Hardware Podcasts

Sub Pop Records: Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman

How I Built This · 1 Jun 2020 · 1h 27m

What this episode covers

Sub Pop co-founders Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman recount building their iconic Seattle record label from a fanzine into a global cultural force. They discuss the early days of financing releases through borrowed money and limited editions, the strategic decision to sign Nirvana using a generic library contract, and the financial turmoil caused by the band's departure to Geffen Records. The episode details the company's near-collapse in the late 1990s due to overpaying for bands, the subsequent reconciliation between the founders, and the label's survival under CEO Megan Jasper.

Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up and established companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Sub Pop Records, Geffen, Warner Brothers, U.S. Bank
Products
Nirvana, Green River, Soundgarden, Mudhoney, The Shins, The Postal Service, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains
Also
Melody Maker, London Observer

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