About

File 13 Records

File 13 Records started as a punk rock collective in Little Rock, AR in 1989 releasing demo tapes, then seven-inch vinyl records, then some twelve-inches. Notable artists like Chino Horde and Thumbnail released music during this period.

As the founders moved away, a member of the community moved to Philadelphia, PA for college. He and some friends relaunched the label more focused on the local Philly psych-shoegaze sound. This was the label’s most successful period releasing music by artists such as Matt Pond PA, the Lilys, National Skyline, and Antarctica.

As generating money became increasingly difficult due to the digital age of music, the label was handed over to some early contributors to the Arkansas days, who then lived in Chicago in 2003. Since then, the label has continued to operate in Chicago as a labor of love and to support the F13 community, both new and old. The Chicago label has previously released artists like Martin Rev, The Silent League, Atombombpocketknife, and Need New Body. The label currently represents artists in Tokyo (My Way My Love), Nashville (Prayer Flags, The Snipecatcher), and Chicago (The Poison Arrows, Pink Avalanche, Boardinghouse Reach, and Acquaintances).

The aesthetic is very Chicago-influenced experimental indie rock and electronic. The office in Chicago was first based in an office space right above the stage of the Empty Bottle, then was run out of the Touch and Go Records warehouse, next it was run out of the Carrot Top Distribution warehouse. Now it is operated remotely.