"In Defense of Cats" is the new 7" by FATTY CAKES & THE PUFF PASTRIES featuring 2 songs - "Cat Nap" and "Mistress 23" is coming out on April 17th!

This has been in the works since 2024 (I actually looked through my old emails to find the first email exchange about this and it was January 24th, 2024! Though I know we talked about it over Instagram + text messages before then, but... yeah, holy shit!) - The band was currently working on a new album and had was scheduled to play with some amazing bands in the upcoming months like BRATMOBILE, THE SPITS and MARK SULTAN BBQ - they were hoping to have something new to sell at these gigs so the plan was to do a limited run of these songs on a 7" lathe since the turnaround on those are much faster than vinyl but the sound quality is not as great and they are much more expense (per unit) to produce. 

After a lot of back and forth on weighing pros and cons and trying to figure out the artwork, time passing by, discussing best timeline for things...etc It was decided to just release it on vinyl sometime in 2025 instead - no rush, since the band was still working on a full length and were taking a break from playing after their show with BRATMOBILE and THE PARANOYDS on May 23rd, 2024.

Then the discussion was like "I don't know when or if we are going to actually finish this full length and we really want to utilize this amazing artwork from our friend CRAIG CALDERWOOD made for it. So I was sent this beautiful artwork that was made by Craig and displayed in an art show they were a part of back in October, 2023 and I was asked to do all the lettering for it. So I spent a couple weeks near the end of 2024 working on that but it still wasn't until July, 2025 that we had everything ordered and paid for to get this 7" made.

There was still no real rush since the band has been on hiatus since 2024. (All the members have been busy with their own creative and fulfilling endeavors in the meantime, they are all so fucking cool) But hopefully the excitement around this new 7" will motivate and inspire them to do more as a band again. 
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Pre-orders are available now on the Related Records website and on the bands bandcamp page.

QUINTRON & MISS PUSSYCAT​ are touring the West Coast again and I am so excited about it! They are playing so many of their favorite familiar spots and with so many of their old friends and these shows are simply not to be missed!

Go to as many as you can!

You should check out TUCSON ZINE FEST! Saturday, March 28th from 10am - 4pm at the Steinfeld Warehouse (101 W 6th St #100, Tucson, AZ 85701) RELATED RECORDS will be there with a table full of vinyl, tapes, cds, stickers, buttons and of course ZINES​! (hopefully 1-2 new ones by then too!) along with SHAWNTE ORION who has a split 7" with SWEAT LODGE that recently sold out on Related Records (though I believe he still has some copies) and runs a poetry zine pressing company called RINKY DINK PRESS that will have a table at this same fest (hopefully close to the Related Records table so we can hang out all day together!)

I also wanted to share that there is still a handful of Riley Mix CD​ available. Enjoy a mix CD of songs that make me miss my dog that passed away in November - mostly, weirdo, sadboi, music.

There is a new compilation that came out yesterday called "Recherché"​ - it includes 16-22 unreleased (and soon to be released) recordings from artists in the Related Records Family. It is available on limited edition cassettes (and might come out on CD later down the line) and all copies come with a free download code of all 22 tracks.

I listed a bunch of zines that I recently took out of my personal collection at the prices I paid for them (or less). Below are just a handful, but you can see all of them here.

I have been a fan of Dimitri and the different bands/art projects he's been involved with since the early 2000's. Not only would I see him at any cool show I went to in Tucson for, but a lot of the times he was playing in the opening band! Most notably being SUGARBUSH (experimental funky, disco type punk band fronted by two very tall identical twins - super fun to dance to) and THE GALACTIC FEDERATION OF LOVE (like if the Beatles were really into conspiracy theories). Around 2004-2005 is when I first heard the band he is best known for GOLDEN BOOTS, which is an alt-country, indie pop and sometimes surfy type band with his friend Ryan. I've been a loyal fan ever since.

In 2021 Dimitri shared this new solo thing he had been working on with me. The project was called DIMITRIAM and the album worth of songs he was recording at home was called "Bug Spring" - it was one of the funnest lofi pop albums I had ever heard. I was very stoked on it (in fact it is one of my most listened to albums on Bandcamp.) Dimitri asked me I was interested in putting it out, I remember saying something like "yes, cause I love it, but what are your plans with this project? Are you going to play shows? Are you going to tour?" he replied "I don't know yet, I might not, I will probably just sell some copies when I go on tour with Golden Boots" so I foolishly declined. 
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DIMITRIAM & THE BUG CLUB wouldn't start playing shows or writing music as a 3-piece band for another couple years. But when I finally got to see them in 2023 at the MOONE RECORDS 10-year anniversary show, I was so stoked. The songs are so good, so fun, so catchy and just all around great!

This new album is made up of studio quality, full band recordings of all their best songs right now. The first pressing is limited to only 50 copies on this beautiful green/clear cassette shell. The j-cards are hand screen printed by the band and all copies come with download cards that are printed on pink craft paper. 
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The album doesn't come out until October 10th, 2025. But all pre-orders will be mailed out during the last week of September. The band will be doing a mini southwest tour with HI MY NAME IS RYAN supporting them. More info on that when the tour dates are finalized. The tapes can be purchased on the bands bandcamp page or on the Related Records website here.

I removed all of the music I have made from Spotify last week, it can take up to 30 days for it to completely disappear so it still might be on there at the time of this email. But no more music from DRUNK & HORNY, FATHERS DAY, HI MY NAME IS RYAN, THE TERRIS or THE CULLENS on Spotify. There are just way too many things over the years, that they have done that do not sit well with me enough to keep my music with their service. I know my weird little music and art projects that have less than 1,000 streams per song are going to have much (if any) impact on the company but to know even a small percentage of my art is contributing to Military AI technology, or really anything that disgrace of humanity Daniel Ek does. I do not want to help them at all.

