Do you remember Victory Records? You might not have ever heard of them if you didn’t run in punk/hardcore circles at some point in your life. During my college years, they were most known (to me, at least) for being the home of the completely humorless militant straight-edge/eco-centric band Earth Crisis. They were not a one-note label, however. Their roster extended to cover all variety of suck.
I have not given Victory Records a second thought in many years, but apparently they still exist. And are still run by a fucktard of the highest order.
As you may have heard, Matador Records founder/Can’t Stop the Bleeding blogger Gerard Cosloy’s home in Austin burned down last week. As someone who’s enjoyed the fruits of both that label and that blog, I was saddened by the news. Plus, based on the posts at CSTB, I believe he’s a Mets fan, so the man’s suffered enough the last few years.
It’s an awful event, the kind that inspires pity even among people who might hate you. Even Deadspin, which Cosloy took shots at over the years (and vice versa), wrote a brief post sending their condolences when the news broke. Because despite the fact that Cosloy was not a fan of Deadspin’s editor emeritus, you have to be a special kind of asshole to not offer sympathy to someone who just lost everything he owned.
Tony Brummell, Victory Records head honcho, is just that kind of asshole. In a situation where most people would offer their thoughts and prayers–or at the very least say nothing at all–Tony found the strength within him to send Cosloy a one-word email that said KARMA.
Why such hostility? Because Cosloy called out Victory Records for weird/shitty business practices. I suppose this offended the Great Hardcore Gods in the sky, who then did smite him for his insolence.
I’m pointing this out so if anyone is out there is considering a bulk purchase of the Snapcase back catalog, or you wanna pick up some old L.E.S. Stitches 7 inches, you may want to spend your hard earned deaux elsewhere. And if you’re so inclined, you can check out this blog post at Chunklet, where the Victory Records haterade is being poured in full force.