ARCHIVED NEWS:

7/15/07
It's been a slow summer for Firestarter Records but its gonna be a busy fall and winter. Coming out in a few months is a 7" that we've been working on for over a year now: the Jean Mills Society Torch - "Start Tomorrow" EP will finally see the light of day in October. Finally. We've also got the debut for Baltimore's Paper Dragons, featuring members of the Spark and Bad Business. These songs hold on to a trace of what the members of those bands brought you but take it and twist it and rework it to something you've never heard before. We're really really excited about this release and you should be too. Also coming out towards the end of 2007 is the final release from St. Louis's the Breaks, featuring 5 songs of amped up, pissed off hardcore/punk.
Also in the works for the near future is the debut 7" from a project featuring Joe from the Breaks and Colin from Formaldehyde Junkies that they're calling Run Down. Taking influences from bands like the Wipers, New Model Army, and the Observers, the songs these guys are writing are dark, moody punk rock instant classics. More info on that as it comes together. Also on the agenda is the CD discography for the Spark. Compiling all their EPs, the full length, some live recordings and a thick booklet full of photos, flyers, and record info. Start saving for your xmas shopping now.

3/2/07
The Firestarter webstore is now up and running. Click the "distro" link and pick up all Firestarter and Toxic Pop releases and browse the distro that grows every day.

11/2/06
It's been a long time since we've had any news to bring you, but that doesn't mean we're not active. The biggest news is that we've drastically reduced the size of our distro. When our good friend Tony opened up his store, Celebrated Summer Records earlier this summer we sold just about everything to him to help him get started. We are still carrying a few titles and are still down to trade so please feel free to keep an eye on the distro page and get in touch for trades. The only difference is now we are primarily only trading for CSR and must do so in smaller quantities in the past.

The Jean Mills Society Torch 7" is still coming out some time in the near future. We're just waiting on the artwork and then all will be good to go. After that will be a discography CD from the Spark that will compile the demo, their two 7" EPs, the two split 7"s, the "Nobody's Laughing" LP, and possibly some live stuff. Look for that sometime in the spring most likely.

The Firestarter webstore hit some snags but should be up and running in the near future.

Don't forget to check out the going's on at Toxic Pop Records. The first TPR release will be the Sick Sick Birds 7" that is almost ready to send off to the plant. Look for a new TPR website in the coming weeks.

6/17/06
- We're currently working on a proper webstore for easy online ordering and have been getting a bunch of new stuff in the distro. Look for the new webstore to be up in about a month. Until then you can continue to contact us directly and order through Paypal or cash/money order through the mail.

- Here's what's new from some of the Firestarter bands...

the Spark - as you may have heard, they're calling it quits at the end of the summer. all on good terms, it's just time to move on to something new. the LP is still coming out on Mike Fitzgerald Records. look for that sometime in August. they've got some shows coming up, a few with the almighty Black SS, before nailing the final nail in late September. we'll keep ya posted with the details once we find out more. available at the final show will be their discography CD available on Firestarter. and fear not, the members are already working on some new things, so they won't be out of commission for long.
Ruiner - are currently out on tour with Counting the Days and meeting up with bands like Killing the Dream and Final Fight along the way. check out www.youruiner.com for tour info. see what everyone is raving about. and for pete's sake, convince Rob to shave!
Formaldehyde Junkies - just got home from a Cali tour that went really well. they had a blast and are now working on some shows around the midwest. hopefully another east coast trip is just around the corner, this time without all the vehicle problems. go get their new EP just released on Fashionable Idiots Records.
the Breaks - another Firestarter band is calling it quits this summer. the Breaks are playing their last show in St. Louis on July 1st with Formaldehyde Junkies, Mind Eraser and more. get your ass out there and see one of the midwest's best bands one last time. unfortunately, it won't be ready in time for the last show, but Firestarter will be releasing a final 7" from these guys with 5 songs that were recorded at the same time as the Get Saved stuff, and intended for some splits and comps that never saw the light of day. these songs pack as much punch as anything on Get Saved. look for that at the end of the summer. and maybe we can convince them to get together again then for a record release show.
Jean Mills Society Torch - are getting fatter and lazier by the minute. a diet consisting soley of beer and french fries will do that to you. and their record will see the light of day before the end of the year. we swear. we're just waiting on the artwork and then everything will be ready to go. hopefully we'll get treated with some live shows this summer as well.

5/13/06
- The fine people at Firestarter Records are going to be bringing you an alter-ego label to satisfy all of our power-pop, pop-punk, and rock interests - Toxic Pop Records. TPR will be kicking things off with the Sick Sick Birds 7" EP, due out in early July. After that we've got releases from Clint Maul and the American Powerpop Revival and Greasegun lined up for you. We're currently working on getting a website up, but in the meantime, be sure to check out www.myspace.com/toxicpoprecords for the latest info.
Don't worry, we're not abandoning hardcore/punk, just trying to show support for those bands that we love that may not fall under the same musical umbrella as the records that Firestarter has previously released, and we like the idea that a person will have a good idea of what they're getting when they pick up a Firestarter or Toxic Pop release.
Next up on the plate for Firestarter is the Jean Mills Society Torch 7". We're just waiting on the artwork, and then it will be good to go. Get psyched!

- the 4th pressing of the Formaldehyde Junkies 7" is in! To those of you waiting on your orders, thanks for your patience, they will be going out this week.

