PRAVDA RECORDS

Bio:

PRAVDA RECORDS BIO:

Pravda Records was started in 1984 by Kenn Goodman, who wanted to put out a record by his band, The Service. "It seemed that other people thought we were a label, so we became one." After putting out other records by the Hollowmen, Shy Strangers, Claude Pate, and Green, the label was officially up and running and looking for an office bigger than Kenn's apartment bedroom. In 1986, the Pravda retail store was opened in Chicago to help fund the label and sell other independent and import music. Other releases such as 13 Nightmares, The Farmers, The Slugs, Susan Volez (of Poi Dog Pondering), The Frantic Flattops, Gringo, Javelin Boot, Rex Daisy, Willie Wisley Trio, Wake Ooloo and the first installment of the K-Tel tribute series were released and some of them actually started selling!

The philosophy of the label has always been to release different styles of music for people with open minds. "All people have voices they prefer, sounds they enjoy, instruments they like, and moods they like to slide into when listening to music," explains Kenn. "That's why we have a diverse roster of talented artists, and not one label sound."

After selling the retail side of the business in 1992, the label became the main focus and today has over 70 releases. Current artist include: Glenn Mercer (ex-Feelies), Andre Williams, The New Duncan Imperials, Cheer-Accident, The Civil Tones, The Goldstars & The Sleepers. We enjoy diverse music here at Pravda, and the common thread present is the quality of the music.

Member Since:

December 13, 2004

Members:

Pravda has released CDs/LPs by the following bands/artists:

The Ruiners
Lab Partners
The Black Smokers
The Diplomats Of Solid Sound featuring The Diplomettes
The Sleepers
New Duncan Imperials
Andre Williams & The Diplomats Of Solid Sound
Glenn Mercer
Wake Ooloo
The Civil Tones
Cheer-Accident
Gringo
Javelin Boot
The Goldstars
The Service
Willie Wisely Trio
Tobin Sprout
Rex Daisy
The Slugs
Susan Voelz
The Frantic Flattops
Boom Hank
Wanna-Bees
Big Daddy Sun
Impotent Sea Snakes
Green
13 Nightmares
Claude Pate
The C*nts
The Farmers
Hollowmen
Shy Strangers
Shrunken Heads
Penthouse Playboys
Tiny Tim (Bughouse)
Legendary Stardust Cowboy (Bughouse)
Cordell Jackson (Bughouse)
Hasil Adkins (Bughouse)

Sounds Like:

LATEST RELEASES:

Diplomats Of Solid Sound -
What Goes Around Comes Around



Pravda Records (in association w/Record Kicks - Italy) proudly presents the fifth full-length by Iowa City Ambassadors of groove The Diplomats Of Solid Sound, entirely mixed and edited by Lack Of Afro (Freestyle) and inspired by the sounds of the best 60s style soul and funk. More


The Ruiners -
Happy Birthday Bitch



From Detroit USA, The Ruiners are a wild and fantastic beast; pure white lightning & sexy self-destruction. Having endured club bannings, beatings, court enforced restraining orders, jail terms, cat fights, pregnancies, bankruptcies, heart attacks, overdoses, emergency room visits and death threats over the last 10 years, the band is now fresher, sexier & more self-confident then ever with their brand new album Happy Birthday Bitch. This 10 song blast of Detroit sleaze is destine to be thee greatest party record of all time, with a lot of fuzzed out sounds, primitive drums, mucho sex appeal & greasy bar room grit... and that my friends is what The Ruiners do best. More


Lab Partners -
Moonlight Music



On this, their third full-length album "Moonlight Music", they continue to craft such immaculately perfect dream pop with more power, clarity and confidence than ever before. Now after 10+ years of writing, recording & touring, Lab Partners find themselves at the forefront of their peers, having carved out their own niche of what some music lovers & critics call space rock, dream pop, indie rock & shoegazer. > More


Black Smokers -
Used



The Black Smokers are passionate about the blues tradition but hate following the rules. From Alessandria, Italy, this 'down-home-psycho-rock-blues' duo has released several albums throughout Europe, but for the first time, they take on the US with a fresh new album titled "Used". > More


The New Duncan Imperials -
End Of Phase One



End Of Phase One is the first studio recording in eight years from the New Duncan Imperials and it was worth the wait. Bristling with the kind of straight-ahead-yet twisted songs that characterize their best work, this album reveals a band that is tough, vital, and still poking rock in the ribs. > More


The Diplomats Of Solid Sound featuring The Diplomettes -
self-titled



Produced by Freestyle Records hottest property LACK OF AFRO aka Adam Gibbons, Pravda Records (in association w/Record Kicks UK) proudly presents the new album from Iowa City's ambassadors of funk and soul, The Diplomats Of Solid Sound featuring for the first time, The Diplomettes. Having already cut 3 full-length albums, "Instrumental Action Soul" (Prescription Records - 2001), "Let's Cool One" (Estrus Records - 2003) and "Destination Get Down!" (Estrus Records - 2005), you can hear the band growing stronger in sophistication and depth as they further ingested the sounds of 60s soul, R&B and deep funk. > More


The Sleepers -
Comeback Special



Have you, a friend or maybe someone you know put huge speakers out a window, cranked up the volume and blasted the music just to piss-off the neighbors? This might sound like an innocent prank, but I guarantee the music selected was intended to make a bold statement. If you could do it today, "Comeback Special" by The Sleepers would be thee soundtrack to invite cops to visit your home. > More


Glenn Mercer -
Wheels In Motion



Glenn Mercer's first-ever solo album "Wheels In Motion" seems to come at a time when other influential artists are busy reuniting and reconnecting with past material. But former lead singer, guitarist & composer of the highly influential band The Feelies chooses another path by delivering a hypnotic, highly melodic and often reflective album. > More


Cheer-Accident -
What Sequel?



Although the aptly-named "What Sequel?" once again finds CHEER-ACCIDENT rubbing elbows with the mainstream, fans of their more challenging music will have plenty to feast upon, too, as every single one of these songs is jam-packed with brain-enhancing twists and turns, virtually overflowing with stimulating musical adventurousness. > More


Tobin Sprout -
Songs from the Movie Fortunes



Rarely does a collection of songs and score coalesce into a singular work of art, but such is the case with the FORTUNES soundtrack, featuring the music of Tobin Sprout, former key member of the legendary Guided by Voices. > More


Andre Williams w/ The Diplomats of Solid Sound -
Aphrodisiac



The original rapper and R&B performer returns to his soulful roots on “Aphrodisiac,” enlisting the ‘Diplomats of Solid Sound’ as his backing band on this diverse an adventurous offering. Hints of blues, rock, R&B, rap and soul fill the grooves of this release that flows seamlessly from start to finish. > More


The Goldstars -
Purple Girlfriend



Chicago’s premier garage combo The Goldstars make a roaring return to the record rack with the release of their second long-player, Purple Girlfriend. This ten-song set not only confirms the band’s considerable skills as purveyors of hard-hitting blasts of lusty rock, but also sees the foursome raising the stakes musically. > More

Record Label:

Pravda Records (of course...)

Label Type:

Indie