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October 30, 2012 6:59 PM CDT
UntitledI recently heard (via Facebook posts, so I'm waiting for corroboration) that Norton Records' New York City warehouse was severely damaged by the recent storm surge and flooding, and a large part of their inventory was destroyed. Has anything heard about this? I hope the damage isn't as bad as it sounds...but I fear it probably is.
November 27, 2012 12:28 PM CST
UntitledDonations are accepted at the Norton records website. I have a benefit show booked in Saint Paul Minnesota on Dec 27th. All door money will be sent to Norton. Bands are Cozy, Evil Bill, and the Shakin Babies and DJ Travis Ramin of the Fevers/Nikki Corvette fame will be spinning wax in-between sets. Come party! RSVP here http://www.facebook.com/events/166932416782861/ if you are in the area and want to go. Or throw your own party in YOUR city and raise some loot!
November 17, 2012 7:05 AM CST
UntitledThe Sonics will play a benefit for Norton Records on november 28th at Patronaat Haarlem, the Netherlands.
Sonics play for Norton Records (in Dutch...)
November 15, 2012 3:05 AM CST
UntitledGoing to donate right now, not much else one can do from Scandinavia...
Hats off to Simon^ !
November 12, 2012 10:52 PM CST
UntitledI'm auctioning off a test pressing of the MASTERS APPRENTICES "Undecided" b/w "Wars Or Hands Of Time" 45 reissue on Ugly Pop, with all funds going directly to Norton. Check it out and bid hard if you can-- you'll getting a very rare (this is #3/10) copy of one of the greatest garage singles ever released, and you'll be helping out some very good people in the process!
November 12, 2012 4:44 PM CST
UntitledI can't make it to the city to lend a hand, but I did kick in a donation on their website. I encourage anyone else to do the same! If you're a fan of Norton Records (who wouldn't be?), help 'em out.
November 11, 2012 8:55 AM CST
UntitledNew email from Norton Records:
For the first time in Norton’s history, we are asking for your help. It has been entirely against our policy and nature to ask anyone for anything, in the entire history of our magazine and label. It hurts us to even suggest that any of you who have supported the label and our artists by purchasing Norton records over the years, to support us over and above with a donation. But it has indeed come to this. We have added a donate button to our website. Here’s the story. Every penny of what you donate will go into remanufacturing record jackets and sleeves for the vinyl that we salvage. No donation money will go into our day to day expenses so long as we can go forward on a minimal budget. If we get to the point where we cannot meet our monthly budget, we will ask again. But now, all donations go into getting the Norton label records back out to the public. We will write more about the procedure in days and weeks to come. Several people have benefits in the works, and we are grateful to you all. Send us any benefit links and we will post and propagate on the Norton site. If any of you are computer, website, internet geniuses, share your smart thoughts with us. |
 So, Norton Records and our print subsidiary Kicks Books has been savaged by Hurricane Sandy. Our stock and archive has been housed for the past seven years in Red Hook Brooklyn, at the historic Van Brunt Warehouses, pre-Civil War brick warehouses that were built to warehouse DRY GOODS -- tea, coffee, spices, and sugar. In fact the Domino Sugar Co. warehouse was right next to our place until recently, when their silo was torn down. There was no doubt in our minds that the Red Hook warehouse was secure-- it had withstood 150+ years of nature’s fury, after all. The insane and demonic combination of the hurricane, the high tide, the full moon and full-on interplanetary wrath resulted in a vortex that tore directly in through the waterways separating Brooklyn from Staten Island and straight into the island of Manhattan. |
 Most of you know the history of the label. Billy Miller and myself (this is Miriam Linna here) started the label in 1986 as an audio offshoot of our Kicks Magazine which we had been publishing since 1979. The label is focused on music that has been forgotten by the main veins that feed the public. It’s been a struggle from the start but in celebrating the label’s 25th anniversary exactly one year ago, we truly felt that we have reached a point where we could at least continue with releasing records and exposing people to the greatest rock n roll on the planet. Here we are today, soaked to our skin with so much destruction. |
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 Nearly all of the Norton Records stock – our label’s LPs, CDs, 45s, picture sleeves, CD booklets, record labels and more, as well as the stock on other labels we distribute including Relic, Crypt and Stompin’ merchandise plus mail order-only stock he entire Kicks Books and Kicks Magazine stock was destroyed. We have small existing quantities of things at our home office, but very little. Thankfully, two full printings of the latest Kicks Books, GETTING IN THE WIND by Harlan Ellison and LORD OF GARBAGE by Kim Fowley, are high and dry at the printer. Also, our new releases are scheduled in as soon as trucks are rolling- several new El Paso volumes, T. Valentine and Daddy Long Legs, the Horror Of Party Beach guys The Dynamic Delaires ZOMBIE STOMP, and Kim Fowley KING OF THE CREEPS LP/CD. Release date is Nov. 20 for all things new.
