SawJaw Records

Currently Based in Los Angeles, California 

Questions:

1. What is SawJaw?

2. What has SawJaw done?

3. Why does SawJaw exist?

Answers:

1. SawJaw is an independent DIY record label/distro.

2. SawJaw has released & distributed music by many talented independent bands and artists.

3. SawJaw is one of the most important projects of my life (Diego).

It's all about breaking even and spreading what we've created everywhere we go.

That's how I've felt since I gave this the name. When I first started SawJaw in Charlotte, North Carolina, the purpose was to share one name which we can all release our music under (Armed Metropolis, Slug's Revenge, and Whiskey Smile!). We toured all over the country and spread SawJaw like a wild fire. We distributed our music, zines, and home made merchandise all over. We would give out cds, stickers, patches, pins, etc. to anyone who wanted one. All we would ask from people were donations. The shows we played and the people we meet would always be very generous. They knew how far we came to play for them, and they knew how far we still had to go. We would tour for months, from the east coast to the west coast. Kevin Wykoff (Slug's Revenge) and Gabe Acita (Whiskey Smile!) did it for Consecutive years. We released everything on CD-Rs and would spray paint whatever we wanted on it. Making our releases artful, crafty and unique was our goal. We had a few tricks for printing our cd covers for free and before our tour I would buy about 400 poly sleeves for cheap from Bags Unlimited.

The stickers, shirts and patches we would screen print before and during the tours. The shirts were all bought in bulks so it was very cheap. We would post bulletins on our myspace telling kids to bring whatever shirt they wanted spray painted or screen printed to the shows. The fabrics for patches were stuff we found at our homes. Stuff like old curtains, bed sheets, and old clothes. Vinyl paper for stickers were harder to come by. All the stickers would be gone after the first couple of shows. We also would stick them everywhere along the way.

Specially the tolls at on the New Jersey Turnpike.

That was SawJaw from 2006 to about 2008. Then I guess it just stopped. I wanted so bad to properly release music with SawJaw. I wanted everyone on the label to have copies of their releases to sell at shows. I wanted to start distributing SawJaw records at record stores. But between work, life, needs etc. I could not afford to fulfill my wants. So, to this day I carry SawJaw wherever I go. I made a promise to myself and to others that I will anyways have their music available. So if anyone wanted to listen to what we have put out with SawJaw they could.

I have moved to Los Angeles and now this is the newest SawJaw home base. I strongly feel that this is where it will all again be possible.

Thanks to my best friend and band mate, Brian (Gilsonite) Gilson for helping me run SawJaw through the years. I love you and I could not have done it without your help and support. You are a true believer!

Thanks to Sid Goring (SawJaw/VOF Finland) for everything he's done. Sid has been there from the start and has put so much time and work into the label.

After all these years we met in Santa Monica, CA 2010.

You are truly a wonderful person!

Thanks to the all the artists and bands involved. SawJaw is nothing without you.

I will make a blog for every SawJaw release, It will be available for free download.

SawJaw also has an online store that you can buy stuff at. Here's the link, store.