Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records

Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records is an American independent record label based in Athens, Georgia. It developed within the city’s unusually collaborative alternative-music culture and has released music spanning indie rock, indie pop, and hip-hop, with a substantial portion of its catalogue connected to artists associated with or influenced by the Elephant 6 Recording Company. Rather than operating primarily as a conventional genre label, it has been characterized by a broad, artist-oriented catalogue and by physical releases that emphasize individuality and handmade presentation. The label began with the compilation Happy Happy Birthday to Me Volume 1. It subsequently expanded into a 7-inch singles club, a format that enabled the label to present a succession of emerging and established independent artists while experimenting with packaging and presentation. Singles issued through the club included recordings by Of Montreal, Marshmallow Coast, the Essex Green, Great Lakes, and Masters of the Hemisphere. The series became notable for the distinctive character of its individual editions. Copies of an Essex Green release, for example, used different original photographs on their sleeves, while Marshmallow Coast editions featured artwork drawn by schoolchildren. These details positioned the label as a participant in the handmade and collectible side of independent music culture rather than merely a distributor of recordings. After its singles-club period, Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records expanded into full-length albums. The first full-length CD identified in the label’s history was Birddog’s A Sweet and Bitter Fancy. The label continued to issue 7-inch singles and compilations, while also producing T-shirts and a video-compilation DVD. A later singles club featured Bunnygrunt, Casper and the Cookies, and Andy from Denver, demonstrating the label’s continuing interest in short-run and artist-specific projects. The catalogue eventually grew to nearly 200 releases, alongside an even larger group of titles distributed by the label. Its output has not been limited to one scene or sound: although Athens indie pop and Elephant 6-related acts are central to its identity, the catalogue has broadened across several genres. The label’s significance therefore rests both on its releases and on its role in documenting a network of independent musicians connected to Athens and adjacent American underground scenes. Founder Mike Turner also established Athens Popfest, an annual festival that regularly presented artists from the label’s roster alongside Elephant 6 musicians, other Athens acts, and nationally recognized independent performers. The festival created a public performance context for the label’s community and helped connect local releases with wider audiences. Its lineups included artists such as Pylon, Of Montreal, Deerhoof, the Mountain Goats, Daniel Johnston, Ted Leo, Roky Erickson, Mission of Burma, Throwing Muses, Bob Mould, the Olivia Tremor Control, the Dead Milkmen, ESG, Superchunk, and Guided by Voices. The festival’s 2007 edition was especially associated with the emergence of Jacksonville band Black Kids after a widely discussed performance. Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records is best understood as a small, independent, catalogue-driven label whose identity combines Athens music-community ties, eclectic curation, physical-media experimentation, and event promotion. Publicly available reference material does not establish a precise founding year, corporate parent, current ownership structure, or official website.

Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records emerged in Athens, Georgia, as an independent music project initially organized around the compilation Happy Happy Birthday to Me Volume 1. Instead of beginning solely as an album-label operation, it developed through a sequence of formats that included compilations, a 7-inch singles club, and later full-length CDs. This progression allowed the label to combine curation with distinctive physical design and to support artists from Athens and related independent-music networks. The singles club included releases by Of Montreal, Marshmallow Coast, the Essex Green, Great Lakes, and Masters of the Hemisphere. Its editions were notable for their individualized presentation. An Essex Green single used a different original photograph on each copy’s sleeve, while Marshmallow Coast packaging incorporated drawings made by schoolchildren. Such projects reflected the label’s interest in limited physical objects and collaborative presentation, qualities associated with independent and underground record culture. The label later began issuing full-length CDs, with Birddog’s A Sweet and Bitter Fancy identified as its first such release. It continued to publish singles and compilations and expanded its activities into merchandise and video, including T-shirts and a video-compilation DVD. A subsequent singles club included Bunnygrunt, Casper and the Cookies, and Andy from Denver. Over time, the catalogue reached nearly 200 releases, with a still larger group of distributed titles. The label’s catalogue broadened beyond a narrow Athens indie-pop identity to include multiple genres, including indie rock, indie pop, and hip-hop. A central part of the label’s institutional identity came from its relationship with Athens Popfest, founded by label founder Mike Turner. The annual event brought together acts from the label, artists associated with Elephant 6, other Athens performers, and nationally known independent musicians. Documented editions included Pylon, Circulatory System, Of Montreal, Deerhoof, the Apples in Stereo, the Mountain Goats, Daniel Johnston, Ted Leo, Roky Erickson, Elf Power, the Music Tapes, Mission of Burma, the Wedding Present, Throwing Muses, Bob Mould, Oh-OK, the Olivia Tremor Control, Man or Astro-man?, the Dead Milkmen, Love Tractor, Ought, Shopping, ESG, Lætitia Sadier, Superchunk, the Mummies, Ex Hex, Dean Wareham, His Name Is Alive, and Guided by Voices. The 2007 festival was particularly notable for a performance by Jacksonville band Black Kids, which was followed by significant attention from blogs, interviewers, and international music magazines. Popfest returned in 2016 after a hiatus, with later editions continuing to present a mix of Athens-associated and internationally recognized independent acts. Through its recordings and festival activity, Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records has functioned as both a label and a connective platform within the broader Athens alternative-music ecosystem. The available reference material does not provide a precise founding year, a complete release chronology, current corporate ownership information, or a confirmed official website.

