SHOCK TREATMENT Has any year been more seminal in rock ’n’ roll history than 1977? Elvis died, punk pioneers The Clash, Sex Pistols and Television released landmark albums and Iggy Pop collaborated with David Bowie on Lust for Life. SquidHat Records is acknowledging that magical 12 months. To commemorate the 40th anniversary of 1977, the local label pulled together 22 Vegas bands to record covers for Squidhat ’77: A Las Vegas Punk Rock Tribute to 1977.
The compilation, downloadable now for $19.77 (naturally) at squidhat.bandcamp.com will also hit stores April 21 as a limited Record Store Day pressing on double gold vinyl. Among its goodies: hardcore punks Unfair Fight aggressive take on Joy Division’s “Warsaw;” The Dirty Panties’ feedback-ridden, pogo-ready rendition of Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer;” and Guilty By Association’s version of “We Are the Champions,” which drags Queen’s arena anthem down to the basement. –Ian Caramanzana
ON THE HUNT If it seems like Huntridge Records sprang up overnight, that’s because it sort of did. After moving back to the desert from Seattle, Las Vegas native Shaun Miller decided he wanted to launch something that could impact the community, and Huntridge Records was born. The label’s first band, The American Weather, releases its debut LP, When It Gets Worse, with a show at Vinyl on April 7, as part of DJ88’s Pop-Up series. “I saw The American Weather and heard a sound that transcended decades,” Miller says. “Their live performance really captured the spirit of their songs.”
Miller, who pressed the vinyl version of When It Gets Worse, says Downtown’s 11th Street Records—and the adjoining National Southwestern Recording studio, where the album was recorded—was a natural partner. “I’m putting out a vinyl record, they’re a vinyl record shop. To me there was no other option.” Now, he’s focused on getting the band distribution “to get the music beyond Vegas. And then? “Maybe mid-summer we’ll get another band on, and the process will probably be a little quicker than the last one,” he says. “This town is full of talent; there’s a lot of great bands here.”
The label won’t be restricted by subgenre—“[We] don’t claim anything other than to be a rock ’n’ roll label,” Miller says—and as for the name, he chose Huntridge for the nostalgia it carries. “Live music is synonymous with the Huntridge. Instantly, it resonated with people.” –Leslie Ventura
ALSO All-Night Visitors, the indie-rock group led by Vegas musician Walker Rose, will release three-song EP People, Places, Things on May 1, along with a conceptual video accompanying the record. The band’s first release in two years explores its blues, pop and classic rock influences, pulling from recording sessions for an upcoming full-length. allnightvisitors.bandcamp.com … Raw Femme, a Vegas-based outlet that highlights female musicians, will host its second Female Founder workshop April 7 at the Platinum Hotel on East Flamingo (4 p.m., $5). Part of a continuing speaker series, the event furthers Raw Femme’s mission of assisting aspiring music-industry professionals through a discussion with Balcony TV producer Courtney Davis, entertainment lawyer Mark R. Smith and others. –Leslie Ventura
