Anyway Records

Anyway Records is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Bela Koe-Krompecher in Columbus, Ohio. The label became closely associated with what has been described as a distinctly Columbus strain of indie rock, operating as both a release platform for local musicians and a wider outlet for independent American bands. During the 1990s, Anyway Records was regarded as one of Columbus's best-known and most prolific labels. Local coverage later characterized it as arguably the city's most influential independent label during the second half of that decade, while Entertainment Weekly referred to Koe-Krompecher as an indie-music stalwart. The label's catalogue has included artists connected with several strands of American underground and alternative rock, including Guided by Voices, the Ass Ponys, the New Bomb Turks, and Jenny Mae. Its broader roster has also included Appalachian Death Ride, Connections, Ghost Shirt, Kneeling In Piss, the Kyle Sowashes, the Lindsay, Mary Lynn, Moviola, St. Lenox, Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments, the Whiles, and Speaking Suns. This catalogue gives Anyway Records a regional identity while also reflecting the varied guitar-oriented, experimental, punk-influenced, and singer-songwriter traditions commonly associated with independent rock. Anyway's activity reportedly contracted in the early 2000s, with fewer releases than during its highly productive 1990s period. The label nevertheless continued issuing music from the late 2000s onward. Documented post-2007 releases include work by the Whiles, the Kyle Sowashes, Moviola, and the Lindsay. The Whiles' music provided one of the label's clearest points of wider cultural exposure: the song "Song for Jerry," from the album Colors of the Year, was used in the documentary Murderball. The Whiles' later album Sleepers Wake was praised by Columbus Alive as a masterpiece. The available reference material does not establish a corporate parent, public-company affiliation, financial scale, distribution partner, official current website, or a complete chronology of the label's releases. Anyway Records is best understood as a private, independent music label whose significance rests primarily on its role in developing and documenting Columbus's indie-rock community and on its long-running relationships with regional and underground artists.

Anyway Records was established in Columbus, Ohio, in 1991 by Bela Koe-Krompecher. From its beginnings, the label was tied to the city's independent music network and developed a catalogue centered on a locally recognizable form of indie rock. Rather than operating as a large mainstream music company, it functioned as a platform for independent artists and bands whose work circulated through regional scenes and specialist audiences. The label's most prominent period came during the 1990s. It was then considered Columbus's most visible and productive independent label, and local commentary described it as arguably the city's most influential indie imprint during the latter half of the decade. The label's reputation was reinforced by the range of musicians associated with its catalogue. Releases connected to Anyway included work by Guided by Voices, the Ass Ponys, the New Bomb Turks, and Jenny Mae, alongside artists more directly identified with Columbus's local scene. Koe-Krompecher's role also attracted national notice, with Entertainment Weekly describing him as an independent-music stalwart. During the early 2000s, Anyway Records reduced the volume of its output. The available account does not provide a precise explanation for this change or a complete list of releases from the period. The decline in activity did not amount to a documented disappearance, however. From 2007 onward, the label again issued records by artists including the Whiles, the Kyle Sowashes, Moviola, and the Lindsay. The Whiles became one of the label's notable later associations. Their album Colors of the Year included "Song for Jerry," which appeared in the documentary Murderball, giving the release exposure beyond the label's usual independent-rock audience. The band's album Sleepers Wake was subsequently described by Columbus Alive as a masterpiece. These releases illustrate Anyway's continuing role in presenting Columbus-linked music while allowing selected projects to reach wider cultural audiences. The label's documented artist listings have included Appalachian Death Ride, Connections, Ghost Shirt, Kneeling In Piss, the Kyle Sowashes, the Lindsay, Mary Lynn, Moviola, St. Lenox, Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments, the Whiles, and Speaking Suns. The available sources do not provide a complete discography, detailed distribution history, ownership structure, or a verified account of the label's current release schedule. Its historical identity is nevertheless clear: Anyway Records is a long-running, privately operated independent label with particular importance in the development and preservation of Columbus's indie-rock community.

1. 2007Later release activity resumes

   From 2007 onward, the label issued records by the Whiles, the Kyle Sowashes, Moviola, and the Lindsay.

   Source
2. 2000Reduced release activity

   The label's output declined in the early 2000s compared with its highly productive 1990s period.

   Source
3. 1991Label founded in Columbus

   Bela Koe-Krompecher established Anyway Records in Columbus, Ohio, creating an independent outlet associated with the city's emerging indie-rock culture.

   Source
4. 1990Rise during the Columbus indie-rock era

   During the 1990s, Anyway became one of Columbus's most prominent and prolific independent labels and was later described as especially influential during the second half of the decade.

   Source

A Columbus-rooted independent label focused on indie rock and associated underground music, with an emphasis on regional artist development and distinctive local music culture.

• Colors of the YearAlbum release

  An album by the Whiles released through Anyway Records. Its song "Song for Jerry" appeared in the documentary Murderball, providing one of the label's documented examples of a release receiving exposure outside the independent-rock circuit.

• Sleepers WakeAlbum release

  A later album by the Whiles associated with Anyway Records. Columbus Alive praised the record as a masterpiece, making it a notable critical reference point in the label's post-2000 catalogue.

• Anyway Records artist catalogueIndependent music catalogue1991

  The label's catalogue spans Columbus-linked and other independent artists, including Guided by Voices, the Ass Ponys, the New Bomb Turks, Jenny Mae, Moviola, the Whiles, the Kyle Sowashes, the Lindsay, and additional acts listed in the label's documented roster. The catalogue is primarily associated with indie rock and related underground styles.

1. Anyway Records