Draft:Headquarter Records
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Comment: A couple of mentions in their local paper is not enough to establish notability. Further, discogs is not a reliable source and should be removed. Sulfurboy (talk) 18:26, 25 July 2026 (UTC)
| Type | Private independent record label, venue, retail |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail, live music performance, record publishing |
| Genre | Post-hardcore, indie rock, punk rock |
| Founded | c. 1998 |
| Founders | Silas Carter, Jim Ward, Joanna Sosa |
| Defunct | c. 2000 |
| Successor | Restart Records |
Key people | Silas Carter Jim Ward Joanna Sosa |
| Products | Gramophone records, CDs, live music |
Headquarter Records was an independent record store, all-ages live music venue, and record label based in El Paso, Texas. Operating in the late 1990s at 209 Cincinnati Avenue near the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), the store served as a central hub and incubator for the region's post-hardcore, punk rock, and independent music movement.[1]
Co-founded by Silas Carter, Jim Ward (co-founder and guitarist of At the Drive-In and Sparta), and Joanna Sosa, Headquarter Records hosted intimate live performances for local and touring independent bands. Following Sosa's departure around 2000, Carter and Ward restructured the label operation to establish Restart Records.[2]
History
[edit]Established in the late 1990s, Headquarter Records operated as a multi-use DIY community space on Cincinnati Avenue, combining a retail shop specializing in underground vinyl and CDs with a small live performance room.[1]
During its tenure, the venue became a prominent gathering place for El Paso's post-hardcore movement. It hosted notable performances by local acts, including At the Drive-In, De Facto, and Universal Recovered, alongside regional and national touring independent bands.[3][4]
In addition to live events, Headquarter Records operated as an early publishing label, issuing the original limited 12-inch vinyl debut of De Facto—the dub side project featuring Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Omar Rodríguez-López, Isaiah "Ikey" Owens, and Jeremy Ward prior to forming The Mars Volta.[2][5]
When co-founder Joanna Sosa departed the business around 2000, Carter and Ward closed the 209 Cincinnati location and established Restart Records to focus exclusively on manufacturing, reissuing, and national distribution.[6]
Legacy
[edit]Headquarter Records is recognized in regional music retrospectives as a vital structural precursor to El Paso's early 2000s post-hardcore explosion, providing early performance and release opportunities for musicians who would go on to achieve international recognition in At the Drive-In, The Mars Volta, and Sparta.[1][2]
Associated artists
[edit]- At the Drive-In
- De Facto
- Universal Recovered
- Siva
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Pullen, Doug (July 11, 1999). "Local Music Scene and Independent Venues". El Paso Times. p. 13.
Headquarter Records served as the physical epicenter for Cincinnati Street's burgeoning underground rock scene, operating as a venue, retail space, and independent label.
- 1 2 3 Pullen, Doug (April 20, 2001). "El Paso Independent Labels and Regional Sound". El Paso Times. p. 73.
Following the evolution of Headquarter Records, Carter and Ward transitioned the operation into Restart Records to manage expanded pressing and distribution.
- ↑ "Live Music Listings and Community Venues". El Paso Times. April 3, 2001. p. 23.
- ↑ "Spotlight on Local Bands". El Paso Times. August 6, 2001. p. 23.
- ↑ "Headquarter Records Catalog". Discogs. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- ↑ "Regional Music Scene Overview". El Paso Times. April 26, 2001. p. 25.
External links
[edit]- Headquarter Records discography at Discogs
Category:Independent record labels based in Texas Category:Defunct record labels of the United States Category:Music venues in Texas Category:Culture of El Paso, Texas Category:Post-hardcore
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