• Launch through a compilation

  [1]Happy Happy Birthday to Me Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The label began with the compilation Happy Happy Birthday to Me Volume 1, establishing a catalogue-centered independent-music project.

• Expansion into a 7-inch singles club

  [1]Happy Happy Birthday to Me Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The label broadened its activity through a singles club featuring Of Montreal, Marshmallow Coast, the Essex Green, Great Lakes, and Masters of the Hemisphere.

• First full-length CD

  [1]Happy Happy Birthday to Me Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Birddog's A Sweet and Bitter Fancy became the first full-length CD identified in the label's development.

• Catalogue diversification

  [1]Happy Happy Birthday to Me Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The label continued with singles, compilations, merchandise, and video releases while extending its catalogue across several genres.

• Catalogue reaches nearly 200 releases

  [1]Happy Happy Birthday to Me Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The label's catalogue grew to nearly 200 releases, in addition to a larger set of titles it distributed.

An Athens-based independent label emphasizing eclectic alternative music, artist-centered physical releases, handmade or individualized packaging, and participation in the wider Elephant 6 and Athens underground-music community.

• Compilation album

  Happy Happy Birthday to Me Volume 1

  The compilation that served as the label's starting point. It established the label's role as a curator of independent music before the catalogue expanded into singles, full-length albums, and other formats.

• Vinyl singles series

  7-inch singles clubs

  A recurring short-format release program featuring artists including Of Montreal, Marshmallow Coast, the Essex Green, Great Lakes, Masters of the Hemisphere, Bunnygrunt, Casper and the Cookies, and Andy from Denver. The series was distinguished by individualized sleeves and handmade visual elements.

• Full-length album

  Birddog — A Sweet and Bitter Fancy

  The first full-length CD identified in the label's history. Its release marked the label's move beyond compilations and singles into album-length artist projects.

• Compilation and video media

  Compilations and video releases

  Alongside individual artist releases, the label issued additional tape and CD compilations and a video-compilation DVD, extending its documentation of independent artists beyond standard album formats.

• Merchandise

  Label merchandise

  The label also produced T-shirts and related merchandise, reinforcing its identity as a small independent music imprint with a direct relationship to its audience.

• 2018Athens Popfest

  United States

  The 2018 festival featured the Mummies, Man or Astro-man?, Ex Hex, Dean Wareham, His Name Is Alive, and Guided by Voices.

  Source
• 2017Athens Popfest

  United States

  The festival's 2017 edition was headlined by the Apples in Stereo, ESG, Lætitia Sadier, and Superchunk.

  Source
• 2016Athens Popfest return

  United States

  After an interval, Athens Popfest returned with a lineup including Deerhoof, Love Tractor, Ought, Shopping, and Elf Power.

  Source
• 2007Athens Popfest

  United States

  Founder Mike Turner's Athens Popfest presented label artists, Elephant 6-associated acts, Athens musicians, and national independent performers. The 2007 edition included Daniel Johnston, Ted Leo, and Black Kids.

  Outcome. Black Kids' appearance was followed by substantial blog, interview, and international magazine attention.

  Source

1. 1Happy Happy Birthday to Me Recordsen.wikipedia.org