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s d or c e R ! g n a Ta February, 2021 | VOLUME 6 | ISSUE 2
San Diego has quite a few homegrown record labels, but one of the best known, Taang!, is actually a transplant. Headquartered at their retail location, 3834 Fifth Avenue in Hillcrest, the label, which has 222 releases to date was founded by Curtis Casella in Boston, circa 1984, moving to San Diego in 1992. At least initially due to a local band. “I originally came to sign (punk band) Battalion of Saints,” Casella said. At the time he had stores in Boston and Los Angeles. “They were open for seven years. I was tired of going back and forth, so I moved to L.A. where I had a DJ gig at the first online radio station, Spike Radio.”
stock of collectables and new bands as well as San Diego music from Buck O Nine to Frankie Laine.” The shop is indeed a treasure trove a collector could get lost in for days. Does Taang! Have a particular sound? “No,” said Casella. “We’ve put out a lot of different sounds over time; powerpop, glam, hardcore, shoe gaze, punk, ska, ambient and so on.”
The label has been largely focused on reissues in recent years, in fact one of their next releases is a Negative Approach demos collection, with upcoming Record Store Day releases set to include The Lemonheads, The Bruisers and Negative Approach. But they are still working with new talent. “We recently signed a band from Pittsburgh, While in San Diego to sign the band, Casella “found an abandoned building, Killer of Sheep,” Casella noted. with 706 as the address. 706 is the magic number for rock n roll,” he said. 706 When it comes to formats, Casella considers vinyl to be king. “It’s 85% vinyl Pismo Court in Mission Beach soon became legendary to music fans. “I was in the U.S. 10% CD and 5% cassette,” he pointed out. “It varies a little from drawn to it,” Casella said. “The area at country to country, but it’s in that the time was the wild west.” Casella range. That said, in Poland and Malaylived above the store. “I’ve got some sia cassettes are the favorites, believe it great memories in Mission Beach,”” or not,” he remarked good naturedly. he said. “Motorhead played a private party there. Sublime played our shop The next year sees Taang! busier than when we first opened.” ever. “Right now I’m pressing twelve Many of the labels touring bands were titles that have gone out of print in the past nine months ,” Casella said. “And regulars at defunct venue, Cane’s, including The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, then theres another twenty five that need to be pressed.” Indeed, the label Dropkick Murphy’s and Stiff Little has been so busy, some rumored plans Fingers. have been abandoned, but due to a Now located in Hillcrest, how import- good cause. “As far as the store goes, we were going to do a cafe in the back, ant is the store to the Taang! empire? “The store sells all the titles of course, but at this point we have to expand the store,” Casella said as well as band merchandise,” Casella said. “But the store also has a large www.taang.com
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