For No Echo's latest Record Label Profile, I am shining a spotlight on GGT Records. The Virginia Beach / Seattle-based hardcore label has been behind releases by such bands as Jade Dust, Slight Return, and Mean Jesus.
For their next release, GGT Records will be issuing New Fuel For An Old Fire, the debut album from Caged View. For more on them, check out my previous piece on the band and their forthcoming LP.
I spoke with the label's three owners to learn more about their mission.
Please introduce yourselves, and tell me about your backgrounds in hardcore.
(Adam Barone): I grew up in the Virginia Beach hardcore scene going to shows and playing drums in bands. That’s how Elbert and I met. We had a short-lived Youth Crew band in the late 1990s. Rob and I met a little later when he moved to Virginia.
(Elbert Aull): Adam and I reconnected when we both moved to Seattle about 10 years ago. It was totally random; I went back to Virginia Beach for a fundraiser for Timmy No Justice, who had some health issues. Some friends told me Adam was living in Seattle. We reconnected at Rainfest 2016 and started hanging out again, just like old times.
(Rob): I’ve only joined “formally” in the past couple of months, but like Adam said, our friendship goes back to when I first moved to Virginia Beach. We played in a band together that ultimately moved out to California and even as bands and living situations changed we just continued to keep in touch.
It was probably inevitable we’d do something in music together again since it’s been a common bond for so long. And getting to know Elbert through this process has been as seamless as it gets given how closely linked our interests are.
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Doing a record label is a particularly humble endeavor. What inspired you to want to put records out?
(Adam): Elbert and I had been talking for awhile about starting a label. Our good friend Indy (CoinToss Records) was working on putting out the Forgive/Forget seven inch, something I had put him on to previously. He ended up shutting down the label and passing the release onto us. At about the same time, we were talking to our friends from VB Mean Jesus about putting their first 7” out.
Both of those projects came together quickly, but then COVID hit and delayed the MJC release by several months. It was difficult, but also a good learning experience for two people who had never done a label.
(Elbert): This music inspired me to do some things in my life that I didn’t see as possible when I was younger. I just want to put out music that might inspire someone else in the same way.
On your website bio, it looks like your goal is to just put out rad hardcore without allegiance to a particular look or sound. So many labels got their start by promoting a specific style. What made you want to break from that mold?
(Elbert): We listen to a broad spectrum of hardcore. Each of us have our favorite subgenres for sure—I’m a Revolution Summer guy, Adam is a melodic hardcore guy, and we are both really into technical, metallic hardcore—but we’re older.
We’ve both been buying hardcore records for decades. We know some releases stand the test of time, regardless of genre. And also now with Rob, we share the view that it would be better to try to put out something heartfelt and timeless than the trendy release of the moment.
(Adam): We wanted the focus to be on the music, not passing trends or superficial stuff that could take away from the music.
(Rob): What Elbert said! There’s just a vibe I think we all gravitate towards regardless of whatever “category or genre” someone tries to classify the band as. Caged View is a great example of that. Hearing it for the first time I just knew it was something that would be worth every ounce of effort to put out.
What about Caged View stood out to you as a band you wanted to work with?
(Adam): Caged View have an amazing sound that features so many aspects of underground music that we love. They are also all about what they’re doing. It’s easy to get pumped when talking to these guys about their release.
(Elbert): They are a band that draws inspiration from places we connect with, so we were stoked they wanted to work with us.
What do you look for when wanting to work with a band?
(Adam): Great songs, friendly, hard working people.
(Elbert): Sincerity and a sense of humor.
Who would you say is the active roster of GGT Records right now?
(Elbert): Just Caged View. We were pumped that Mean Jesus moved on to New Age, a label we loved growing up. We were just as excited to learn that Heavy is the Head moved on to Upstate Records. We’re a DIY label. Our goal is to have every band that works with us move on to bigger and better places.
Outside of Caged View, do you have any other releases lined up for this year?
(Adam): Caged View and possibly one other, but we can’t say anything about that one just yet, so stay tuned!
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Check out GGT Records' online store.
GGT Records on social media: Instagram
Tagged: caged view, jade dust, record label profile, slight return, spikepit
