Ecstatic Peace! is a record label

Record label

In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...

 based in Easthampton, Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

, founded in 1981

1981 in music

See also:* Timeline of musical eventsThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1981.-January–April:*January 10 – A revival of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance opens at Broadway's Uris Theatre, starring Linda Ronstadt and Rex Smith.*January 24 –...

 by Sonic Youth

Sonic Youth

Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...

 member Thurston Moore

Thurston Moore

Thurston Joseph Moore is an American musician best known as a singer, songwriter and guitarist of Sonic Youth. He has also participated in many solo and group collaborations outside of Sonic Youth, as well as running the Ecstatic Peace! record label...

. The premiere release was a split cassette featuring spoken word performances from Michael Gira

Michael Gira

Michael Rolfe Gira is an American musician, author, and artist. He is the main force behind the recently reformed New York City musical group Swans and fronts the Angels of Light...

 of Swans

Swans (band)

Swans are an influential American post-punk band initially active from 1982 to 1997, led by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Gira. The band was one of the few groups to emerge from the early 1980s New York No Wave scene and stay intact into the next decade. Formed by Gira in...

 and Lydia Lunch

Lydia Lunch

Lydia Lunch is an American singer, poet, writer, and actress whose career was spawned by the New York No Wave scene...

. The label's name is borrowed from a line in Tom Wolfe

Tom Wolfe

Thomas Kennerly "Tom" Wolfe, Jr. is a best-selling American author and journalist. He is one of the founders of the New Journalism movement of the 1960s and 1970s.-Early life and education:...

's 1968 nonfiction novel The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test is a work of literary journalism by Tom Wolfe, published in 1968. Using techniques from the genre of hysterical realism and pioneering new journalism, the "nonfiction novel" tells the story of Ken Kesey and his band of Merry Pranksters...

.

Artists currently on Ecstatic Peace! include Hush Arbors

Hush Arbors

Hush Arbors is the primary musical project of singer-songwriter/guitarist, Keith Wood. His music sees traditional folk merged with elements of country and psychedelic music. Along with releasing solo material he is also a touring member of Thurston Moore's band...

, be your own PET

Be your own PET

Be Your Own Pet was a four-piece punk/garage rock group from Nashville, Tennessee, USA.-Members:* Jemina Pearl – vocals* Nathan Vasquez – bass, backing vocals* Jonas Stein – guitar, backing vocals* John Eatherly – drums...

, Awesome Color

Awesome Color

-History:The band was formed by Michigan natives Michael Troutman , Allison Busch , and Derek Stanton in Brooklyn, New York, in 2004...

, Black Helicopter

Black Helicopter

Black Helicopter is a United States Boston, Massachusetts based hard rock band on Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace! independent record label. The band performed at North East Sticks Together in 2005 and 2006....

, Free Kitten

Free Kitten

Free Kitten is a musical collaboration between Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon and Pussy Galore's Julie Cafritz. Originally performing under the name Kitten, they changed their name, after receiving threats of legal action by a heavy metal singer performing under that name...

, Tam, Notekillers, Magik Markers

Magik Markers

The Magik Markers are a noise rock band from Hartford, Connecticut. The members, Elisa Ambrogio, Pete Nolan and Leah Quimby started the band in their basement in 2001. After opening for Sonic Youth on their American tour in 2004, the band gained notoriety...

, Poor School, Tall Firs

Tall Firs

Tall Firs are a New York City based underground electric folk rock band, originally formed in 1990 by Dave Mies and Aaron Mullan in Annapolis, Maryland...

, Pagoda

Pagoda (band)

Pagoda was a indie band from Brooklyn, New York. It's last line-up before break-up in 2011 consists of Michael Pitt as vocalist and guitarist, along with Reece Carr on drums, Willie Paredes on bass, and Chris Hoffman on cello. Their first self-titled album was released February 27, 2007 through...

, Monotract

Monotract

Monotract is a 3-piece experimental music group based in Brooklyn, New York but originated in Miami, Florida. The group consists of Nancy Garcia, Carlos Giffoni and Roger Rimada...

, Mouthus and Violent Soho

Violent Soho

Violent Soho are a band from Brisbane, Queensland. The band formed in 2004. They are a quartet, with Luke Boerdam on guitar/vocals, James Tidswell on guitar/vocals, Luke Henery on bass and Michael Richards on drums...

.

In February 2006, Moore signed a deal with Motown Records

Motown Records

Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...

to distribute the label's albums.

External links

• Official site
• A perfect partner: An interview with Ecstatic Peace’s Andrew Kesin Saucer Like interview