Hydra Head Records to Close Los Angeles Office This Month
Eight months after breaking the hearts of metal fans everywhere by announcing their imminent demise, Hydra Head Records will finally shut down their Los Angeles office — basically the main center of operations — later this month. Vince and I had the privilege of visiting that office a couple of years ago, and although it was relatively modest compared to the facilities of some other labels, it was also really awesome because a) it had a back room full of killer vinyls, CDs, and merch (not at all uncommon for label offices, but given how many amazing releases Hydra Head put out, this was truly a metal fan’s dream come true), and b) its small staff all had access to natural sunlight via windows (shockingly uncommon for label offices, at least in Los Angeles).
The silver lining — if there is a silver lining in this shitty situation — is that they’re closing the office with a bang: by having a giant “yard sale,” wherein you’ll not only be able to hang with Hydra Head founder/former Isis/continuing Old Man Gloom guitarist and all around awesome dude Aaron Turner, but you’ll be able to raid the contents of that giant room full of cool swag for some incredibly low prices.
Here are the details, via a statement from the label… gotta love the use of the “trademark”:
The time has come for Hydra Head to shut down our LA HQ. It’s been a long time coming, but that doesn’t make the process any less of a heart breaker. In order to ease our pain a bit, we’re opening our doors to the public for the first and last time on Saturday May 25th so we celebrate our disintegration with a Hydra Head Super-Power-Yard-Sale™. James O’Mara and Aaron Turner will be on hand to help serve you, and if you’re nice, give you treats (sadly Sugar Bear aka Andrew Cox will be spending his last official paycheck in Mexico and won’t be able to join us). We’ll have tables set up with goodies in the office for your perusal, and snacks and refreshments available at random intervals. There will be some give away surprises to random customers and a free test pressing for the first five arrivals.
Some of what we’ll have on had that day will include (but is not limited to) the following: $1 CDs, $5 t-shirts, office furniture (anyone need a desk? – we’ll be giving away some of our office stuff as well), discounted copies of recent vinyl titles, Hydra Head Super-Rarities™ (original pressings of Cave In “Beyond Hypothermia” LP, Converge/Agoraphobic Nosebleed LP, Discordance Axis “Inalienable Dreamless” LP, Cave In “Jupiter” LP, Botch “We Are the Romans” 2xLP, Neurosis “Sovereign” LP, Pelican “The Fire in Our Throats…” 2xLP, etc), AND some other related treasures (ISIS test pressings and box sets, screen printed tour posters, random black metal t-shirts, and whatever other gems we can dig up). Our aim is to get rid of as much as is possible in our office, so if you see something you like hanging on a wall or sitting on a desk make us an offer and see what happens!
Here are the specifics:
Hydra Head Power-Blow-Out-Yard-Sale-Extravaganza™
Saturday, May 25th
Noon – 7 pm
4222 Santa Monica Blvd #104
Los Angeles
90029Thanks to everyone who made our Los Angeles dreams come true. We’ll miss you! Come on by to say bye, and take some treasures home – from our horde to yours!
xoxo,
Team Hydra
I know if I didn’t live on the other side of the country I’d be there in a heartbeat; if you’re in any position to swing by and you don’t, you’re a goddamn fool. Also: I don’t know if Hydra Head’s Mark Thompson will also be on hand along with Misters Turner and O’Mara, but if he is, make sure you ask him about the time he met Tracii Guns… it’s pretty much the best story ever.
R.I.P., Hydra Head. We miss you already!