This is not to add or give shame to anyone who still uses Spotify, I understand the convenience of having access to millions of songs for $14 a month or whatever. But as artists, I really don't think we should be helping these guys, they don't need our help, I hope more artists remove their catalogs from Spotify as well.

To get one of these BEST OF 2022​ mixtapes! All the money from these tapes goes to help pay legal fees for a Portland protestor who was essentially jumped by police.

Here are some items that are almost sold out in the online store. I'm talking like, less than 3 copies left on any of these.

​You should come to these events this month.

- ART MARKET with a variety of local creatives.including Related Records
- ARTIST RECEPTION, Featuring Local Artist Sabrina Rivera @awkward.mami.art
- FOOD & DRINKS FROM @the_rez_an_urban_eatery , @aguas_phx & @theremedy_phx
- DJ SET: @west_side_leyenda
- EXTENDED HOURS for @palabras_bookstore & @wastedinkzinedistro​
- RAFFLE: Buy art from local artists or books from Palabras and you are able to enter our raffle with lots of goodies from Palabras and local artists.

Sweat Lodge // Shawnte Orion split 7" release show at Stinkweeds! including live music from Rocky Yazzie (of Sweat Lodge/Turqouiz Noiz/Skinwalkers fame),Mooseknuckle Sandwich and Robbie Cohen! PLUS poetry from Shawnte Orion​!

New cassette tape from Hi My Name Is Ryan "Merry Go Round: A Live Tribute to Wildman Fischer" is coming out officially on March 11th, but I should have some copies available at the two events I will be vending this month and you can stream it or download it now on bandcamp.

This is the seventh release in a series of mixtapes I am making to help benefit different people who are in need right now. Tapes will be available for only 1 month and at the end of that period of time, all the money Made from those sales will go to the person in need. This time all the money is going to a protestor who was essentially jumped by police officers in Portland a couple months ago. The money is going to help with their legal fees.

This person would like to remain anonymous, so the only thing I am able to share is this video of the altercation from twitter.

If you want to donate directly to them, you can donate here. or send funds to $protestpapi on Cashapp or Venmo and let them know the money is for their friends legal fees.

This mixtape is made up of songs I really like that came out in 2022.
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Related Records artists featured on this tape include QUINTRON & MISS PUSSYCAT'S new side project/character BOBBY M.G. & THE QREEPS, Daniel Shircliff (THE FREAKS OF NATURE) + Anne Seletos (CHERIE CHERIE) short lived gospel garage rock two-piece THE CHRISTIAN FAMILY, BARRY side project featuring 1/2 of the BARRY band SASSYHIYA, and U.S. HIGHBALL which of course features Calvin and James from THE POOCHES

I did a poll recently on the Related Records instagram​ and got a pretty big response in favor of offering older benefit mix tapes again. So I made a few.

The newest member of the Related Records family is poet Shawnte Orion, he's got a new 7" on Related Records (a split with Sweat Lodge​) and he's got a ton of shows coming up in the next couple months. Go see him if you have a chance or live in one of these cities.

In May of 2023 Related Records is going to be celebrating 10 years of being a record label! WOW! I know! incredible right?! I almost didn't make it! But this year I got a bunch of stuff planned and hopefully, all of these things happen! Anyway, here's this years tentative release schedule..

I listed a bunch of Test Presses for you obsessive vinyl collecting weirdos.

This 7" has literally taken years to complete and I am so excited it's finally ready for pre-order! Rocky (from Sweat Lodge / Turqouiz Noiz, Skinwalkers, Rocky's Frybread fame) has been playing and organizing shows with Shawnte Orion (Phoenix poet/photographer/artist who recently published the book "Gravity & Spectacle") for 20+ years now.

10 years ago Sweat Lodge recorded the songs featured on their side of this 7". They were going to be released by another "cooler" label that went out of business within a year or so but they at least got these songs and this cool music video out of it. Meanwhile they released their debut full length "2013" on Related Records and then got hit with a potential lawsuit from this other Sweat Lodge band made up of greasy, long haired, white dudes that only lasted 3-4 years before going on "indefinite hiatus" (aka break up!) So Rocky, Rachel and Adam changed their name to Turqouiz Noiz  > Adam moved away and Brendan joined the band and then they released 2 excellent LPs (Sweat Lodge + Pray For Rain) on Related Records.

Almost 2 years ago (20 months to be exact) I placed an order for these records to be pressed and due to there being less than 100 vinyl pressing plants, one of the major factories that does vinyl platting burning down, and major labels paying extra money to push small label releases back so their releases get top priority.... it took this long but they are finally here and look so beautiful!

The official release date isn't until the end of February, because we are still waiting on the finishing touches (jackets & stickers) but the turnaround time on those is just a few days-weeks so these will start shipping out probably in the middle of February.

​Now for the extra exciting news about this release! It looks like the original 3 piece lineup of Sweat Lodge will be reuniting for the album release show at Stinkweeds in Phoenix on Saturday, February 25th (more info on this show later, since we literally JUST confirmed this date with everyone) and then doing a week long tour up to San Francisco with Shawnte Orion! (more info on this as we get more confirmed dates, if you can help with some AZ [in like bisbee or flagstaff] and CA [in like los angeles, sacramento, fresno...etc] dates hit up Rocky on Instagram) and THEN Shawnte Orion is going to be performing in the Pacific Northwest and will have records and books and zines with him!