TKO Records | |
---|---|
Founded | 1997 |
Founder | Mark Rainey |
Genre |
hardcore punk street punk |
Country of origin | US |
Official website | tkorecords |
TKO Records is an independent punk rock record label based in Huntington Beach, California. The label is primarily known for its pivotal role in the late 1990s American street punk scene and has continued its notability as a source of new releases, reissues, and archival recordings. The OC Weekly newspaper recognized the label as "best record label" in Orange County in 2011 and its record store of the same name as "best punk-rock record store" in Orange County, 2008.
TKO Records was founded by Mark Rainey in 1997 in San Francisco, California. Early on the label rose to prominence with releases from the Dropkick Murphys, Lower Class Brats, Anti-Heros, Swingin' Utters, The Templars, Pressure Point, Workin' Stiffs, U.S. Bombs, and The Forgotten. The label helped to establish a sound and aesthetic for the street punk scene in the United States that was then rising in popularity. As TKO's prominence within the punk rock scene increased, the label also began releasing records from veteran punk bands such as Cocksparrer, Angelic Upstarts, the Partisans, Slaughter and the Dogs, The Bruisers, Chelsea, The Business, The Real Kids, and Antiseen.