4/10/06
- We are officially out of the Moment of Youth - Sometimes... 7". If you still haven't gotten a copy, do yourself a favor and check your local record store/distro, or go online and pick on up at RevHQ, Sentient Distribution, or Green Hell. Don't wait any longer!

- the Spark is currently on tour around the northeast. Check out www.myspace.com/thesparkhc for show info.

- We've got a few new items in the distro for you...you can now pick up a copy of Frantic's brand new LP, " Attaque of the Grizzlie". We also just picked up a stack of Formaldehyde Junkies new EP, out on Fashionable Idiots Records. Also in are the Raw Deal and Breakdown demo 7"s released on Dead Serious Records. Plus tons more great records. Check out the distro page!

4/7/06
FORMALDEHYDE JUNKIES...West Coast 2006

Friday, April 14th @ the Alamo
1101 26th Ave. SE Minneapolis, MN
7:00pm w/ Regret, Banner Pilot, Listen Up, Tight Pants

Saturday, April 15th @ the Alamo
1101 26th Ave. SE Minneapolis, MN
7:00pm w/ the Holy Ghostriders, the Fuck Yeahs, 4 Minute Warning, the Agenda

Sunday, April 16th @ St. Joe Pub
710 St Joseph St. Rapid City, SD
7:00pm w/ Bible of the Devil, The Nerds, Disorderly

Monday, April 17th @ SS Marie Antoinette
1235 Westlake Ave N. Seattle, WA
7:00pm w/ Sex Video

Tuesday, April 18th @ at the Manium Warehouse
421 4th Ave E. Olympia, WA
8:00pm w/ Insubordinate, HIV, Off The Wall, Nervosa

Wednesday, April 19th @ Valentines
232 SW Ankeny St. Portland, OR
8:00pm w/ tba

Thursday, April 20th @ the House of Dreads
324 East Taylor St. Reno, NV
7:00pm w/ Deadfall, Second Opinion, Dog Assassian, Negative Nancy

Friday, April 21st @ Gilman St. Project
924 Gilman St. Berkeley, CA
8:00pm w/ Deadfall, I-Object, Sabertooth Zombie, Gnar

Saturday, April 22nd @ Burnt Ramen
111 Espee Ave. Richmond, CA
8:00pm w/ Funeral Shock, Warkrime, Destructions End

Sunday, April 23rd @ the Che Café
Scholars Dr. S. UCSD Campus La Jolla, CA
6:30pm w/ Knife Fight, I-Object, SBV, In Disgust

Monday, April 24th @ Ill Corral
662 Heliotrope Dr. Los Angeles, CA
9:00pm w/ Knife Fight, Broken Needle, Hit Me Back

Tuesday, April 25th @ House Party
301 Sunset Park Circle Prescott, AZ
7:00pm w/ Think Fast, Dis Exist

Wednesday, April 26th @ Exxon Valdez
225 High St. Abq, NM
7:00pm w/ Totally Gone

Thursday, April 27th @ Climax Lounge
22nd and Welton Denver, CO
9:00pm w/ Totally Gone, Guns & Rosa Parks, Los Sobrios Emputados, DDC

Friday, April 28th @ Valhalla Gallery
1219 Union Ave. #202 (second floor) Kansas City, MO
Cardiac Arrest, Anxiety Attack

Saturday, April 29th @ FUK House
109 N. Ellen St. Cedar Falls, IA
8:00pm w/ Cardiac Arrest, Modern Life Is War

3/31/06
- The Moment of Youth 7"s are almost all gone. We're down to about 25 copies. This is a limited one-time pressing, so once they're gone, they're gone. If you haven't ordered yours yet, do it now!

- The 3rd pressing of the Formaldehyde Junkies 7" is still available, but going quickly. Order from us or from any of the fine distros that carry our releases.

- Sick Sick Birds have started recording for their 7" and hope to have it ready by the end of April. Get excited!

- Check out our distro page for some new items including a rad new 7" from Finland's Drowning Nation (old-style fast hardcore), the brand new Frantic - Attaque of the Grizzlies LP, and restocks from Grave Mistake Records and Sorry State Records.

3/21/06
- Formaldehyde Junkies 7"s are back in stock! The 3rd press (500 on black, different insert) arrived at our doorstep today. To everyone that has an order placed and has been waiting patiently - thank you very much, your order will be going out in the next few days. To those who have been waiting for them to become available again - order away!

- Huge distro update! We've been recieving tons of new items for distro, so check out the page and contact us with your order!

- Upcoming releases! Next up on our plate are a couple of 7"s from some rad Baltimore area bands. We are currently waiting on artwork from the always brilliant Dave Manganaro for the Jean Mills Society Torch 7". Once that's all set we'll get the ball rolling on that release. After that will be the debut 7" from Sick Sick Birds. This is a new area band featuring members of the Thumbs, Gamma Rays, Pee Tanks, and Highschool Hellcats. If you're into Dillinger Four, the Replacements, Husker Du, and other great raw, melodic punk/rock bands, then this will definitely be up your alley. SSB hope to record by the end of April, so we're expecting to have this EP out by the early summer months. Stay tuned for more info.

