Undecided Records

Undecided Records was an American independent record label established in 1998 by Clifford Wiener and Alexander Kenny. The label began in Loxahatchee, Florida, and its operations later moved within Palm Beach County, first to Boca Raton, then Parkland, and ultimately Lake Worth. It operated primarily in the underground and independent heavy-music communities, releasing recordings by artists associated with hardcore punk, metalcore, noisecore, post-hardcore, and emo. Its roster and release activity were concentrated in North America, particularly during the late 1990s and the first half of the 2000s. The label issued music in several formats, including vinyl records, compact discs, and digital audio. Its United States distribution arrangements changed over time: early releases were distributed through Revelation Records, followed by Victory Records, and later Sony/RED Music. Wiener and Kenny also had close working relationships with Eulogy Recordings, where they worked in their free time, linking Undecided to a wider network of independent hardcore and post-hardcore labels. Undecided's catalog included releases that became associated with the early-2000s heavy-music underground. Among the better-known titles were Poison the Well's "Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder," Every Time I Die's "The Burial Plot Bidding War," Supermachiner's "Rise of the Great Machine," Breaking Pangaea's "Take Apart the Words" and "Cannon to a Whisper," and Eiffel's "Audiblenarcotic." The Eiffel album was also reissued after the group changed its name to Vaux. The label's projects extended beyond conventional artist albums. It developed "Crush 'Em All," a proposed series of Metallica tribute splits involving bands such as BoySetsFire, Converge, Countervail, Disembodied, Indecision, Eighteen Visions, Poison the Well, Shai Hulud, Supermachiner, Today Is the Day, and Walls of Jericho. Although several planned splits did not reach completion, many of the recorded covers were assembled on the compilation "The Old, The New, The Unreleased," issued in January 2005. The company also experimented with related media and imprint ventures. In 2003, Wiener, Kenny, and Michael Broder formed Undecided Films, intending to release theatrical films and DVDs. Its planned first project was a theatrical reissue of F. W. Murnau's 1922 film "Nosferatu" with a new score by Converge vocalist Jacob Bannon. The first DVD ultimately released under the venture was the documentary "Rockets Redglare!," made in memory of the stand-up comedian and featuring interviews with Steve Buscemi, Jim Jarmusch, Matt Dillon, and Willem Dafoe. In June 2003, Undecided Records also partnered with Further Seems Forever bassist Chad Neptune to finance the Pompano Basic imprint. The label organized The Undecided Records Tour in September and October 2005, a two-month United States tour featuring Cru Jones, The Big Screen, Shindig, Hank Jones, Iscariot, and xRepresentx. Undecided Records was dissolved in 2006 as Wiener and Kenny established new imprints. Straight-edge acts were moved to x1981x Records, while other artists were transferred to 567 Records. Releases originally planned for Undecided, including projects connected with Further Seems Forever and Jeremy Enigk, were redirected to the new label structure. The back catalog began receiving digital reissues in early 2007. Although the original label is defunct, its releases remain documented through music catalog and discography databases.

Undecided Records was founded in 1998 by Clifford Wiener and Alexander Kenny in Loxahatchee, Florida. The business later relocated several times within Palm Beach County, moving to Boca Raton, Parkland, and finally Lake Worth. Its identity was rooted in the American independent heavy-music network, particularly hardcore punk and adjacent styles. The label worked with artists in hardcore, metalcore, noisecore, post-hardcore, and emo, maintaining a largely North American roster from the late 1990s into the mid-2000s. Its physical and digital catalog included vinyl records, compact discs, and later digital audio. Distribution in the United States initially ran through Revelation Records, then Victory Records, and subsequently Sony/RED Music. The founders were also connected with Eulogy Recordings, helping place Undecided within the overlapping label, touring, and artist communities that supported independent heavy music during this period. The catalog covered both artist releases and collaborative projects. Notable titles included Poison the Well's "Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder," Every Time I Die's "The Burial Plot Bidding War," Supermachiner's "Rise of the Great Machine," Breaking Pangaea's "Take Apart the Words" and "Cannon to a Whisper," and Eiffel's "Audiblenarcotic." The Eiffel release was later reissued after the band adopted the name Vaux. Undecided also developed "Crush 'Em All," a series of planned Metallica tribute splits. Participating or intended participating acts included BoySetsFire, Converge, Countervail, Disembodied, Indecision, Eighteen Visions, Poison the Well, Shai Hulud, Supermachiner, Today Is the Day, and Walls of Jericho. Production difficulties meant that several splits were not completed, but much of the available cover material appeared on "The Old, The New, The Unreleased" in January 2005. The company expanded beyond record releases. In 2003, Wiener and Kenny joined Michael Broder to establish Undecided Films. The venture proposed theatrical and DVD projects, including a planned reissue of F. W. Murnau's silent film "Nosferatu" with a new score by Jacob Bannon of Converge. Its first DVD release instead became "Rockets Redglare!," a documentary honoring the late comedian and actor Rockets Redglare, with interviews involving Steve Buscemi, Jim Jarmusch, Matt Dillon, and Willem Dafoe. That year the label also financed the Pompano Basic imprint in partnership with Chad Neptune of Further Seems Forever. Live activity became another part of the label's profile. From September through October 2005, it organized The Undecided Records Tour, a two-month United States itinerary featuring Cru Jones, The Big Screen, Shindig, Hank Jones, Iscariot, and xRepresentx. The label was dissolved in 2006 when its founders reorganized their activities under new imprints. Straight-edge bands were transferred to x1981x Records, while the remaining artists moved to 567 Records. Further Seems Forever's compilation "The Final Curtain" and Jeremy Enigk's "The Missing Link," both originally associated with Undecided's plans, were released through the successor structure. The former label's catalog began receiving digital reissues in early 2007. Wiener, Kenny, and John Wylie later formed Big Hit Management in 2010, while the founders also organized the Bringin' it Back for the Kids Fest in 2011 and 2012.

