159:— or in its own words, "a group of record labels and publishers who sell their products together." Labels associating themselves with Mordam granted the company exclusive distribution rights, with the company selling products to other wholesale distributors around the world as well as dealing directly with hundreds of record stores. The company produced monthly photocopied flyers detailing "new releases" of associated labels as well as semi-annual catalogs depicting and describing all available titles each fall and spring.
90:, and the like. The only way for an independent record label to gain access to these channels was through well-connected distributors. With many retail chains and large, corporate distributors slow to pay and demand for new and fresh products driving the market, it was frequently only the fear of being denied the expeditious delivery of new releases that motivated payment — a coercive mechanism difficult for a small label to generate. Explains independent record industry veteran Todd Taylor:
94:"The ideal label works on making and releasing quality music it believes in. The ideal independent distributor works toward creating a safe umbrella for smaller labels to survive under and uses their strength in numbers. Distributors then use that collective strength to send the music out and collect the money that comes back in. They take a fee or percentage of sales for their services and cut the labels a check at regular intervals. In turn, the labels are supposed to pay
268:"I was tired and pissed off.... I did not have a good attitude any more. 'I hate my job. I hate the industry. I gotta get out of here'.... also a generational divide with a lot of younger people coming into the music scene. People born after 1980 are jumpy. They move fast. When businesses were going down 20 percent, people started to bail."
332:
LMMG was notified by the Ohio
Secretary of State on April 20, 2009 that its articles of incorporation had been canceled by the state and that it was "not in good standing." The company's operations were abruptly halted shortly thereafter with the company remaining in arrears to many of its affiliated
272:
Schwartz recognized that the future of Mordam, if it was to survive, would be as a service company — a digital aggregator and distributor. Exhausted and unwilling to adapt to the changing business environment, Schwartz began to seek a purchaser for Mordam
Records. She found it difficult to sell the
328:
By 2008 payments to labels had fallen well behind schedule. As payments were missed and contracts expired, labels would leave the distributor, further contracting revenue. New labels were added in an attempt to fill the gap, with a total of 116 independent labels ultimately attached to LMMG by the
324:
As 2007 progressed LMMG began to find its financial situation untenable as the retail record industry contracted wildly, and the unfavorable financial situation with respect to WEA became ever more tangled. CEO Hemsath retreated from the wholesale operation to dedicate attention to his successful
320:
LMMG found itself hamstrung by plummeting CD sales and a shift to digital music sales and by a difficult financial relationship with Warner
Brothers, which in exchange for money loaned to LMMG had negotiated a favorable compensation agreement for itself, ultimately to the detriment of affiliated
263:
After about 20 years in the record business, Mordam owner Ruth
Schwartz began to feel alienated from her job and the record industry as a whole. Moreover, digital music distribution had begun to entrench itself, shifting the form of the production-distribution business model. In a 2009 interview
237:. Sales for the company, which had peaked at approximately $ 10 million per year steadily atrophied due to a lessening demand for physical products across the music industry. The departure earlier that year of Lookout Records with its highly marketable catalog, featuring such bands as Green Day,
284:
which CEO Dirk
Hemsath declared had been built "in what we perceived as Mordam's image." Price of the sale was said to be in the range of $ 200,000 to $ 300,000. The new combined entity adopted the name Lumberjack Mordam Music Group (LMMG), with Hemsath taking on the role of CEO and President.
316:
calling for WEA to directly pick, pack, and ship music to certain national chain store accounts via a WEA-affiliated entity called Cinram. In accordance with this agreement, affiliated labels (including those formerly under the Mordam umbrella) were to ship physical goods directly to Cinram
75:, with these middlemen adding an additional markup and selling these goods in bulk to retail outlets. The label is thus placed in a position of making a loan of its products to its distributors, hoping that sales will be made and money returned in compensation.
70:
Independent record companies are frequently started by music fans, for many of whom commerce is secondary and financial skills are minimal. Customarily such record labels send their finished products to intermediaries known as "distributors" on
57:. She subsequently sold Mordam outright to Lumberjack Distribution in 2005. It continued as a part of the Lumberjack Mordam Music Group. With record sales in decline throughout the industry, the company went out of business in 2009.
288:
The purchase meant a change of business terms for the Mordam-affiliated labels, with Mordam's former voluntary "at will" affiliation agreements to be replaced by contractual exclusivity agreements. A handful of labels including
146:
recalling that "checks arrived the same time every month with a statement" from the beginning of his association with Mordam in 1985 until its termination — a situation which Joseph categorized as "fabulous."
49:
Mordam was the exclusive distributor for dozens of punk rock and independent record labels throughout the 1980s and 90s, gaining a reputation as one of the few "distros" that paid their labels on time.