2/22/06
- the Moment of Youth 7"s are now officially available! Half of the pre-orders were shipped yesterday and the other half will go out today, so if you ordered yours already, expect it in the next week, and thanks very much. For those that have not yet ordered, do so quickly cuz there are only 300 copies and it will not be getting repressed. The record will start shipping to distros next week, so if you want to make sure you get a copy, here's the ordering information:
Due to the limited pressing, we have to sell these 7"s for $5 so they are $6 ppd to Mike Riley, 1219 Union Ave, Baltimore, MD 21211 or $6.50 for Paypal to firestarterrecords@gmail.com. Limit of 2 per order. Canada/Mexico, please add $1 per 7". International orders please add $3 per 7".

2/9/06
- Moment of Youth 7"s shipped today, so we should have them on Monday or Tuesday, and all pre-orders will be shipped over the course of next week. Thanks to all who pre-ordered!

2/6/06
- The website is back! It was down for the last week while we switched servers but we're back in action now. Sorry for any inconvenience.

- Moment of Youth 7" should be in by the end of this week or early next week!

- Formaldehyde Junkies on tour! Here's their updated itinerary...
FORMALDEHYDE JUNKIES // CHRONIC SEIZURE midwest jaunt
03/15 Minneapoils, MN @ the Triple Rock*
03/16 Milwaukee, WI @ Heathen's Cove
03/17 Ann Arbor, MI @ Natural Canvas
03/18 Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Robot Project
03/19 Chicago, IL @ Albion House
*no CS

FORMALDEHYDE JUNKIES west coast tour
04/14 Minneapolis, MN
04/15 Minneapolis, MN
04/16 Rapid City, SD
04/17 Seattle, WA
04/18 Olympia, WA
04/19 Portland, OR
04/20 Reno, NV
04/21 Bay Area, CA
04/22 Bay Area, CA
04/23 San Diego, CA
04/24 Los Angeles, CA
04/25 Phoneix, AZ
04/26 Albuqureque, NM
04/27 Fort Collins, CO
04/28 Kansas City, MO
04/29 Cedar Falls, IA
more info to come.

1/30/06
- Nux Vomica 7"s are back in stock. The 2nd pressing is 500 7"s on sewage-colored vinyl. Get 'em while they're hot!

- The most recent word from the plant is that the Moment of Youth 7"s will be on our doorstep late next week. If you haven't ordered yours yet, you still have some time, but act quickly cuz there's only 300 of these getting pressed, and once they're gone, they're gone. Don't sleep.

- represses: we somehow managed to run out of almost all of our records at the same time, so we're currently in the process of getting everything repressed. here's the latest...

- We went through a different pressing plant for the Formaldehyde Junkies 7", and Underestimated Records, who we split the release with, took care of all the paperwork, but will not be a part of any future pressings of the record, so we are currently playing phone tag trying to get the plates switched over to us so we can get the repress going. We'll keep ya posted on those.

- Ruiner just got back from their US tour last night and said everything went really well. Best tour yet! Thanks to everyone that came out and showed them some support. They managed to sell out of the 2nd pressing of their 7" on the tour, so the order for the next pressing has been placed and will hopefully be ready in about a month.

- the Breaks 7" disappeared before we had a chance to stay ahead of the game and make the repress order, but it has been placed and they should be ready around the same time as the Ruiner records, at the end of February. If you haven't picked that up yet, check the list of our fine distributors on the "contact" and "links" pages.

1/8/06
- PRE-ORDERS! We are now taking pre-orders for the Moment of Youth - "Sometimes..." 7". This is the first release in our Record Collectors Are Pretentious Assholes series of one-time only, limited edition releases. There will be 300 copies pressed on black vinyl, and once those are gone, that's it. Due to the small press run, we have to charge a little bit more for records in this series, but the record is so good, you won't think twice about it anyway.
With their final release Moment of Youth bring you more of that classic early 80s DC sound, but this time they pile on layers of darkness and a heaviness as thick and morose as can be. Check out the 'media' page for a sample.
We have to sell these 7"s for $5 so they are $6 ppd to Mike Riley, 1219 Union Ave, Baltimore, MD 21211 or $6.50 for Paypal to firestarterrecords@gmail.com. Limit of 2 per order. Canada/Mexico, please add $1 per 7". International orders please add $3 per 7".
We should have these records in by the first week of February, so you shouldn't have to wait too long.

- Represses: For those of you who have been waiting patiently for your Nux Vomica and Formaldehyde Junkies orders, we thank you kindly. We are told that the NV 7"s will be in by the end of this week. We are getting some copies of the FJ 7" from Underestimated Records, but the actual repress won't be ready until mid-February or so. We're very sorry for the delays, but for the most part, it's all out of our control. We promise to get you any records you are waiting on as soon as possible.
We will also be starting represses for both the Breaks and Ruiner 7"s in the near future. These records are selling faster than we can keep them in stock, it seems.
Again, thanks for your patience, hopefully your wait won't have to be for much longer.