• 2007

  Digital catalog reissues began

  [1]Undecided Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Undecided's back catalog began to be made available again in digital formats.

• 2006

  Label dissolved

  [1]Undecided Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Artists and planned releases were redistributed to x1981x Records and 567 Records.

• 2005

  The Old, The New, The Unreleased issued

  [1]Undecided Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The compilation gathered much of the available material from the Crush 'Em All tribute project.

• 2005

  Undecided Records Tour organized

  [1]Undecided Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The label staged a two-month United States tour featuring six associated acts.

• 2003

  Undecided Films established

  [1]Undecided Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The founders and Michael Broder formed a related film venture for theatrical and DVD projects.

• 1998

  Label founded in Florida

  [1]Undecided Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Clifford Wiener and Alexander Kenny established Undecided Records in Loxahatchee, Florida.

An independent, scene-oriented American label serving the hardcore, metalcore, noisecore, post-hardcore, and emo communities, with an emphasis on emerging and underground artists, collaborative releases, touring, and catalog experimentation.

• Album release

  Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

  A release by Poison the Well associated with Undecided Records and representative of the label's focus on aggressive American hardcore and adjacent post-hardcore sounds. It is among the catalog titles most frequently identified with the label's early-2000s activity.

• Album release

  The Burial Plot Bidding War

  An Every Time I Die release issued through Undecided Records. Its inclusion in the label's catalog reflects the company's interest in heavy, technically forceful music emerging from the American underground during the label's active period.

• Compilation album · 2005

  The Old, The New, The Unreleased

  A January 2005 various-artists compilation assembling much of the recorded material from Undecided's Crush 'Em All Metallica tribute project. It preserved cover versions from multiple hardcore and metal-oriented bands after several planned split releases failed to reach completion.

• Tribute split series

  Crush 'Em All

  A planned series of Metallica tribute split releases involving a broad group of hardcore, metalcore, and experimental heavy bands. The project was only partly completed, but its recorded covers were subsequently consolidated on The Old, The New, The Unreleased.

• Album release

  Audiblenarcotic

  An Eiffel release connected with Undecided Records and later reissued after the band changed its name to Vaux. The title illustrates the label's role in documenting post-hardcore and related independent acts during its active years.

• 2005The Undecided Records Tour

  United States

  Undecided Records organized a two-month tour in September and October featuring Cru Jones, The Big Screen, Shindig, Hank Jones, Iscariot, and xRepresentx.

  Outcome. The tour provided a live platform for multiple label-associated acts, although no attendance or financial outcome is documented in the cited material.

  Source

• 2006

  Reorganized operations under successor imprintsStrategy

  Background

  The founders decided to dissolve Undecided Records and continue their label activities through new companies.

  Action taken

  Straight-edge acts moved to x1981x Records, while other artists moved to 567 Records.

  Aftermath

  Undecided Records ceased operating as an active label, while selected planned releases were redirected and the catalog later received digital reissues.

  Source

• 2003

  Expanded into film through Undecided FilmsStrategy

  Background

  The label's founders sought to extend their independent-media activities beyond music releases.

  Action taken

  Clifford Wiener, Alexander Kenny, and Michael Broder formed Undecided Films for theatrical and DVD projects.

  Aftermath

  The venture's first DVD release became the documentary Rockets Redglare!, while the planned Nosferatu reissue is not identified as having been completed in the cited material.

  Source

• 2003

  Financed the Pompano Basic imprintStrategy

  Background

  Undecided pursued relationships with artists and related independent labels.

  Action taken

  The company partnered with Further Seems Forever bassist Chad Neptune to finance Pompano Basic.

  Aftermath

  No further financial or operating results are documented in the cited material.

  Source

• 2007

  Undecided catalog began digital reissues[1]Undecided Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Product generation

  The former label began re-releasing its back catalog in digital formats after its dissolution.

• 2006

  Undecided Records dissolved and artists moved to new imprints[1]Undecided Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The label was dissolved as its founders created x1981x Records and 567 Records and transferred artists to the new companies.

• 2005

  The Old, The New, The Unreleased compiled Crush 'Em All recordings[1]Undecided Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Undecided issued a compilation gathering much of the recorded material from its Metallica tribute-split project.

• 2005

  The Undecided Records Tour took place in the United States[1]Undecided Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign

  The label organized a two-month American tour featuring several artists from its roster.

• 2003

  Undecided Records formed Undecided Films[1]Undecided Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Wiener, Kenny, and Michael Broder created a related film venture intended to develop theatrical and DVD projects.

• 2003

  Undecided Records partnered on Pompano Basic[1]Undecided Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The label partnered with Chad Neptune to finance the Pompano Basic imprint.

• 1998

  Undecided Records established in Florida[1]Undecided Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Clifford Wiener and Alexander Kenny established the independent label in Loxahatchee, Florida.

1. 1Undecided Recordsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Undecided Records discographydiscogs.com
3. 3Undecided Records publishing catalogmusicbrainz.org