands whom are already established with booking and management almost exclusively the bands responsibility. The label is artist driven. They choose their bands wisely.

Hellcat is a vanity label sub-division of epitaph. Epitaph supplies tour support, band management, publicity(radio, mtv, etc.) They are a huge promotion machine. You sign to hell-cat and you get all the perks of being an epitaph band. Coveted warped tour slots, AP magazine cover shots, late show appearances...etc. This label uses it's brand power. Having this power, the label also can risk signing unknown artists.

An unsigned band has more of a chance of signing with hellcat than fatwreck.
Hellcat bands get a recording budget but are limited to certain studios and producers.(which aren't bad options in this instance)
Fat wreck bands will get more oversees support.
Fat wreck bands make more money per album sales and tour revenue than hellcat bands.
Hellcat bands gain more exposure in the media.

As far as bands are concerned.

Well it's up to individual tastes. Personally I think Hellcat bands have always had more "street cred" than Fatwreck bands. Fat wreck tend bands have a progressive melodic poppy sound while hellcat bands are more traditional punk as well as more variety musically.

I'm not particularly impressed by any of their rosters. The "give em the boot" comps I've always looked forward to as much as new NOFX albums.

Since hellcat is only a vanity label, Fatwreck will win this one for me, sorry tim.

[The Transmission]

I think im speaking for most unsigned bands when i say,we would be happy to be on either!

[Captain_Obvious]

Fat Wreck's current bands

American Steel, Avail, Chixdiggit!, Citizen Fish, Dead To Me, The Descendents, The Dickies, Dillinger Four, The Flatliners, Lagwagon, The Lawrence Arms, Leftover Crack, The Loved Ones, Love Equals Death, Mad Caddies, Me First And The Gimme Gimmes, Nerf Herder, NOFX, No Use For A Name, Only Crime, Propagandhi, Randy, The Real McKenzies, The Sainte Catherines, Smoke Or Fire, Strike Anywhere, Strung Out, The Subhumans, Swingin' Utters, Western Addiction

Hellcat's current bands

Civet, The Aggrolites, Tim Armstrong, The Heart Attacks, Hepcat, HorrorPops, Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards, Left Alone, Los Difuntos, Mercy Killers, Nekromantix, Orange, Rancid, The Slackers, Society's Parasites, Static Thought, Tiger Army, Time Again, The Unseen, Westbound Train


It seems to me that Hellcat produces alot of Psychobilly, not a fan of the shit... I hate psychobilly.

Though there are bands I can't stand in there, Fat Wreck is the winner.

[Captain_Obvious]

but yet i've always been a fan of Alternative Tentacles, Bluurg and Crass Records

[Monajen]

Well boys after reading this post I have to say I lean toward Fat Wreck myself, although, I admit I dont mind a few of the bands Hellcat lists now and Id have to say if it were my own band...I wouldnt mind either one because in this day and age there are just way too many bands to compete with out there...not only that when I do finally get the chance to make my own music I believe Ill be happy to do just that...at least I hope...

[Ailo]

none of them are good

[codebluecary]

I personally like both.I love psychobilly!HELLCAT HANDS DOWN!

[thebigother]

I could really do without both.

[Brutus]

Both had a hand in getting me into punk. Which is basically life as of now. So I dont know :S

[Paul T]

Probably Hellcat up until around 2004 but since then neither label bothers me.

The best days of both labels are over

[HellCat78]

Neither.

[tisJoefoo]

Not a big fan of either, though I love Propagandhi and I adore the Aggrolites. If I HAD to choose, I would go with Fat Wreck.

[DeathComesRipping]

If i were in a band, i'd be stoked to be on either.. theyre both pretty well established labels with good distro and having friends that have been with both companies, ive never heard either or complain. Good times.

since in live in LA though, id go with Hellcat, the epitaph HQ/warehouse/building is alot closer than Fat Wrecks is.

[thebigother]

Not a big fan of either, though I love Propagandhi and I adore the Aggrolites. If I HAD to choose, I would go with Fat Wreck.


Luckily I can get Propagandhi records from G7 Welcoming Committee with out the FAT imprint. I'm surprised the kept stayed with FAT, though, after Fat Mike kicked them off the Rock Against Bush comp for having unacceptable politics.

[tisJoefoo]

What the fuck is unacceptable politics? That's a pretty objective reason to kick someone off anything in this country. Welcome to America, Propagandhi.

[thebigother]

They wanted to include a statement in the liner notes for their song that said "This message not brought to you by Georg Soros." But he's a major contributer to the democratic party, and the democratic party in part funded Rock Against Bush, so being the bastion of free speech, anti coroporitism and all things punk rock that he is, Fat Mike told them to remove the statment or be kicked off the comp.

[tisJoefoo]

Wow. That shines some new light on Fat Mike. What a bitch.

[thebigother]

It's pretty much exactly when I stopped looking at him as a figure with any sort of integrity and instad as just a money grubbing whore.

[floppy_fuck]

Fat Wreck sucks.

[Fukface82]

Neither.