12/16/05
- quick update for ya...We are currently sold out of our copies of the 2nd press of the Formaldehyde Junkies 7", so if you are waiting on an order, unfortunately you will have to wait a little bit longer. We are buying some copies off of Underestimated Records, who we split the release with, so as soon as those come in all pending orders will be shipped right away...There was a bit of miscommunication concerning the repress of the Nux Vomica 7", but that has all been worked out and we are in line to press. Those should be back in stock in early January. If you are waiting on an order that includes that 7", unless instructed otherwise, we will be sending the rest of your order right away and then sending the NV 7"s when they come in...the Breaks - "Get Saved" 7" is moving quickly, but we do still have a few copies on limited clear vinyl, so act now if you've been sleeping on that one...We should have the test presses for the Moment of Youth 7" in the first week of January, and as long as they sound good, we will begin taking pre-orders then. Please don't send us any money for this record yet, we'll let you know when we are ready...We finally got the recording for the Jean Mills Society Torch 7" and it fucking rules! Those will probably go to press in early February, but to hold you over until then, check out the 'media' page for an mp3 of a song off the record. Fast, fast, fast...Ruiner are heading out on their month long US tour the day after Xmas so be sure to check out the tour dates on their site (www.youruiner.com) and don't miss them when they come through your town...we found 5 copies of the Aftermath's "Degenerate Fuck Crew" 7", so if you missed the boat on that one, now's your chance to redeem yourself. This record will most likely not get repressed, so get on it now...the Spark have finished recording their LP for Mike Fitzgerald Records, so look for that to be out in March. We will be releasing a CD of everything up to the LP plus some extra goodies sometime this summer...that's all for now, happy holidays...

12/2/05
- the Formaldehyde Junkies repress is in so they are finally back in stock. if you're waiting on an order, we're are packing up lots of packages over this weekend, so chances are you will have yours by late next week. stores/distros, feel free to get in touch about wholesale rates.

11/21/05
- the Moment of Youth 7" is finally underway, as both the artwork and the recording have been sent off for production. we are not taking orders just yet, but once the test presses have been approved, we'll let you know. this is a fantastic record that we're really psyched to be working on and can't wait to get out there for you to check out. they've taken that classic early 80s Dischord/DC hardcore sound and beefed it up and injected it with an infinite disgust for humanity and depression that only life in the most mundane suburbs can produce, like if the Teen Idles had only listened to Nick Cave records for months before recording their EP. check out the media section for an mp3 of one of the songs off the record.
this record will mark the initial release in our new "Record Collectors Are Pretentious Assholes" series of limited edition vinyl releases, featuring one-time only pressings of 300 copies on a single color. in other words, this won't be around for very long, so keep checking back for pre-order information, most likely about 3 weeks from now.

- the repress for the Formaldehyde Junkies 7" is finally finished and should land on our doorstep later this week, so all of you waiting on your orders shouldn't have to wait too much longer. sorry for the delays, it was beyond our control. for those of you that still haven't checked out this amazing record, let us just mention that it made 8 top ten lists in December's Maximumrocknroll. wow. seriously, if you're into early 80s midwest hardcore punk, we promise you won't be disappointed with this. get it today!

- the repress for the Nux Vomica 7" is unfortunately not quite ready yet, hopefully no more than another week or so on that one. thank you all for your patience. we're sad to say that the band has pulled up it's Baltimore roots and headed west for the dreariness of the Pacific Northwest, and landed in Portland, OR. you west coasters should consider yourselves damn lucky. go see this band every chance you get, as their live show is definitely intense. they played a couple of going away shows here just before they left and it definitely made us all appreciate what we had while it lasted. we wish them all the best of luck in their new home.

- Ruiner will be on tour for the last week of December and all of January so make sure to catch them when they come through your town. it's a full US tour with Eaten Alive and Final Fight accompanying them, so there's a good chance they'll be playing somewhere near you. have a blast guys!

- lost of new updates in the distro section, so be sure to check that out right away since most records in stock don't stay that way for very long.

CURRENT PLAYLIST:
Deathcycle - rough mix of upcoming LP
Regulations - Electric Guitar
Justice - s/t
Set To Explode - s/t
Municipal Waste - Hazardous Mutation
Greasegun - demo
Strung Up - Warfucked
Propagandhi - Potemkin City Limits
Dayglo Abortions - Feed Us a Fetus
Time To Escape - demo
86 Mentality - Goin' Nowhere Fast
the Riverboat Gamblers - Something to Crow About
the Briefs - Sex Objects
Lucero - Dreaming In America
Reagan Youth - A Collection of Pop Classics
Poison Idea - Feel the Darkness
Black Sunday - Tronic Blanc
the New Pornographers - Twin Cinema

10/19/05
FORMALDEHYDE JUNKIES "East Coast tour 05"

nohawk3(at)hotmail(dot)com // 612-702-9680 if you can help with a show.

First press of the 7" is almost gone, the second press will be with out for tour.

21st: Pittsburgh @ the Roboto Project
22nd: Brooklyn, NY @ North Six
23rd: Albany, NY @ Valentines
24th: Boston @ Regeneration Records
25th: Connecticut
26th:
27th: Philly, PA @ 1514 Stiles St.
28th: Baltimore, MD @ Charm City Art Space
29th: DC @ Warehouse Next Door
30th: Raleigh, NC
31st:
November 1st: St. Louis, MO @ Ramp Riders
2nd: Chicago, IL @ Albion House
3rd: Madison, WI
4th: Eau Claire, WI @ Nate's Dungeon
5th: Minneapolis, MN @ Midwest HC Fest III

9/20/05
- the Formaldehyde Junkies - ...Are a Total Wreck 7"s are in! as of today, all pre-orders that we recieved have been shipped, so if you haven't gotten yours yet, just give it another few days. if you're into early 80s midwest style hardcore, along the lines of the Fix and the Necros, you definitely don't want to miss out on this record. there are very few color copies left, so if you're a nerd like that, get that order in right away. (Paypal $5.50 per 7" to firestarterrecords@gmail.com or $5 per 7" by money order/well-concealed cash to Mike Riley, 2981 Falls Rd, Baltimore, MD 21211.

