Press
9.11.2008 - An article about GSR in the Buzz
10.10.2007 - An article about GSR in the Daily Illini.
10.9.2007 - An article about GSR in BigLickU.
5.03.2007 - Read a review of No Rights Reserved.
3.28.2007 - An article about GSR in the Daily Illini.
Green St. Records Celebrates "Release Month"
No Rights Reserved Features 12 Student Bands
MARCH 27, 2007 - Green St. Records, the only student-run record label in the Big Ten, is poised to release its fourth compilation of music from University of Illinois student bands. The album, titled "No Rights Reserved," features one song each from local acts Santa, Mad Mardigan, Glasshouse, The Dakota, Vanattica, Butterfly Assassins, FCAB, Jack Pine Savage, The Greytones, Sidewalk Radio, Missing the Point, and Weapons of Mass DisFunktion.
"Everyone at the label is very excited about this year’s record," said Green St. Records President Matt McNamara. "We all feel this album accurately showcases the very talented student musicians found right here on the University of Illinois campus. From top to bottom, every track adds something unique to make the CD a great listening experience."
To celebrate the release of the album – and to distribute the CDs free of charge – Green St. Records has two exciting live shows planned for the month of April. On Thursday, April 19, Sidewalk Radio, Zmick, and Lynn O’Brien will be performing at the Illini Union Courtyard Café. One week later, on April 26, Vanattica, Missing the Point, and The Dakota will also take the Courtyard Café stage.
"Everyone at Green St. Records would like to thank all the students who have attended our shows throughout the year and all the bands that have given them dynamite live performances," said Brad Miller, Green St. Records Vice President of Marketing. "Making the album is an expensive process and without the continued support of the student body it would not be possible to release the CD for free."
Green St. Records will press 1,500 copies of "No Rights Reserved" and plans to hand them all out at the shows scheduled in April. The label hopes to see everyone come out, support local student musicians, and receive their complimentary copy of this year’s compilation.
For more information on Green St. Records – its bands, upcoming shows, events, etc. – please visit www.greenstrecords.com or www.myspace.com/greenstrecords.
12.07.2006 - An article about GSR in the Buzz.
Green St. Records Selects Roster for 2006-2007
Label Also Looking To Increase Membership
OCTOBER 30, 2006 - Green St. Records, the only student-run record label in the Big Ten, has confirmed its roster of bands for the 2006-2007 school year. The official lineup of bands is: Santa, The Dakota, Somnus, Sidewalk Radio, Weapons of Mass DisFunktion, Mad Mardigan, What Four, Glasshouse, The Greytones, FCAB, and Vanattica. Each band will have one song professionally recorded and included on a compilation album to be released in the spring.
“The quality and quantity of submissions we received made this year’s selection process especially difficult. The days of debate and hours of listening were necessary to determine which bands we felt were the best,” said Green St. Records President Matt McNamara. “We are excited for the rest of the year and hope everyone will go out to shows and support the great music scene here on the University of Illinois campus.”
The label chose the top 11 bands out of the nearly 60 which applied in October. Beginning the first week of November, each band will have its song recorded at Pogo Studio in downtown Champaign with producer Mark Rubel. The compilation album will be released and distributed free of charge at a release show in early spring.
Even though the selection process has been completed, Green St. Records is still looking for students interested in learning more about the music business to join the label. Help will be needed to organize fundraisers, book shows at local venues, and design the album’s artwork. Anyone who would like to receive information should contact Matt McNamara at greenstrecords@gmail.com.
Green St. Records released its third album, “Crescendo,” last spring. For more information on Green St. Records – its bands, upcoming shows, etc. – please go to www.greenstrecords.com or www.myspace.com/greenstrecords.
4.21.2005 - An article about GSR in the Buzz.
Green St. Records to Re-release Debut Album
Label celebrates 'Opening Night' at Canopy Club
SEPT 7, 2004 - U of I's own Green St. Records, the Big Ten's only student-run record label, announced today that it will re-release last year's debut album, Emergence, a free compilation album of the best student bands and musical acts on campus, Sept. 18 on its newly designed website, www.greenstrecords.com. The album boasts a wide range of musical styles. “We included everything from rock to hip hop to types of music that can’t even be easily categorized,” says Aaron Rosenthal, President of A&R, “there’s something for everyone.” The re-release comes in response to the overwhelming success of last year’s release of Emergence; the label distributed all of its 1,500 copies of the album in three days.
GSR will celebrate the re-release with an all-star show at the Urbana music hot-spot, the Canopy Club. The show features four of the most talented bands from Emergence: classic rock group Bullet Called Life, hard rock band The Ending, and college rock band Eclectic Theory. The hip hop group Animate Objects will also perform, marking the band’s return to campus after moving to Chicago.
The Sept. 18 show also marks the official opening of the label’s sophomore year as it will begin to accept band demo submissions for its album, slated to be released in April. The label’s staff will choose the best groups of those who submit to be included on this year’s compilation.
Emergence was recorded at Champaign’s Pogo Studio with acclaimed producer Mark Rubel, who is best known for his work with the band Hum, whose hit, “Stars,” received video airplay on MTV in the 90’s. The album was mastered by Jonathan Pines whose experience with major label releases include Grammy-nominated band Wilco.
The re-release of Emergence is available with more GSR information online at www.greenstrecords.com. The Canopy Club is located at 708 S. Goodwin in Urbana. Tickets for the Sept. 18 show are $5.
Big Ten's Only Student-run Record Label Releases Debut Album
CHAMPAIGN, IL – Student music is about to reach a whole new level. Green St. Records, the only student-run record label in the Big Ten, is looking to provide a new outlet for college musicians who want to make it big. The group is releasing its debut album, “Emergence,” a compilation of the best student bands and musical acts at the University of Illinois. Green St. Records, co-founded in the fall of 2003 by senior managers Jason Drucker, Josh Morton and Aaron Rosenthal, promises to create a musical representation of the Illinois student body.
“We were looking for a way to raise awareness about all of the great student music on this campus,” explained Drucker. “The music was there. Someone just needed to put it on a CD.”
The free album, to be released April 10 in conjunction with a 7-band concert, boasts a wide range of musical genres.
“We included everything from rock to hip hop to styles of music that can’t even be easily categorized. There's something for everyone, and hopefully people will end up getting exposed to a genre they might have not been familiar with before hearing the album,” said Rosenthal.
In October, the group received over 40 submissions from Illinois student bands and musicians. The 12 members of the GSR staff rated each group on musicianship, creativity, and audience appeal, ultimately choosing 12 acts to record with producer Mark Rubel at Champaign’s Pogo Studio.
Rubel is best known for his work with the band Hum, whose hit, “Stars,” received national attention and video airplay on MTV in the early 1990s. The album was mastered by Jonathan Pines, whose experience with major label releases includes the Grammy -nominated band Wilco.
“A high quality product was very important to us,” said Morton. “We wanted to put out something that was comparable to what a major label releases.”
The students funded production of the 1,500 CDs through a series of benefit concerts in which bands from the album performed. Additional funding was provided by the university’s student organization funds board.
Along with creating a high - quality CD, Green St. Records is hoping to give the students involved real experience in the music industry. Students run every aspect of the organization, from signing bands and booking concerts to advertising and promoting.
“It’s been an amazing learning experience,” said Morton. “Working with the bands in a professional environment and developing promotional campaigns like this is something you just can’t get in a classroom.”
Sound clips from the album and more information about Green St. Records can be found on the label’s website at www.greenstrecords.com.