309:) absorbing the powerful and established Mordam to form LMMG, a revamped and expanded system of sales and shipping was needed. A contract was signed with WEA, the distribution arm of
1404:
118:
Mordam
Records (the name a play on "More Damn Records") was established in 1983 in San Francisco, California, by Ruth Schwartz, an original co-editor of
273:
firm, however, since affiliated labels contractually retained the right to walk away from the exclusive distribution agreement with the Mordam at will.
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1419:
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exited as a result of the merger. At least some existing labels were allowed to keep their former "at will" exclusive distribution contracts.
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warehouse. LMMG hoped for first year sales in the $ 15 to 20 million range, thereby growing business and income of its affiliated labels.
233:
Late in 2000, with sales declining throughout the music industry, Mordam moved from costly San
Francisco to a lower cost location in
533:
249:, was an important contributing factor in the faltering financial fortunes of the company which necessitated a change of location.
214:. Mordam Records also manufactured and distributed a small number of titles under its own name, featuring such punk-noise bands as
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995:
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53:
Following the departure of
Lookout! Records and Man's Ruin from its distribution network in 2000, Schwartz moved the company to
1409:
175:
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Prior to 2005 the bulk of the recorded music purchased in the United States happened through major retail chains such as
1414:
525:
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In a further effort to economize, catalog production shifted from a semi-annual to an annual basis beginning in 2001.
142:
The label quickly gained a reputation with its associate labels for fair-dealing and timeliness, with Lee Joseph of
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Through 2000 Mordam maintained a warehouse and sales office located at 2020 Cesar Chavez Blvd. in San
Francisco.
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The new Mordam site was 731 N Market Blvd., Unit R in
Sacramento from the end of 2000 onwards.
1242:, whole no. 33, quoted in Taylor, "The Lumberjack Mordam Music Group Debacle, Part 1," pg. 36.
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The company's survival and growth was fueled by its exclusive distribution agreements with
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Mordam Records was one such independent record distributor, concentrating on the
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1373:"LA Labels Recovering from Lumberjack Mordam's Closure; Where Do They Go Next?"
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With the comparatively small Lumberjack Distribution (owned by Dirk Hemsath of
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23:
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distribution company by Ruth Schwartz (one of the original co-editors of
1343:
Taylor, "The Lumberjack Mordam Music Group Debacle, Part II," pp. 73-75.
1279:
Taylor, "The Lumberjack Mordam Music Group Debacle, Part 1," pp. 37-38.
1204:
Taylor, "The Lumberjack Mordam Music Group Debacle, Part 1," pp. 35-36.
87:
1334:
Taylor, "The Lumberjack Mordam Music Group Debacle, Part II," pg. 73.
1325:
Taylor, "The Lumberjack Mordam Music Group Debacle, Part II," pg. 72.
1300:
Taylor, "The Lumberjack Mordam Music Group Debacle, Part 1," pg. 41.
1288:
Taylor, "The Lumberjack Mordam Music Group Debacle, Part 1," pg. 39.
1251:
Taylor, "The Lumberjack Mordam Music Group Debacle, Part 1," pg. 37.
1137:
Taylor, "The Lumberjack Mordam Music Group Debacle, Part 1," pg. 35.
1312:
Todd Taylor, "The Lumberjack Mordam Music Group Debacle, Part II,"
1224:
Taylor, "The Lumberjack Mordam Music Group Debacle, Part 1," pg. 36
280:, a somewhat younger wholesale distribution operation built around
174:
magazine, Mordam initially concentrated on labels hailing from the
1105:
Todd Taylor, "The Lumberjack Mordam Music Group Debacle, Part 1,"
1387:
439:
1369:, Billboard (February 12, 2005). Retrieved July 17, 2016.
1357:"Attention Stores, Distributors, and Kids of All Ages!!!"
1153:
San Francisco, CA: Mordam Records, 1992; inside cover.
1375:, LA Weekly (July 15, 2009). Retrieved July 17, 2016.
131:
and Alternative Tentacles, the record label owned by
1195:Sacramento, CA: Mordam Records, 2001; back cover.
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325:label, which had since moved to New York City.
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1109:whole no. 53 (Dec. 2009/Jan. 2010), pg. 34.
155:The company depicted itself as a wholesale
1367:Lumberjack aims for front line with Mordam
1266:. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 2005-02-12.
1187:
1185:
170:records and monthly sales of the popular
162:Building its business upon the lucrative
98:to their artists from those music sales."
1316:whole no. 54 (Feb.-March 2010), pg. 70.
1093:
110:records, compact discs, and magazines.
1232:
1230:
329:time of its termination in May 2009.