- due to some miscommunication, the release date for the Breaks - Get Saved 7" has been pushed back to early October. we're just waiting on the covers to get finished and those will be ready to go. however, there are still a few pre-order versions available if you just can't wait. see the ordering info above to get in on that action.

- the first pressing of the Nux Vomica - the Uninspired 7" is moving quickly, so we'll probably be working on a repress in the next couple of months. if you're into bands like His Hero Is Gone and Venom, you should probably pick yourself up a copy of this rager.

- the repress of the Ruiner - What Could Possibly Go Right? 7" is in. we've got 200 on green and 300 on black for you geeks out there. don't miss them on their upcoming tour with Dead Hearts this fall, and be sure to pick up the CD version of the 7", to be released on 1917 Records at the end of October, which will also include two songs not on the 7".

- the Aftermath - Degenerate Fuck Crew 7" is currently out of print, and there are no plans at this time to do a repress. check out the fine distros of the land to try to score a copy of that one if you slept on it. and if you did, shame on you, you missed out on one of the finest bands to come out of the DC area in quite some time.

- looking into the future, the Moment of Youth guys are getting the artwork together for their final 7" which we'll be releasing later this fall. i can't tell you how good these songs are. old MOY was good, but this stuff has fangs. it's like they injected steroids straight into the actual songs. once the mastering is done, we'll get a song up here on the site so you can see for yourself. then, sometime in the late winter, we'll be releasing our first CD. it'll be a collection of all of the Spark's releases, plus a few extras to sweeten the deal. more on that as it comes together.

- we've been doing a lot of trading lately so the distro section has been fully updated. hopefully some of the records that we are currently out of stock on will be back in over the next few weeks, so check back often.

- we're nerds. check us out at www.myspace.com/firestarterrecords

CURRENT PLAYLIST:
the Regulations - s/t LP
Restless Youth - State of Confusion
the Replacements - Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out the Trash
Municipal Waste - Hazardous Mutation
the Observers - s/t LP
86 Mentality - On the Loose 7"
Betrayed - Addiction 7"
Lion of Judah - Soul Power 7"
Integrity - Systems Overload
Marathon - s/t CD
Lucero - Nobody's Darlings
Instilled - Unfinished Business
Have Heart - What Counts
Cory Branan - The Hell You Say
Modern Life Is War - Witness
Sage Francis - A Healthy Distrust
Tim Barry - solo

8/10/05
- New pre-orders are up! We are now taking pre-orders for the Breaks - "Get Saved" 7" and the Formaldehyde Junkies - "Are a Total Wreck" 7", both of which will be available in about one month (early - mid September). These are two incredible hardcore/punk EPs that we are really excited to be putting out. Check out the 'releases' section to find out more info on these bands, and check out the 'media' section to hear a song from each record!
(pre-order info: each 7" is $5 ppd to Mike Riley, 2981 Falls Rd, Baltimore, MD 21211 [money order/well concealed cash] or Paypal to firestarterrecords@gmail.com [Paypal orders add 50 cents per record]. Mexico/Canada add $1 per 7", everywhere else add $2 per 7".)

- The first pressing of the Nux Vomica 7" is moving quickly. Get on that while it's hot! The first pressing of the Ruiner 7" is now sold out, so you'll have to search the distros for a copy of that. The repress will be in by mid-September. the Aftermath 7" is almost gone and that will not be getting repressed. We have a few copies left on color, so get in touch quickly to claim one of those.

- Next up from Firestarter will be the final release from Moment of Youth, and it will seriously make everyone beg this band to get back together. This stuff is so freakin' good! They still have those elements that will remind you of the early Dischord stuff, but they've added the right amount of heaviness and fuzzed-out distortion to give it some good punch.
Jean Mills Society Torch have finished their recording and we are now waiting for the mastering job to get finished. This is some great Japanese style fast-core for all of you speed-freaks out there. The always incredible Dave Managanaro will be doing the artwork for the 7", so you know it will look great! We're hoping to have this one out in October.
Also on the future releases list is our first CD. It will be a collection of all of the releases from the Spark up to that point, so it will include the demo, the first two 7" EPs, both split 7"s, and the upcoming full-length. There will also be some added bonuses like a live set and hopefully some video. We're looking to have that out in time for Christmas, if all goes well.
2005 is shaping up to be quite a year for Firestarter and we're hoping to be able to ride that momentum into 2006. Thanks to everyone that has shown us loads of support.

7/7/05
- happy birthday to Kristin Gavigan of the Spark!

- out now:
NUX VOMICA - "the Uninspired" 7"
The covers will be in tomorrow and the vinyl will be in by the middle of next week, so this one is now up for ordering! Nux Vomica are an amazing band combining elements of crust, metal, punk, and thrash, creating something loud, heavy, and sweet as shit! They don't really sound like His Hero Is Gone or Tragedy, but that will kinda give you a reference point. This band rips! The 7" comes with a color poster with great artwork by Joshy of Exosus.
(split release with Torture Garden Picture Company)

RUINER - "What Could Possibly Go Right?" 7"
Fresh off of their US tour, this Baltimore band impresses a hell of a lot of people all across the country. Enough so that they recently signed to 1917 Records out of LA, who will be releasing the band's full length early next year. The first pressing of this record flew out the door and is almost completely sold out. Look for a 2nd pressing to be ready to go by early August. Ruiner is all about in-your-face energy, heavy/melodic hooks, and pounding/catchy breaks with passion exploding out of their chests from start to finish. If you've been sleeping on this band until now, don't wait any longer!
(split release with Grave Mistake Records)

out soon:
the BREAKS - "Get Saved" 7"
This band hails from St. Louis and embodies everything that is great about midwest hardcore. Raw as shit and pissed as hell, with enough energy to keep you hooked, beat the piss out of you, and leave you asking for more. This is no 80s rehash band though, they keep things fresh with catchy breaks and fresh, interesting lyrics covering everything from the personal to the political. The record will be out at the end of July and then they'll be heading out on a short northeast tour with their biggest supporters, the Spark, for a hell of a fun week. Don't miss out!

