Five Minute Walk
| 5 Minute Walk | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Founded | 1995 |
| Founder | Frank Tate |
| Status | Defunct |
| Distributor(s) |
Diamante Music Group Chordant Distribution/EMI EMI |
| Genre | Various |
| Country of origin | U.S. |
| Location | Concord, California |
| Official website | http://www.5minutewalk.com/ |
5 Minute Walk were an independent record label founded by Frank Tate in April 1995. Their operations were based in Concord, California in the back offices of "The Screem", a live alternate music club operated by Tate. They only carried Christian bands and considered themselves to be a Christian ministry. Most records were produced by Masaki Liu at Masaki's One Way Studio and executive produced by Frank Tate.
Records released under 5 Minute Walk were distributed by Diamante Music Group until September 1998. They then struck a deal with Forefront Records to distribute through EMI-owned Chordant Distribution in Christian markets and directly by EMI Distribution in mainstream markets. They also had a sublabel, SaraBellum Records, founded in 1997. Records released on the SaraBellum imprint were targeted at the general market, and distributed by the Warner Music Group. Albums were often released on both labels simultaneously. Sarabellum was folded back into 5 Minute Walk in 2001 as the label changed distribution to EMI.
Their first resease was Deeper Than Skies by My Brother's Mother in 1995. In approximately 2001 the label dropped all artists from its roster except Five Iron Frenzy. When Five Iron disbanded at the end of 2003, lead singer Reese Roper signed under the name "Roper." The group released one album, Brace Yourself for the Mediocre, in late 2004 and toured nationally before disbanding.
"If we're going to call this Christian music, then it should be doing something Christ-like."
Many of their records and tours raised money for charity causes. Artists involved in these tours sometimes played without payment, and included off-label bands such as Sixpence None the Richer, the Lost Dogs, and Poor Old Lu. These operations were at the direction of Frank Tate who, previous to the label's founding and as manager for The Prayer Chain and The 77s, raised money to send 72 HIV infected children to Disneyland. Tours often took donations such as socks, blankets, and jackets and gave the collections to local homeless shelters. Certain albums raised money for world hunger related causes. The company also ran a food and medical center in Tijuana, Mexico that fed upwards of 150 children each day and contributed to an orphanage in Tijuana.
...
Wikipedia