For over 30 years, Pete Menchetti has made underground music his life.
Running Sticker Guy, putting out records on Slovenly, organizing the We're Loud Festival, or cramming into a van with bands half his age—Menchetti has spent his adult life making sure independent music survives outside the industry. That path started in the late '80s, propelled by a teenage obsession with live shows that never let up.
"My first gig was Iron Maiden when I was 13," Menchetti tells No Echo. "My first punk show was Circle Jerks and 7Seconds the following year, in 1988. I got arrested for curfew after that show."
Like a lot of future scene lifers, Menchetti didn't stay on the sidelines for long. As soon as he could move out, he and some friends found a house—with one non-negotiable: it had to have a basement for shows. "We made sure it had a basement so that we could host live music. And we did that for five years until they kicked us out."
That DIY drive led to 702 Records, a run of fanzines (including ENEMA, with its unforgettable tagline: "Cleansing the Anus of Society"), and eventually the projects that would impact his life.
Most people know Menchetti for Slovenly, but Sticker Guy is still going strong. In fact, when my band, Black Army Jacket, played Reno in the '90s, we were excited to meet and hang out with "Pete Sticker Guy." Here's photo proof:
Menchetti still sees his company as an important resource for underground bands. "Sticker Guy can still very much be the go-to for the bands you know," he says. "Definitely make sure they're not buying their stickers from a TRUMPer."
As Sticker Guy grew and a solid crew took over the daily grind, Menchetti was able to pour more energy into Slovenly. "I'm extremely fortunate to have the people I work with," he says. "They have allowed me to focus on other pursuits that don't necessarily generate profit."
That freedom let him build a label that always looked beyond the US. Before international touring became the norm for underground bands, Menchetti was already discovering firsthand that great music was everywhere.
Touring with Scared of Chaka in the mid-'90s changed everything. "After we went to Japan and Europe together in 1997, it became immediately clear to me that the line we're fed growing up in the USA is complete bullshit," he says.
Those tours meant he spent the next two decades bouncing between Naples, Valencia, Amsterdam, and wherever the next show took him. "I have found great bands all over that deserve our attention, and haven't let geography dictate what the label does."
That philosophy helped shape that mindset, which turned Slovenly into one of underground rock's most global labels. The catalog runs from The Spits and King Khan to Black Lips, Wild Billy Childish, and hundreds more from all over 300 releases, Menchetti says the excitement remains simple.
"I love being part of helping to make records for hard-working bands, and then seeing them live. Possibly even going out on the road with them."
Not every record took off. Some of his favorites are still sitting in boxes. "Unfortunately, most of the bands I got really excited about and took a chance on are among my favorite releases and are also the ones I have boxes of in storage."
Puff, Nomos 751, The Gain, Hellshovel, and the We're Loud comps are among those personal favorites.
Touring has gotten more complicated over the years. After decades of routing, logistics, and putting out fires, Menchetti has mostly stepped back from booking tours.
"I always tell people that when a tour is going well, it's because the band is great. But the moment something goes sour, it's the booking agent's fault."
Still, he remains drawn to the road. Still, the road keeps calling. At the time of this interview, Menchetti was out with Sexfaces—just one of the bands he still supports up close- and making new friends" remains the biggest draw, he says. "It's also great to be able to sell some records. After 30-plus years of making them, I've got a lot of them to sell."
Nothing sums up Menchetti's outlook better than We're Loud, the roaming punk festival that's landed in Greece, Turkey, Puerto Rico, Vietnam, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Kenya, and soon Colombia. The festival only exists because a venue in Amsterdam double-booked his original show. "They gave my dates away to some techno party," he recalls. "I was having a blast in Greece, so I said, 'Fuck Amsterdam then.'"
What started as a last-minute fix turned into an opportunity to make a difference to a local community in Kenya when We're Loud was held there in 2025. "We raised money to help launch the music program at a children's home in Lamu and brought our musicians there to perform for the kids and provide private music lessons." The festival donated equipment and gear, linked students with musicians, and helped lay a foundation that still benefits the community.ng work I've ever been a part of."
Next up is Colombia, where Menchetti hopes to help a music school on Providencia that has been closed since 2019.
After 30-plus years of labels, zines, tours, festivals, and endless miles, Menchetti's motivation is still simple. "I'm obsessed with rock' n' roll."
He laughs while recalling an encounter with a confused border guard who couldn't understand why four Japanese musicians, an Italian, and an American were crossing into Canada together. "I used that as an explanation," Menchetti says. "It was the truth. It's what brought us all together."
For Pete Menchetti, it always will.
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Sticker Guy website
Slovenly Recordings on social media: Instagram
We're Loud on social media: Instagram
Tagged: record label profile