FORMALDEHYDE JUNKIES - "tba" 7"
You know how some of those early 80s bands like Minor Threat, Negative Approach, the Fix, and Jerry's Kids had that capacity to create music that was simultaneously raw as fuck, mad as hell, and yet so fucking catchy that you've had their songs stuck in your head for over 20 years now? Formaldehyde Junkies have that same ability. This band hails from the Twin Cities, features ex-members of Damage Deposit and Any Last Words, yet will instantly leave a far greater impression than any of their ex-bands ever could have. This band is no joke. They're no revivalists, they just know good music and they know how to bring it to the kids that get that same itch scratched by bands like Career Suicide and Direct Control. Don't sleep on this one!
(split release with Underestimated Records)

still available, but going fast:
the SPARK - "Less Slow, More Go!" 7" (3rd and final pressing almost gone!)
NEVER ENOUGH - "Our Will Is Done" 7" (2nd and final pressing moving quickly)
the AFTERMATH - "Degenerate Fuck Crew" 7" (1st and only pressing, very few copies left!)

6/21/05
- just a little update on the status of things here at Firestarter Records...the Nux Vomica tests arrived today and they sound great, so they're getting the go-ahead. it looks like everything should be good to go in time for their July tour. the recording for the Breaks 7" is all mastered and ready to be sent off. they are sending that to FRHQ this week, so we'll get a mastered version of one of their songs up on the site for you all to check out soon. Formaldehyde Junkies have finished their recording and that will also be sent our way in the next week. we can't wait to check that one out. Underestimated Records is co-releasing that one with us, so keep an eye out from either party concerning updates on that record. in the meantime, go check out Ruiner on their US tour, you won't be disappointed!

5/12/05
- it's official! we are now taking pre-orders for the Ruiner 7"! we promise you that this is a record you do not want to pass over. "What Could Possibly Go Right...?" is the 6-song debut EP from these Baltimore badasses and it's full of everything that makes hardcore great...passion, integrity, heart, and intensity. we've teamed up with Grave Mistake Records on this one, so you know it's gonna be good. these guys will be touring the country in June, so get this now so you'll be prepared when they come through your town! pre-orders get limited colored vinyl. and don't miss the record release show at the East Side Skatepark in Essex, MD on May 20th with Ruiner, Never Enough, the Spark, This Is Hell, Nick Fury, and Black Out!
pre-order info: 7" is $5 ppd by money-order made out to Mike Riley, or well-concealed cash, $5.50 through paypal in the US. international orders add $1 per 7" ordered. stores and distros, get in touch for wholesale rates.

- good news usually comes with bad news, right? we're sorry to say that Never Enough has decided to call it a day. Alex has decided to move away in order to pursue a career as a tattoo artist, and replacing him just wouldn't be right. it truly would no longer be the same band. don't be bummed for too long though, as we're sure the boys will all be doing new bands in the very near future. they play their last show on May 20th at Ruiner's record release show.

- after almost two months off due to Kristin's broken ankle, the Spark are ready to get back in action. catch them May 20th and you'll get to hear a bunch of new songs that they've been writing for their upcoming full-length, to be released on Mike Fitzgerald Records and Hate the 80s Records.

- enough with the past, we're itching with excitement over what we've got coming up in the near future! here's the status on our next few releases...
Nux Vomica has recorded one bad-ass motherfucking 7" for us and we're goddamned psyched! it's a 3-song rager of epic crust/punk/metal/thrash proportions. think Iron Maiden meets His Hero Is Gone. the recording is being sent off today to get plated so we're expecting a late June release for this one. and we're psyched to be co-releasing it with our good friends over at Torture Garden Picture Company. beautiful artwork from Little Debee, too! seriously, this shit kills.
we've been fortunate to get to a sneak peak at a few of the songs from the upcoming 7" from the Breaks and it's just making us wish we had the final product in our hands now! this shit is so damn good. and with artwork from the one and only Critikill Colin (Damage Deposit, Get It Away, the Aftermath) you know that it's going to look great. this one will probably be out in mid-July.
the record to close out the summer for us here at Firestarter Records is gonna be the long-awaited 7" from Jean Mills Society Torch! it's about fuckin' time, right?! this thing is that mythical masterpiece from that band you only sorta kinda hear about from time to time, and if you're lucky enough to catch them live, you know what the fuck we're talking about. fast as shit Japanese-style hardcore from bumfuck, MD. the record is actually recorded! we swear. unfortunately, it won't be getting mixed until mid-June, so you won't get to hear what we keep raving about until August, most likely. don't worry, we'll get a song up on the website as soon as we can for you all to hear.
you can, however, check out songs from Ruiner, Nux Vomica, and the Breaks in the media section of the website. just a little tease to wet your appetites until you can actually lay these slabs of vinyl on your turntable.

