Monday, July 20, 2009



It started in 1993 as a way for Eric Friedl (aka Oblivian) to put out some singles, and has grown and mutated ever since. Goner Records has been first on the scene with music from such acts as the Oblivians, Impala, Guitar Wolf, Harlan T. Bobo and many others. Its original narrow brand of garage punk has expanded to embrace everything from the fractured theatrical pop of the Barbaras to the Aussie rock of Eddie Current Suppression Ring.

In 2003, Friedl and partner Zac Ives took over Greg Cartwrights (aka Oblivian) Legba Records to create the Goner Record Store, which has become a Cooper-Young institution. 2003 also saw the first Gonerfest, the four-day, fall gathering of the punk and garage faithful from all over the world that, after Gonerfest 2 was immortalized by Live from Memphis, has turned into one of the years most-anticipated music festivals. This year's Gonerfest, to be held from September 24-26, is expected to be the biggest yet. Not bad for a bunch of punks.

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