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 We have a mind boggling 2013 release schedule for Norton Records and Kicks Books and it’s our hope that we can still DO IT. Billy’s Ultimate Kim Fowley Singles Discography 1959-1970 which was scheduled to appear on our website to coincide with Kim’s new book and album has been postponed indefinitely. We thank our friends at Interfuel who have worked diligently to launch our new website, which is on hold right now until we can assess what we need to remove from availability.
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VOLUNTEERS |
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We could not have even gotten this far without the help of so many amazing volunteers – friends, family, neighbors and complete strangers. Fellow record companies like Sundazed, Daptone, Telstar (US) and even Sony Legacy have sent their able people over to provide their muscle and hustle. Norton Records is still in desperate need of volunteers to clean vinyl. Some much needed good news - the wonderful folks at the Spin-Clean Record Washer Company have donated a dozen record washing machines and gallons of cleaning fluid to help our cause. We can’t thank them enough as this will speed up our recovery process. If you would like to volunteer with our salvaging effort and clean records at our Prospect Height, Brooklyn office any day or time between 11AM-11PM, please e-mail us at nortonrec@aol.com with VOLUNTEER in the subject line or call 718-789-4438 (office) or 917-671-7185(Billy’s cell phone) and we will give you directions and updated information. No text or facebook replies for volunteering please. |
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Major thanks also to Daile Kaplan from Swann Galleries for getting us into a new dry space and to out great neighbors and friends. Thank you The Norton staff PLEASE SHARE! |
Incase you want to read up about whats happening at Norton from other sources here are the links: |
"Go read a book and flunk a test." -Iggy
November 8, 2012 10:17 AM CST
UntitledTim Warren (Crypt Records) just posted this message on Facebook:
just phoned Billy & Miriam for an hour and got the brutal lowdown on the devastation of their catalog/warehouse - it is is beyond belief and they SERIOUSLY need your HELP. Give em a hand with the vinyl washing, bring PIZZA to feed the volunteers, bags of COFFEE to fuel said volunteers, any photo-preservation pros are much needed. They've secured a clean, dry new warehouse space and anyone with VANS and GAS are needed for transporting the rescued stock. GO! GO! GO!
"Go read a book and flunk a test." -Iggy
November 6, 2012 7:56 PM CST
UntitledMe , too. It's heartbreaking. Our thanks to Alex and everyone who can , and is , helping them , now.
November 6, 2012 4:22 PM CST
UntitledThis makes me so sad. I wish I could go to New York and help them out.
November 6, 2012 3:40 AM CST
UntitledI unfortunately can't help for I'm on the other side of the world. but I wish all of you all the best, not only Norton but all who have suffered in one way or another from Sandy. Keep going, guys!
Cheers, Doc
www.cyco-sanchez.de
November 5, 2012 9:30 PM CST
UntitledMy wife and I went on Saturday to help out. It was a great experience and I hope I can help out some more this week. I can't explain how much help Norton needs. Literally their entire warehouse in Red Hook was underwater, so Norton brought all the records to their HQ where we stripped the vinyl out of the soggy sleeves (rainwater, floodwater, sewage, everything from the storm) and cleaned the records with soap and water. Next, they dry the records and re-sleeve whatever can be salvaged. There were two full hallways filled with vinyl, and more still at the warehouse. PLEASE GO HELP. These are good people who run an awesome company, and this is their life's work. They're working all day until 11 pm each day. As you can see from the video, Miriam is absolutely beside herself. Billy was in decent spirits on Saturday brought us beer for helping out. Here's a photo of me cleaning (on the left). That's Warren from the Barreracudas all the way in the back.
