Reflex Records

Reflex Records
Founded1979 (1979)
Founder
Defunct1985 (1985)
Genre
Country of originU.S.
LocationMinneapolis, Minnesota
A-side of the vinyl 45rpm single "Statues" by Hüsker Dü, the first release by Reflex Records

Reflex Records was an American independent record label formed by the members of hardcore punk band Hüsker Dü and Terry Katzman. It was formed to help promote independent bands, after Twin/Tone Records rejected Hüsker Dü's first single in 1979. (Bassist Greg Norton told Rolling Stone in 2017 that the label was named after their experience with Twin/Tone: "We named our label Reflex Records because that was our reflex to being rejected.")[1]

The label was funded by a loan from Hüsker drummer Grant Hart's mother's credit union.[2]

Under Katzman's guidance, the label would also release several compilations of regional underground and alternative bands, as well as albums by local post-punk bands Rifle Sport, Man Sized Action, Otto's Chemical Lounge, and Articles of Faith, as well as the Minutemen's 1985 EP Tour-Spiel.[3]

Both Katzman and the Hüsker Dü members became too busy with other projects, and the label quietly folded in 1985.[4]

In 2008, Hart revived the Reflex name to issue a three-song live CD by Hüsker Dü recorded in 1982-83 featuring their friend John Clegg on saxophone, Live Featuring J.C.[4]

  1. ^ Grow, Kory (5 September 2017). "Inside Husker Du's Early-Years Box Set Treasure Trove". Rolling Stone. San Francisco. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  2. ^ Bob Mehr (1 March 2016). Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements. Hachette Books. pp. 392–. ISBN 978-0-306-82203-2.
  3. ^ Michael Azerrad (1 December 2012). Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground, 1981-1991. Little, Brown. pp. 94–. ISBN 978-0-316-24718-4.
  4. ^ a b Andrew Earles (15 November 2010). Husker Du: The Story of the Noise-Pop Pioneers Who Launched Modern Rock. Voyageur Press. pp. 95–. ISBN 978-1-61673-979-9.