BOMP! Records
Label born from a fanzine, spanning punk to neo-psychedelia.
Bomp! Records is a Los Angeles-based record label formed in 1974 by fanzine publisher and music historian Greg Shaw and his wife Suzy Shaw. The label grew out of Shaw's rock music fanzine, originally titled Who Put the Bomp, which ran from 1970 to 1979. The label has released recordings across genres including punk, pop, power pop, garage rock, new wave, old school rock, and neo-psychedelia.
Quick Facts
- Founder
- Greg Shaw · Suzy Shaw
- Genre
- Proto-punk · punk rock · pop rock · indie rock
- Country
- United States
- Location
- Los Angeles, California
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Greg Shaw, active in science fiction fandom as a young man, became familiar with fanzines and founded one of the earliest rock fanzines, the mimeographed Mojo Navigator and Rock 'n Roll News in 1966. He later edited and published Who Put the Bomp from 1970 to 1979, a magazine that was a departure from the mainstream with a unique, almost partisan writing style. The magazine's name came from the 1961 doo-wop song 'Who Put the Bomp (in the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp)' by Barry Mann. The label was named Bomp! Records, but the magazine was never renamed 'Bomp! Bomp!'.
The label's roster has included the Modern Lovers, Iggy Pop (live album TV Eye, not Iggy and the Stooges), Stiv Bators and the Dead Boys, 20/20, Shoes, Devo, the Weirdos, Spacemen 3, the Germs, SIN 34, Jeff Dahl, and the Brian Jonestown Massacre. Greg Shaw died from heart failure at the age of 55 on October 19, 2004. Bomp! Records is headed by his ex-wife, Suzy Shaw.
Reader's Guide
Bomp! Records holds significance as an independent label that emerged from the fanzine culture of the 1970s, bridging the gap between underground rock journalism and the music it championed. Greg Shaw's background in fanzines, including the earlier Mojo Navigator and Rock 'n Roll News, informed the label's ethos of supporting non-mainstream artists. The label's roster reflects a broad range of genres—punk, power pop, garage rock, new wave, and neo-psychedelia—and includes influential acts such as the Modern Lovers, Iggy and the Stooges, Devo, and Spacemen 3. The label's legacy is carried on by Suzy Shaw, who co-authored Bomp: Saving the World One Record at a Time with Mick Farren in 2007, and co-edited Bomp 2 – Born in the Garage with Mike Stax in 2009. The magazine that preceded the label also launched the careers of notable writers Lester Bangs and Greil Marcus.
Did You Know?
- Two journalists who contributed to the magazine Who Put the Bomp were Lester Bangs and Greil Marcus, but both were already established writers before their involvement.
- The label's roster includes the Modern Lovers, Iggy Pop, Devo, Spacemen 3, and the Brian Jonestown Massacre.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who started Bomp! Records and when?
Greg Shaw, a music historian and fanzine publisher, and his wife Suzy Shaw launched the label in 1974 out of Los Angeles. It grew directly out of Shaw's long-running rock fanzine, Who Put the Bomp, which had been in circulation since 1970.
What genres does Bomp! Records cover?
While often associated with punk, the label's catalog stretches well beyond that into pop, power pop, garage rock, new wave, old-school rock, and neo-psychedelia. This genre-spanning approach reflects Shaw's broad musical interests as a writer and archivist.
Which artists are most associated with Bomp! Records?
The roster includes landmark names like the Modern Lovers, Iggy Pop, Devo, and the Germs, as well as later acts such as Spacemen 3 and Brian Jonestown Massacre. These artists span the label's decades of operation and its wide stylistic range.
How did Bomp! Records get its name?
The label takes its name from Shaw's fanzine, Who Put the Bomp, a phrase drawn from 1960s rock-and-roll slang for a powerful guitar riff or musical hook. The fanzine ran from 1970 to 1979, and the label carried the brand forward after its 1974 founding.
Why is Bomp! Records important to punk and alternative music history?
By giving a home to artists across punk, new wave, and psychedelic rock, Bomp! helped document and promote scenes that major labels often overlooked. Its roots in a fanzine also made it a bridge between underground writing culture and the recording industry.
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