Off Beat (label)

WestCom (full name: WestCom Neue Medien Tonträger- Produktions- und Vertriebs GmbH) was a German recording company that operated the labels Off Beat, Visage Records and other labels.

Founded around 1993.

In addition to WestCom, its owner also operates NovaTekk and Euromedia. Headquartered in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

In 1999 Stefan Herwig, A&R manager at Off Beat, left the company over differences in promotion, to join forces with Eskil Simonsson (Covenant), Johan Van Roy (Suicide Commando), Bryan Erickson (Velvet Acid Christ) and Ronan Harris (VNV Nation) to form a new label, dependent (which opened January 1999). When he left, most artists switched to the new label, effectively shutting down WestCom.

Off Beat was a label specialized in electronic music with industrial and experimental rhythmic features which was founded in 1993 by Stefan Herwig and Thorsten Stroht.

After having signed German electronic music group Project Pitchfork as first band to the label, Off Beat took a number of unsigned bands such as Haujobb, Download and Decree under its wing. Also, at the time already well established groups such as Front Line Assembly, Skinny Puppy and Suicide Commando joined the label.

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