- be sure to catch most of the Firestarter roster on tour this summer! Ruiner will be going out for the entire month of June, hitting the majority of the country. they'll be teaming up with Portugal's Day of the Dead for the east coast dates. Nux Vomica will be going out for most of July. the Spark and the Breaks will both be playing Play Fast or Die fest in Youngstown, OH on May 21st and 22nd, and then they'll be double-teaming your ass on an east coast tour in early August.

3/21/05
- wow. we're sweatin' bullets over here at Firestarter HQ. it's starting to get really busy around here and we have no plans of slowing down all year long. we've got a lot of updates for you so let's get started...

- the Spark's debut EP, "Less Slow, More Go!", has been repressed for the third and final time. this time we've got 100 on yellow/purple mix and 400 on straight solid yellow. these babies look good enough to eat! the band will have these at Chicago Fest this weekend, and then they will be available for mailorder starting on Tuesday, March 31st. feel free to get your orders in now as any remaining limited vinyl versions will get mailorder priority.

- Never Enough's debut 7", "Our Will Is Done", is getting repressed as i type this out. this time it will have ALL SIX SONGS on it!! this 2nd pressing will be 100 on trash vinyl and 400 on black. these won't be in until mid-April, but feel free to order away now. as usual, pre/mailorders get first dibs on limited versions.

- while the Aftermath's "Degenerate Fuck Crew" is flying off of our shelves, we do still have a few color copies left. get in your orders now if you'd like to secure one.

- that's it for records in the 'already out/repress' department, so let's move on to the new shit. we've got FOUR new 7"s coming out in the next few months. prepare for punk rock overload...

- first up is the debut 7" from Ruiner, entitled "What Could Possibly Go Right". this one's got 6 songs of frustration and fury with brilliant artwork from Greg Houston (greghoustonillustration.com). look for this one to be out mid-May. we'll keep ya posted on ordering info as everything comes together. in the meantime, check out an unmixed version of "Out Go the Candles" at www.myspace.com/ruiner.

- after that we'll be introducing the beast that is Nux Vomica. this amazing band features members of the Baltimore juggernaut Wake Up On Fire, but this band is less Neurosis, more Iron Maiden meets His Hero Is Gone. it's fast, it's metal, it's heavy, it's inspiring, it's all of this and more. be prepared for desecration of all that you hold sacred. this 3 song 7" was recorded at the Jam Room in Columbia, SC and as you would expect, it sounds great. the artwork is coming together now and we're hoping to have this out in mid-late May. this one will be a split release with Torture Garden Picture Company.

- next up is our first foray outside of the DC/Baltimore area with a debut 7" from St. Louis's very own the Breaks! we got to see these guys for the first time on their home turf when the Spark and Farewell Hope toured in June of 2004 and got psyched on them right from the start. great fast hardcore and super nice kids. what more could you ask for from a band? their record is recorded and we are just waiting for it to get mastered and to finalize some artwork for it before we can give you a release date, but we're hoping, with crossed fingers across the board, to have something for kids to pick up at Play Fast or Die Fest in Ohio in May. promo tapes with a few songs from the 7" will be available at Chicago Fest this weekend. don't miss out!

- last, but certainly not least, for the time being, is the long-awaited 7" from the mythical Jean Mills Society Torch. they finished most of the recording this past weekend, and hope to have everything done by the end of the month. i got to hear some of it as it was being recorded and i can't wait to have this thing in my hands. if we're lucky, the band will even do some touring when the 7" gets released. it's a treat that you dare not miss, lemme tell you. fucking great Japanese influenced thrash from the bumfuck suburbs of Baltimore. this is the band that spawned the Spark. look for this bad boy to be out in June.

- that's it for new releases and represses for the time being. i'm sure that will keep us busy for months to come. in between picking up new releases be sure to catch Firestarter bands on the road. Ruiner will be heading out with Portugal's Day of the Dead in June. Never Enough is currently on the road with Atlanta's favorite sons, Instilled. don't miss that show if it comes through your town. the Spark will be playing Chicago Fest this weekend, as well as Play Fast or Die Fest in May, and then they are planning a tour that will take them across the US and hopefully into some of Canada in August. you can also catch the Breaks at this year's Chicago Fest. Nux Vomica have been playing locally quite a lot and are hoping on getting some out of state shows under their belts in the near future. and you'll catch Jean Mills Society Torch if you're one of the lucky few.

- that's it for now. help us out and take some of these records off of our hands. if you need to contact us for any reason, feel free to do so at firestarterrecords@gmail.com.

CURRENT PLAYLIST:
Direct Control 7"
Kill Your Idols - "From Companionship to Competition"
Artificial Peace - "Discography"
So Be It 7"
LOJ - demo
Iron Boots - demo 7"
Van Damage 7"
Slumlords - new 7"
the Loved Ones 10"
Paint It Black - "Paradise"
Social Distortion - "Mommy's Little Monster"
Beastie Boys - all
Lucero - all
Smalltown - the Music
Green Day - "American Idiot"
the Hate Crimes - "Suicide Bomb"
MC Chris - "Life's a Bitch and I'm Her Pimp"
Sage Francis - "A Healthy Distrust"

2/17/05
- the Aftermath 7" is done! the final pieces of the puzzle finally came together and it's all set to go. first of all, we want to thank all of you that pre-ordered months ago and have been waiting patiently for your records. i promise it was worth the wait, this record smokes! we will be shipping out all orders over the next few days, so keep an eye on your mailbox.
to those of you who have not yet ordered this record, what are you waiting for? there are still some copies left on color, which are being reserved for mailorder. we accept Paypal or old-fashioned well-hidden cash or money orders. distros and stores, get in touch for wholesale rates or trades.
check out the contact page for ordering info.

