Tooth & Nail Records is a Christian music record label[1] founded by Brandon Ebel in California in November 1993.The label later moved to Seattle where it is today.
History
Brandon Ebel and Michael Knott conceived the label as a joint venture, before Knott backed out.[2][3] Prior to forming Tooth & Nail, Ebel worked for Frontline Records.[4]
Tooth & Nail's first album released was Wish for Eden's Pet the Fish.[5] In 2002, the label bought out Takehold Records.[6]
In 2013, Brandon Ebel sold the Tooth & Nail music catalog to Capitol Christian Music Group (formerly EMI Christian Music Group) and bought back the 50% stake in Tooth & Nail formerly owned by EMI, making it an independent record label.It retained rights to all future releases with a new distributor, RED Distribution.[8]
Overview
Eight Tooth & Nail-affiliated albums have been RIAA-certified as gold for sales of 500,000 or more copies.The label had one of its greatest successes when Underoath's Define the Great Line debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in 2006.[9]
NPR described the label as having "altered the course of the Christian rock industry by launching and legitimizing the careers of MxPx, The O.C. Supertones and Underoath."[10]
RIAA gold certifications
Nominations and awards
Structure
Tooth & Nail has multiple current and former imprints:
Solid State Records distributes metal and hardcore albums[4][14] While it is primarily a Christian label, it has signed several bands with Christian members which don't label themselves as Christian bands, including Stretch Arm Strong,[15]Gwen Stacy,[16]He Is Legend,[17]the Famine,[18]Training for Utopia,[19] and the Agony Scene.
BEC (Brandon Ebel Company) Recordings, a Christian rockrecord label that was formed in 1997 in partnership with EMI Christian Music Group.
Plastiq Musiq (founded by Ronnie Martin of Joy Electric) primarily signed electronic music artists. Their collaboration with Tooth & Nail ended in 2001.[4]
