Crypt was one of the pivotal independent labels of the 90s. Under the leadership of record collector and junk culture connoisseur, Tim Warren, the label unleashed a discerning and alarmingly vicious discography of Rock n Roll and Garage Punk.
In the 80s, Crypt built its reputation by curating the definitive series of 60s Garage comps, Back From the Grave. These compilations featured raw tracks from American teenage bands. Influenced by the British invasion and gritty stateside Surf and Soul, most of the bands had little more than a regional hit and a few gigs at high school dances to their name. Tim Warren rigorously tracked down these rare acetates and compiled 8 volumes of Back From the Grave between 1983 and 1992. Take a minute to check out a few of the gems:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AEQrKgyoSU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2p9yqCNOf8
In the late 80s, Crypt started to get rolling with newer releases. Bands like Thee Mighty Caesars, The Raunch Hands, and The Devil Dogs all released LPs with Crypt before the decade’s end.
By the 90s, Crypt had relocated from the US to Hamburg and was rapid firing peerless punk from all over the world. Scotland’s Country Teasers, Japan’s Teengenerate, England’s Thee Headcoats, Spain’s Pleasure F-ers and all kinds of American bands contributed to a catalog that helped define a period in punk rock history. Check out some of the best:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZmxNM6DwsY
Crypt is still active and holding down the fort in Hamburg. Nowadays, they are mainly working on the reissue and distribution side of things.
– Submitted by Justin Main, Music Design