1/10/05
- happy new year from Firestarter Records. expect Maryland Hardcore to blow up this year and we hope to play a big role in helping the bands from around these parts to show the world that Boston, Mass ain't the only rippin' town on the east coast.

- we wanna thank those of you who pre-ordered the Aftermath 7", but we're gonna have to make you wait a few more weeks. we will have the new cover art this week and as long as the band digs it, we'll send it off and have the covers in early February. thanks so much for your patience. we promise it will pay off as this record will look and sound amazing.

- check out the page in the next week or so for a full list of all of our distro items. we took the distro on tour with the Spark and Ruiner and put some excellent records in people's hands and did a lot of trading with other great labels. you'll be able to mailorder everything on our list as soon as it's all up.

12/10/04
- so the Aftermath 7" is going to be delayed by a few weeks. we're having new cover art done for the record by the mighty fine Alex Henderson of Never Enough. everything should hopefully be ready to go in about a week and we should have everything back and ready to go by mid-January. to those of you who pre-ordered already, sorry for the added delay, and thanks very much. to those that haven't yet done so, what are you waiting for??? get on it!

11/21/04
- added a LINKS page to the site where you can find links to some of our favorite bands, labels, and other sites. this will be constantly updated, so check it out and support!

- pre-orders for the Aftermath "Degenerate Fuck Crew" 7" are steadily coming in, so act quickly to ensure a copy on limited red vinyl. it's looking like it should all be ready to go just before Christmas. we'll keep ya updated here.
all copies of the record release double 7" are sold out, so don't bother asking. sorry.

- we're pleased to announce that we will be releasing the first 7" for the new Baltimore powerhouse known as Nux Vomica. NV play fast as shit, raging crustcore with Maiden-esque melodic guitar-work and a pummelling rhythm section. they will be recording at the Jam Room in Columbia, SC later this winter. Nux Vomica features ex- and current members of Wake Up On Fire and 2am Revolution. prepare to be blown away.

11/6/04
- we have a new email address. contact us at firestarterrecords@gmail.com for anything you need.

- wow, the site's really been neglected lately. sorry for the lack of news updates. we've been working on a project for the last couple of months that we had to keep under wraps while it all got organized, and it's finally near completion. we're extremely proud to announce that we will be releasing the final 7" from Washington, DC's the Aftermath! "Degenerate Fuck Crew" includes four songs from the same session as the "Goodbye To Washington" 7" (Grave Mistake Records) as well as the songs from their 2003 demo. the final product should be out in mid-December, but those of you who made it to their last show last week had a chance to get an early version of it, as we had 100 rushed to us for the final show double 7" which included both new 7"s.
we are now accepting pre-orders for this record. it is $4 ppd to:
mike riley
2981 falls rd.
baltimore, md
21211
usa
or paypal to: firestarterrecords@gmail.com (add 50 cents per record for paypal orders).
the records will ship out as soon as they are all ready. mailorder will recieve limited color vinyl.

6/5/04
- the site has been updated with pressing information for the Spark and Never Enough records. there is also a new mp3 up with a song from the Never Enough 7". check it out.

6/3/04
- we are now taking pre-orders for the Never Enough - "Our Will Is Done" 7". this one's a 6-song rager of straight-up hardcore. check out the releases section for a more detailed description. the record is $4 ppd. mail to: mike riley, 2981 falls rd, baltimore, md 21211 or paypal at mike@headcold.net (please only use Paypal if you can transfer money that is already in your Paypal account. Paypal charges money to accept credit card payments, so we would have to charge more for our releases which we'd rather not do, so please only send money that is already in your Paypal account.)

the date for the record release show is Saturday, June 12th. it's at the Broasis, 2981 Falls Rd, Baltimore, MD with Kill Your Idols, Never Enough, the Spark, Forward To Death, Crime In Stereo, and Downside Risk. doors are at 7pm. email mike@headcold.net for more info. come out if you can make it.

the rest of the website will hopefully be updated in the near future, but until then, here's the details on the pressing: 100 black vinyl (50 w/mailorder covers and 50 w/record release covers) and 500 on white vinyl. this release is in conjunction with Vendetta Records in Germany who did a pressing of 500 on black vinyl for European distribution.

4/24/04
- whoops, it's been a while since we've updated this webpage. sorry about that, but we do have a bit of news to share with you...

- the Spark got an offer to have their next record put out by their good friend, Alex Sanchez, on his Mike Fitzgerald label, so it will no longer be a Firestarter release. look for that to be out in mid-June. check the Spark's website for updates - www.headcold.net/uki/thespark

- we've dug up a few copies of the first pressing of the Spark's "Less Slow, More Go!" 7". we also ended up making another new cover for half of the 2nd press, since we ran out of the real covers. the new cover, affectionately dubbed the "MRR" cover, features they're (not so) glowing review from Maximumrocknroll and an answer to said review. there are 150 of these. it most likely won't get repressed again.

- the release date for the Never Enough 7" has been pushed back to June 12th. we got the test presses back last week, but weren't happy with the results, so we're having it mastered again, and will have new tests soon. it'll be worth the wait though, cuz this record is gonna kill.