Pizza of Death Records

Pizza of Death Records is a Japanese punk-oriented record label founded in Tokyo in 1994 by Ken Yokoyama, the guitarist of the influential Japanese punk band Hi-Standard. The label began as an imprint operating within Toy's Factory, a larger Japanese record company, rather than as a fully independent business. Its early development therefore combined the creative identity of a specialist punk label with the infrastructure of an established Japanese music company. The label later moved under Howling Bull, marking a further stage in its development before becoming fully independent in 1999. That transition was associated with the release of Hi-Standard's album "Making the Road," a significant release in the label's history and an expression of its close relationship with Yokoyama's musical work. Pizza of Death's identity has remained strongly connected to punk rock, hardcore-influenced music, melodic punk, and adjacent alternative scenes rather than to a broad commercial catalog. Its roster has included Japanese acts such as Water Closet, Comeback My Daughters, Moga the 5, Toast, BBQ CHICKENS, Hawaiian6, Razors Edge, The Genbaku Onanies, Ken Yokoyama, Asparagus, Slimeball, Upper, F.I.B., Garlic Boys, WANIMA, Suspended 4th, and Sabasister. The label has also represented artists from North America and Europe, including Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Good Riddance, Venerea, Satanic Surfers, and Snuff. Reference material describes a roster of 22 bands, with five based in the United States and Europe, indicating that the label's activities have extended beyond Japan while remaining rooted in the Japanese punk market. Pizza of Death has issued both artist releases and compilation albums, including "The Best New-Comer Of The Year," "The Very Best of Pizza of Death I," "The Very Best of Pizza of Death II," and "Have a Slice of Death." These compilations function as catalog and scene documents, presenting the label's roster and reinforcing its recognizable visual and musical identity. The label's international connections are particularly visible through Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, a project associated with several prominent American punk musicians, including NOFX bassist and producer Fat Mike. The label is currently distributed by Toy's Factory. This arrangement preserves a relationship with the company that hosted Pizza of Death in its earliest period while allowing the label to retain its independent brand identity. Public reference material does not establish a separate parent company, listed entity, financial profile, or current corporate headquarters beyond its Tokyo origin. Pizza of Death Records is best understood as a specialist independent punk label whose significance comes from its artist network, its role in Japanese punk culture, and its connections with punk scenes in North America and Europe.

Pizza of Death Records was founded in Tokyo in 1994 by Ken Yokoyama, guitarist of Hi-Standard. The label was initially established as a record-label unit within Toy's Factory, giving it access to the resources of a larger Japanese music company while allowing it to develop a distinct punk-focused identity. Its initial position inside Toy's Factory is important to the label's history because Pizza of Death did not begin as an entirely separate independent company. After its initial period, the label moved under Howling Bull. This intermediate affiliation preceded its transition to full independence in 1999. The release of Hi-Standard's "Making the Road" accompanied or marked this independent phase and connected the label's corporate development to one of the central acts in Ken Yokoyama's musical career. Pizza of Death subsequently operated as an independent punk label with a roster drawn primarily from Japan but also including artists from North America and Europe. The label's Japanese roster has included Water Closet, Comeback My Daughters, Moga the 5, Toast, BBQ CHICKENS, Hawaiian6, Razors Edge, The Genbaku Onanies, Ken Yokoyama, Asparagus, Slimeball, Upper, F.I.B., Garlic Boys, WANIMA, Suspended 4th, and Sabasister. Its international roster has included Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Good Riddance, Venerea, Satanic Surfers, and Snuff. Reference material describes the label as holding 22 bands, five of which are based in the United States and Europe. This combination gives Pizza of Death a cross-border profile while preserving its foundation in Japanese punk culture. Beyond individual artist releases, the label has issued several compilations: "The Best New-Comer Of The Year," "The Very Best of Pizza of Death I," "The Very Best of Pizza of Death II," and "Have a Slice of Death." These projects represent the label's role in presenting and organizing its roster, as well as in communicating a coherent label identity to listeners. The presence of Me First and the Gimme Gimmes also links the label to prominent American punk musicians, including Fat Mike of NOFX, who is associated with that project as producer and bassist. Toy's Factory currently distributes Pizza of Death's releases. The distribution relationship is historically notable because Toy's Factory was also the label's original institutional home, although the available reference material does not identify Toy's Factory as Pizza of Death's current parent company. No reliable public information in the supplied sources establishes ownership details, revenue, a listed status, or a separate current corporate headquarters. The label is therefore documented primarily through its catalog, roster, affiliations, and punk-scene activities.

• 1999

  Independent phase begins

  [1]Pizza of Death Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Pizza of Death established itself as a fully independent label in connection with the release of Hi-Standard's "Making the Road."

• 1994

  Label founded in Tokyo

  [1]Pizza of Death Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Ken Yokoyama founded Pizza of Death Records as a record-label imprint within Toy's Factory.

• Affiliation with Howling Bull

  [1]Pizza of Death Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The label subsequently operated under Howling Bull before later becoming fully independent.

• International roster expands

  [1]Pizza of Death Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The label's roster came to include North American and European acts such as Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Good Riddance, Venerea, Satanic Surfers, and Snuff.

• Toy's Factory becomes current distributor

  [1]Pizza of Death Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Toy's Factory is identified as the current distributor for Pizza of Death releases.

A specialist independent punk label focused on Japanese punk and related international acts, with a strong scene-based identity and a catalog spanning artist releases and label compilations.

• Album · 1999

  Hi-Standard - Making the Road

  An album by Hi-Standard associated with Pizza of Death's 1999 transition to full independence. It is a central release in the label's documented history and reflects the close relationship between the label and its founder, guitarist Ken Yokoyama.

• Compilation album

  The Best New-Comer Of The Year

  A Pizza of Death compilation presenting emerging or newer acts connected with the label. It belongs to the label's compilation catalog, which helped introduce its roster and reinforce its identity within punk music.

• Compilation album

  The Very Best of Pizza of Death I

  The first volume of a label-focused best-of compilation series. It collects representative material associated with Pizza of Death and serves as an overview of its artist and catalog identity.

• Compilation album

  The Very Best of Pizza of Death II

  The second volume in Pizza of Death's best-of compilation series, extending the label's presentation of its punk-oriented catalog and roster.

• Compilation album

  Have a Slice of Death

  A compilation release built around the Pizza of Death label identity. It represents the label's practice of packaging material from its associated artists into a broader catalog statement.

• 1999

  Move to full independenceStrategy

  Background

  Pizza of Death had originated as an imprint within Toy's Factory and later operated under Howling Bull.

  Action taken

  The label established itself as fully independent, with Hi-Standard's "Making the Road" identified as a release connected to this transition.

  Aftermath

  Pizza of Death continued as an independent punk label while retaining a distribution relationship with Toy's Factory.

  Source

1. 1Pizza of Death Recordsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Pizza of Death Records discographydiscogs.com