Bloodshot Records – is this the end?

Bloodshot have been one of those labels synonymous with americana over the years, its roster including Ryan Adams, Neko Case, The Sadies, Alejandro Escovedo, Robbie Fulks, Justin Townes Earle, Kelly Hogan and Jon Langford among others – we have reviewed numerous albums by them over the years here at AUK, and they only celebrated 25 years back in 2019. Anyway, a message on their site this week reads: “Our office is PERMANENTLY closed… Take care of yourselves and each other and continue to support these amazing artists however and wherever you can.”

Elaborating in a post on the label’s website Rob Miller, co-founder says: “It is time for this phase of Bloodshot Records to come to an end. I will no longer be a part of the label I started over 25 years ago as an impossibly ill-conceived hobby. It’s not the path myself, the staff or the artists wanted, but few get to write their final chapter. That we lasted as long as we did—a roots label, too rock for country, and too country for punk, in Chicago—was nothing short of miraculous. It has been humbling privilege to be able to intuitively concoct my own record collection and have so many follow along for the ride. You trusted us, and that always meant the world to me. I personally never took that for granted. Thank you for all the support and good cheer, for enabling this strange endeavor, for letting us be a part of your lives and communities, and for being—as a friend and former Hideout bartender characterized Bloodshot fans—polite, sloppy, and good tippers.”

You can read the full post over here.

Billboard further reports: “Over the past two years, the company has gone through significant turmoil, as co-founder Warshaw resigned in March 2019 after Bloodshot artist Lydia Loveless accused Warshaw’s partner of sexual misconduct. At the time, there were plans for Miller to acquire Warshaw’s 50% share in the company.

In July 2020, workers at Bloodshot issued a letter to artists on the company’s roster with a warning alleging that Warshaw was looking at potential third-party buyers. The letter also claimed that Warshaw owed money to some artists, publishers and songwriters and that she had been negligent with royalty accounting. According to a December 2020 article from Chicago Reader, Warshaw responded via a cease and desist letter sent to staffers through attorney Jeff Becker. The Chicago Reader article also states that Warshaw asked Miller to buy out her share of the company in January 2020, though Miller declined the offer, and that Bloodshot Records has been up for sale since last summer.”

We wish you all the best with whatever you do next Rob. And here’s a classic from Bloodshot stalwarts The Wacos from 2001.