7:
16:American record distribution company
1362:whole no. 137 (Oct. 1994), pg. 44.
428:Son of a Church Card/Quivering Lip
276:A suitor was found in the form of
14:
1405:Record labels established in 1983
534:Archive International Productions
996:The Committee to Keep Music Evil
983:Sympathy for the Record Industry
200:Sympathy for the Record Industry
26:record distribution company for
1420:Alternative rock record labels
1:
301:Lumberjack Mordam Music Group
435:Exclusive labels (1987-2005)
22:("More Damn Records") was a
877:Punk In My Vitamins Records
526:Amphetamine Reptile Records
166:catalog of San Francisco's
1436:
710:Gold Standard Laboratories
1355:Lumberjack Distribution,
28:independent record labels
901:Second Nature Recordings
861:Polyvinyl Record Company
398:Don't Laugh, You're Next
967:Suicide Squeeze Records
951:Sound Pollution Records
337:Mordam Records releases
278:Lumberjack Distribution
1410:American record labels
615:Desolation Row Records
408:Things I Hate to Admit
270:
157:producers' cooperative
100:
1083:List of record labels
747:Johann's Face Records
702:Gern Blansten Records
649:Eccentric Pop Records
502:Alternative Tentacles
314:Warner Brothers Music
266:
168:Alternative Tentacles
92:
1193:Mordam Records 2001.
1044:Vinyl Communications
1020:Troubleman Unlimited
1012:Total Energy Records
909:Scooch Pooch Records
853:Other People's Music
510:American Pop Project
30:. It was founded in
1060:Wrong Stuff Records
959:Substandard Records
778:Level Plane Records
644:Dr. Strange Records
366:Voltage and Violets
264:Schwartz recalled:
196:Dr. Strange Records
1415:Punk record labels
1360:Maximum Rocknroll,
1177:Fall 1992 Catalog,
1164:Fall 1992 Catalog,
1151:Fall 1992 Catalog.
944:Slowdance Records
845:Orange Sky Records
802:Man's Ruin Records
259:Sale to Lumberjack
229:Move to Sacramento
210:from the state of
84:Barnes & Noble
38:as an independent
1073:
1072:
1064:
1056:
1048:
1040:
1036:Vermiform Records
1032:
1028:Vengeance Records
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1016:
1008:
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992:
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873:
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714:
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698:
690:
682:
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653:
640:
632:
619:
611:
603:
599:Coalition Records
588:
584:Chunksaah Records
580:
567:
554:
546:
542:Asian Man Records
538:
530:
522:
514:
506:
498:
494:Allied Recordings
490:
482:
474:
466:
458:
450:
418:White Bread Blues
358:self-titled, 1986
239:Screeching Weasel
184:Allied Recordings
172:Maximum Rocknroll
121:Maximum RocknRoll
45:Maximum RocknRoll
1427:
1391:
1390:
1388:Official website
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1341:
1335:
1332:
1326:
1323:
1317:
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1222:
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1191:Mordam Records,
1189:
1180:
1175:Mordam Records,
1173:
1167:
1162:Mordam Records,
1160:
1154:
1149:Mordam Records,
1147:
1138:
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1110:
1103:
1062:
1054:
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1038:
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1022:
1014:
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969:
961:
953:
945:
939:
931:
929:Shredder Records
911:
903:
895:
887:
885:Punkcore Records
879:
871:
863:
855:
847:
839:
837:New Red Archives
831:
823:
821:Mr. Lady Records
812:
810:Maximum Rockroll
804:
796:
788:
780:
772:
764:
749:
741:
733:
720:
712:
704:
696:
694:Gearhead Records
688:
686:Frontier Records
680:
678:Flipside Records
672:
664:
651:
638:
636:Disaster Records
630:
623:Dionysus Records
617:
609:
601:
586:
578:
565:
558:Bacchus Archives
552:
550:Au-Go-Go Records
544:
536:
528:
520:
512:
504:
496:
488:
480:
472:
464:
456:
448:
440:
387:Too Many Cowboys
307:Doghouse Records
282:Doghouse Records
247:Mr. T Experience
192:Flipside Records
144:Dionysus Records
1435:
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1426:
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1350:Further reading
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1079:
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924:Seeland Records
917:
893:Rip Off Records
794:Lookout Records
770:Kirbdog Records
762:Kill Rock Stars
755:
731:Initial Records
718:Gravity Records
670:File 13 Records
628:Dirtnap Records
592:
576:Carpark Records
478:Adeline Records
446:5 Rue Christine
437:
425:Victim's Family
415:Victim's Family
405:Victim's Family
395:Mannequin Beach
363:Victim's Family
339:
303:
295:Adeline Records
291:Dirtnap Records
261:
231:
208:Kill Rock Stars
188:Lookout Records
153:
116:
68:
63:
17:
12:
11:
5:
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1380:External links
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1365:Todd Martens,
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1236:Dirk Hemsath,
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817:Mordam Records
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662:Estrus Records
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462:Ace Fu Records
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216:Victims Family
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20:Mordam Records
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975:Swami Records
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869:Prank Records
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663:
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657:Empty Records
655:
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637:
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629:
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621:
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608:
607:Crypt Records
605:
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582:
577:
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572:
571:Broken Rekids
569:
564:
563:Bomp! Records
561:
559:
556:
551:
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543:
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532:
527:
524:
519:
518:Amity Records
516:
511:
508:
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500:
495:
492:
487:
486:Alive Records
484:
479:
476:
471:
470:Acute Records
468:
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376:Choke on this
374:
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353:
350:
349:
348:We Care a Lot
345:
344:Faith No More
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209:
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204:Empty Records
201:
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177:
176:Pacific coast
173:
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165:
164:Dead Kennedys
160:
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133:Dead Kennedys
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114:Establishment
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46:
41:
37:
33:
32:San Francisco
29:
25:
21:
1359:
1339:
1330:
1321:
1313:
1284:
1262:
1256:
1247:
1237:
1200:
1192:
1176:
1171:
1166:front cover.
