As a staple in Ontario music since its inception in 2002, Toronto indie label Underground Operations has announced plans to shut down after more than a decade in the business.
In a statement published to the label's website and Facebook page, founder Mark Spicoluk announced the label's closure.
"It's a weird thing to type after so many years, that UO is officially shutting its doors," he wrote. "Over the last 15 years or so all of the people working here and all of the artists we worked with really did something special. We had our ups and downs, it was chaos most of the time, but it was beautiful chaos and out of it came some wonderful records, memories, and emotions to never be forgotten."
In conjunction with the closure, the label will release one final anthology record from Spicoluk's band Closet Monster. Titled Suicide Note, the release contains three new tracks, in addition to cuts from the band's past releases. Digital and physical editions of the compilation can be ordered here, with all proceeds set to go to Costa Rican dog shelter Land of the Strays.
"I want to thank each of the artists we released personally," Spicoluk continued. "You took a shot on us, just like we did you. And no matter how it all ended up I'm proud of every single record we ever released. I hope one day we can find it in our lives to reconnect and laugh at how fucking stupid it was to take something so wonderful as indie music so seriously. But that is the big lesson at the end of it all, it was all just music. Beautiful wonderful inspiring life changing indie music."
Read Spicoluk's full statement below.
In a statement published to the label's website and Facebook page, founder Mark Spicoluk announced the label's closure.
"It's a weird thing to type after so many years, that UO is officially shutting its doors," he wrote. "Over the last 15 years or so all of the people working here and all of the artists we worked with really did something special. We had our ups and downs, it was chaos most of the time, but it was beautiful chaos and out of it came some wonderful records, memories, and emotions to never be forgotten."
In conjunction with the closure, the label will release one final anthology record from Spicoluk's band Closet Monster. Titled Suicide Note, the release contains three new tracks, in addition to cuts from the band's past releases. Digital and physical editions of the compilation can be ordered here, with all proceeds set to go to Costa Rican dog shelter Land of the Strays.
"I want to thank each of the artists we released personally," Spicoluk continued. "You took a shot on us, just like we did you. And no matter how it all ended up I'm proud of every single record we ever released. I hope one day we can find it in our lives to reconnect and laugh at how fucking stupid it was to take something so wonderful as indie music so seriously. But that is the big lesson at the end of it all, it was all just music. Beautiful wonderful inspiring life changing indie music."
Read Spicoluk's full statement below.
