Note To Scene The Rise and Fall of Victory Records
Apr 29, 2021
Discover the tumultuous rise and fall of a once-powerful music label. Dive into the struggles of iconic bands like Taking Back Sunday and Hawthorne Heights as they battled financial mismanagement and oppressive contracts. Uncover the shocking sabotage tactics used in the industry that led to a dramatic decline for rival artists. The narrative sheds light on the larger fight for artistic freedom and the pursuit of fair treatment, highlighting the lengths bands went to reclaim their independence.
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From DIY Hardcore To Major-Scene Power
- Victory Records grew from hardcore indie roots into a dominant scene label by capitalizing on genres' mainstream moments.
- Tony Brummel parlayed early momentum into power that later enabled aggressive control over artists and promotions.
Thursday's Public Break With Victory
- Thursday publicly called out Victory in 2002 over packaging and promotional control issues.
- Their statement described feeling deceived, bullied, and contractually constrained by Tony Brummel.
Royalties Hidden As Marketing Expenses
- Successful bands on Victory often saw profits diverted into dubious "marketing" to avoid paying royalties.
- That practice turned breakout acts into cautionary tales and damaged the label's reputation.