1163:
1158:
1150:
1106:
1067:
1052:Voxx Records
916:
786:Load Records
754:
591:
427:
417:
407:
397:
385:
375:
365:
346:
331:
327:
323:
319:
304:
287:
275:
271:
267:
262:
254:
251:
232:
224:
178:, including
171:
161:
154:
141:
137:Jello Biafra
128:
124:
119:
117:
101:
93:
77:
69:
52:
43:
19:
18:
1004:Three-One-G
991:(2000-2003)
988:TKO Records
824:(1999-2004)
797:(1988-2000)
697:(2000-2001)
665:(1996-1998)
553:(1997-2002)
529:(1993-1995)
513:(1998-2001)
454:A-F Records
373:Rhythm Pigs
356:Rhythm Pigs
311:major label
220:Rhythm Pigs
202:as well as
73:consignment
1399:Categories
1314:Razorcake,
1107:Razorcake,
243:The Queers
235:Sacramento
212:Washington
180:California
66:Background
55:Sacramento
24:California
1263:Billboard
1089:Footnotes
937:Six Weeks
739:Jade Tree
726:Hell Yeah
151:Structure
135:frontman
108:punk rock
104:wholesale
96:royalties
1077:See also
1063:(1992- )
1055:(2003- )
1047:( -2002)
1039:(1993- )
1031:(2002- )
1023:(1999- )
1015:(2002- )
1007:(2001- )
999:(2002- )
978:(2003- )
970:(2001- )
962:(2002- )
954:(1997- )
946:(2004- )
940:(1999- )
932:( -2001)
912:(2001- )
904:(2004- )
896:(1996- )
888:(2001- )
880:(1999- )
872:(1996- )
864:(1999- )
856:(1997- )
848:(2001- )
840:(2001- )
832:(2004- )
813:(1983- )
805:(1996- )
789:(2003- )
781:(2003- )
773:( -1996)
765:( -2001)
750:(1997- )
742:(1990- )
734:(2003- )
721:(1996- )
713:(2001- )
705:(2000- )
689:(2003- )
681:( -1996)
673:(2001- )
652:(1996- )
639:(2002- )
631:(2002- )
618:( -1993)
610:(2000- )
602:(2004- )
587:(2003- )
579:(2004- )
566:(2003- )
545:(1997- )
537:(2003- )
521:( -1994)
505:(1983- )
497:( -1999)
489:(2002- )
481:(2000- )
473:(2004- )
465:(2003- )
457:(2002- )
449:(1998- )
333:labels.
321:labels.
106:sale of
1179:pg. 49.
182:labels
88:Walmart
80:Borders
61:History
1068:
423:MDR-9
420:, 1990
413:MDR-8
410:, 1988
403:MDR-7
400:, 1988
393:MDR-6
390:, 1987
383:The Ex
381:MDR-5
378:, 1987
371:MDR-4
368:, 1986
361:MDR-3
354:MDR-2
351:, 1985
342:MDR-1
245:, and
198:, and
125:(MRR).
293:and
218:and
206:and
86:and
40:punk
36:1983
1239:AMP
129:MRR
34:in
1401::
1305:^
1293:^
1272:^
1229:^
1209:^
1184:^
1142:^
1114:^
1096:^
430:7"
241:,
222:.
194:,
190:,
186:,
139:.
82:,
47:).
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