November 5, 2012 2:37 PM CST
Untitled"Go read a book and flunk a test." -Iggy
November 2, 2012 9:37 PM CDT
UntitledYep, I got the email from the Norton mailing list as well. It's very encouraging to hear that so many people have volunteered their time to help out. They can still use help, so I'll highlight this bit from their most recent email for anyone in the NYC area:
Norton asked for help through the weekend but we actually will continue to need any help that we can get throughout the upcoming week. We are working from 11AM until 11PM every day. Anything that you can do to pitch in would be most appreciated. The folks who have helped so far have been simply incredible. Friends, neighbors, Norton artists and complete strangers – we thank you all for the work, the food and snacks you brought and the much needed support you’ve all shown through this ordeal.
WE WILL NOT GIVE UP ON YOU IF YOU DON'T GIVE UP ON NORTON. THAT'S A PROMISE.
We have gotten messages from people who live too far to get here. Thank you. If you are in our hurricane area, please direct your efforts to helping those who you can reach. Manhattan, Brooklyn, New Jersey, Staten Island, the entire East Coast needs a neighborhood effort.
And the Norton contact info:
email nortonrec@aol.com
Billy's cell 917 671 7185
Miriam’s cell 917 671 7884
Norton landline 718 789 4438
November 2, 2012 8:42 PM CDT
UntitledThey made another statement , it looks REAL bad , but , they've got a lot of friends helping them , tho' they urged people to work within their own communities if they don't live nearby , but were affected by the hurricane. Benefit shows , I think , are in order , as they were after the Estrus warehouse fire....But , this is a natural disaster , and when the forces of man meet the forces of nature , man will get his ass kicked. Does'nt mean he won't dust himself off and get back in the fight.
John Battles said:
I third it. But , I think they're probably OK in that dept. It's the assessing that's going to be grueling. I tried to call Miriam a couple of days ago , but , just got her voice mail.
Thanks for the info. It's not good news , but it's better news than it could have been.
As long as they're safe . None of us want to think about losing our STUFF , tho' , in this case , that's their livelihood , but , when you think about it , STUFF is'nt as important as you , your friends and your family. John.
Wipeout! said:Damn this is bad news, though glad that the Norton family is safe...I was just about to place an order next week, too...& I second Kopper's hope...
November 1, 2012 12:43 AM CDT
UntitledPosted on their facebook page. I can't believe I was just in New York 2 weeks ago on vacation.
"NORTON RECORDS NEEDS YOUR HELP! Thanks again to our many friends who have been offering support following the devastating destruction that Hurricane Sandy wreaked upon the Norton Records warehouse in Brooklyn. Our electricity was restored today and we were able to assess the heavy damage. We can use help – not at our warehouse – but at our office in Prospect Heights. If any of you would like to volunteer your time at any point between now and Monday – even for just a few hours, we need as many people as possible to help clean and organize records that we are bringing from our warehouse. Celebrities may be in attendance. At this very moment, noted superstar Andy Shernoff is on hand pitching in. ...
October 31, 2012 2:25 PM CDT
UntitledI third it. But , I think they're probably OK in that dept. It's the assessing that's going to be grueling. I tried to call Miriam a couple of days ago , but , just got her voice mail.
Thanks for the info. It's not good news , but it's better news than it could have been.
As long as they're safe . None of us want to think about losing our STUFF , tho' , in this case , that's their livelihood , but , when you think about it , STUFF is'nt as important as you , your friends and your family. John.
Wipeout! said:
Damn this is bad news, though glad that the Norton family is safe...I was just about to place an order next week, too...& I second Kopper's hope...
October 31, 2012 9:21 AM CDT
UntitledDamn this is bad news, though glad that the Norton family is safe...I was just about to place an order next week, too...& I second Kopper's hope...
October 31, 2012 7:57 AM CDT
UntitledMan, I sure hope their insurance covers flood damage. Yikes!
"Go read a book and flunk a test." -Iggy
October 30, 2012 7:41 PM CDT
Untitled
