ESTRUS - SHOVELIN’ THE SHIT SINCE '87

Chris Alpert Coyle - Scott Sugiuchi

[Garage Punk - Estrus Rds]

This cool book is the complete, as yet untold story of US garage rock powerhouse Estrus Records, which for nearly two decades churned out hundreds of releases from some of the biggest garage, trash, surf, and punk bands worldwide, among them The Makers, The Mummies, Man... or Astroman?, and label head honcho Dave Crider drunk punk quartet The Mono Men. Shovelin charts the label highs and lows - from its highly successful hosting of the annual Garageshock, arguably the greatest series of garage rock festivals, to the devastating loss of its warehouse in a fire that virtually wiped out its mail-order stock, as well as master tapes and precious personal possessions. Estrus is one of the few record labels whose cover art and other graphics matches the brilliance of its music, thanks to the contributions of US trash-culture visionary Art Chantry, as well as more familiar names like Peter Bagge and Pat Moriarity, and the book is packed with many of its iconic visuals. It also draws on lively, extensive interviews, never-seen-before archival photos, oddball artefacts and more to give a fascinating insight into the major players behind one of garage rock most influential and successful independent record labels.

Korero Press (2024) 258 p. 23 x 30 cm Softcover