There was an abandoned carriage house for sale across the street from our house in the Woodbridge neighborhood of Detroit. It was over a year before we actually decided to finally check the place out. The roof was leaky, there was no running water, no heat and basically no insulation. It was perfect. We saw something that not many other people are looking for in purchasing real estate… a blank slate. It was also perfect because we could actually afford it. Not only was it cheap, but it was available on a land contract where we could make direct payments to the owner without having to take out a hefty mortgage. We signed the deal and got to work on what became known as the shack.

After three and a half years of grunt work we finally got pretty close to what we wanted. We had built a new roof, bought a furnace, got running water hooked up, built lofted bedroom spaces for us to live in, insulated and dry walled the whole place and even put in something we had long been lacking… a hot shower. The whole experience has been truly liberating. We now had a perfect practice space for our band Noman and a headquarters for our new record label Woodbridge Records.

It was January of 2009 when we came out with our first release, Noman’s debut full length Broadcast. Broadcast was recorded by Steve Albini at Electrical Audio in Chicago and released on 500 12″ LP’s and 1,000 cd’s. Our first release was logically our own band’s record, but our intent in starting a record label was not merely self promotion.

We had a really tight knit network of bands and musicians in Woodbridge and we wanted to bring all of us together under an umbrella. We knew we couldn’t offer much to the bands other than putting out their records, but we felt that united we would all be a little bit stronger. Everyone could share resources and talents and we could all help each other out. Some of us could screen print, some of us had booked tours and some of us had skills in dealing with the press. We also now had the benefit of having the shack, where we could all meet on a regular basis and share ideas and skills and resources.

In our first year as a label we teamed up with some of our closest friends in the neighborhood, I,Crime and The Summer Pledge. I,Crime had just finished up in the studio with Detroit’s own Collin Dupuis. We hand screen printed some record sleeves and put out our second release as a label, I,Crime’s Dove Skin Gloves 7″ (WBR 002). The rest of the material from their sessions with Dupuis will be released on their debut full length coming out in 2010 on Woodbridge Records (WBR 005). In 2009 we also had the pleasure of putting out space travelers The Summer Pledge’s debut full length album You Are You on CD (WBR 003). The album was recorded with Andrew Davis at The White Room Studio in downtown Detroit. Also recorded in this session with Davis was their epic ten minute song Recurring Dream. This song will also be released in 2010 on their long awaited 7″ Recurring Dream (WBR 004).

We find much of our inspiration from other DIY independent label’s that have been able to help and support bands without major label money or distribution. In our first year as a label we have learned how difficult this can actually be. Our experience from this humble beginning is only pushing us to strive harder and provide more for bands on our label. Please help us grow! Visit this website for updates on the bands and to purchase recent releases. If you are interested in being involved with the label or having your music released on Woodbridge Records, get in touch with us. We are always excited to hear new music and meet new people.

-Andrew Beer

Please send cd’s, records and love letters to us here at the shack…

Woodbridge Records
1520 Merrick
Detroit, MI 48208