road construction makes up 80 % of the group 's activities .

additional related activities include road signage , construction , various civil engineering activities including pipe-laying , and rail track construction and maintenance .

colas ltd is a uk subsidiary .

colas group

a colas spokeswoman declined to say how much the group had paid for spie rail .
colas canada is a subsidiary of the colas group of companies , a world leader in road construction . colas canada has over 8 , 500 employees nationwide .
colas has a new end - to - end offer for large - scale infrastructure projects , powered by the international colas group .
roads account for 80 % of the group’s total business activity . in 2014 , colas produced :
colas group is a major french civil engineering firm specialising in road construction and rail track construction through its colas rail subsidiary . since the 1990s , the group has incorporated the screg and sacer road construction firms .
given its association with the colas group , colas canada inc . has a wealth of expertise and knowledge to share with all levels of government . we can bring to the table sustainable solutions based on applied research and group learning from around the world .
the public exchange offer for colas shares in 2000 gave bouygues over 96 % of the group ' s share capital and voting rights .
the expertise of the colas group extends throughout numerous subsidiaries and affiliated companies , each of which offers its own specialties . these include :
enabling the group to offer a full range of products and services to all its customers .
for many years now , the colas group has shown its strong commitment to improving road safety . for the third time in a row , the group has just renewed its road safety charter agreement with a government - backed organization .
n 1985 , bouygues became colas ' main shareholder when it acquired the screg group and had built up a 59 % stake by 1995 .
the colas group is present in all lines of business related to the construction and maintenance of roads and other forms of transport infrastructure . . .
we’re part of the international colas group , whose world - class research and development facilities give clients access to innovative new products , processes and ideas .
the colas group operates in every road - related industry , from transport infrastructure to the wide range of activities linked to the transformation and use of bitumen .
this project is a further demonstration of colas’s capability to undertake logistically challenging projects and growing reputation in the airfield sector and makes great use of the resources and synergies that exist within the international colas group , says carl fergusson , business manager for colas’s airfield division .
the arrival of screg in 1996 has enabled the group to form the world’s leader in the road industry .
in the field , the group’s commitment is reflected in a very strong - willed prevention and emulation program .
our close association with the colas group gives us access to a world of expertise and resources that we make available to our customers through our various local business units .
on april 2 , 2009 , mr . hervé le bouc , chairman and ceo of the colas group , presented the 2008 colas group france inter - subsidiary road safety challenge trophy to mr . pascal maridet , president of screg nord - picardie , in the presence of the french inter - ministerial delegate for road safety , michèle merli .
during the 1990s , the company became a colas group subsidiary , and the screg routes road construction company became the screg subsidiary . [ 2 ] [ 14 ] in 2006 , screg belgium was renamed colas belgium . [ 15 ]
since the company was founded in 1929 , colas has continued to expand in france and around the world . the group now operates in more than 50 countries on five continents .
a further feature of the project will see colas ltd utilising a 350 tonnes per hour mobile asphalt plant supplied and operated by another colas group subsidiary screg grands travaux which will be transported by boat from st . malo , france together with other specialist plant and equipment .
) , said on wednesday it would buy the railway business of civil engineering firm spie , controlled by private equity group pai partners .
in 1993 , the group reinforces its market positions through the acquisition of several companies : sacer and its subsidiaries , along with spac .
the acquisition of smac in 1999 and seco - rail have led the group to diversity into the fields of waterproofing and railroad works .
in 2017 , colas ' consolidated revenue totaled 11 . 7 billion euros , with international markets accounting for 48 % of this figure . the group ' s share of net profit was 328 million euros .
in 1969 , the raveau - cartier investment group ( also a colas stakeholder ) took control of sacer . in 1992 , it became a colas subsidiary , and in 2002 the sacer holding company merged with colas and three regional subsidiaries were formed : sacer atlantique , sacer paris - nord - est and sacer sud - est . [ 13 ]
roads make up 80 % of the group’s activity . this sector includes the construction of roads , highways , airports , automobile race tracks , etc . along with major industrial activities . in 2009 , colas produced :
“as a leading canadian road construction group of companies , our goal is to set the pace in our industry and to be a model of excellence” .
since 1994 , colas has tightened its international network in europe , north america and asia , namely by acquiring the colas companies that had remained under the control of royal dutch shell and the other colas trademarks around the world . today , colas is pursuing its development strategy with external growth in its core business sector .
barrett industries is a subsidiary of colas usa , the leader in transportation , construction , and maintenance . the colas group operates in every road - related industry , from transport infrastructure to the wide range of activities linked to the transformation and use of bitumen . backed by more than 65 , 000 employees in 1 , 400 locations , colas works on every continent , in more than 40 countries .
the colas group operates in every aspect of construction and maintenance for roads and for other types of transport infrastructure as well as on projects involving urban development and recreational facilities . the group boasts two operational segments : roads , its core business ( including civil engineering and building activities ) , and specialized activities that are complementary to its roads sector ( railways , waterproofing , road safety and signaling , and pipelines ) .
through our seven subsidiaries operating throughout the continental us and alaska , colas usa maintains its operations as a vertically integrated materials and road construction company . while anchored by traditional delivery methods , the group is extending their expertise into the continually developing alternate delivery market .
the colas group operates in every aspect of construction and maintenance for roads and other types of transportation infrastructure , as well as projects involving urban development and recreational facilities . it boasts two operational segments : roads , its core business , and specialized activities that are complementary to its roads sector . backed by a workforce of 60 , 000 people , the colas group undertakes more than 100 , 000 projects every year via a network of 800 construction business units and 2 , 000 material production sites in some fifty countries worldwide .
our company dates back to 1922 . back then we were innovators , creating new and improved products for all our projects . after we joined the international colas group , these strengths were built on by giving us access to a global community of innovators and experts .
in 1929 , royal dutch shell bought a stake that led to the creation of a subsidiary called
société routière colas
. the next few decades bear witness to the strength of a diversified , balanced group that has made global development one of its main assets .
backed by its 1400 profit centers , colas works on every continent in over 40 countries .
colas employ more than 71 , 300 employees , half of whom work outside of france .
at the same time , colas celebrates its first project in asia with the jakarta airport site .
the colas group operates in all lines of business related to the construction and maintenance of roads and other forms of transport infrastructure ( air , rail , maritime ) , urban development and recreational facilities , through two operating units : roads , ( including civil engineering and building ) . . .
in 1970 , colas cofounded cofiroute * , which operates a highway concession in north - western france .
sintra inc . , a colas subsidiary in quebec , has acquired assets from la compagnie meloche inc .
colas said spie rail should generate sales in 2007 of around 310 million euros , excluding sales generated by the firm’s 50 percent stake in europeenne de travaux ferroviaires , which french regulators have asked colas to sell .
colas canada manufactures and provides various aggregate , emulsion , binders and asphalt and concrete mixes to the marketplace .
road construction makes up 80 % of the group ' s activities . additional related activities include road signage , construction , various civil engineering activities including pipe - laying , and rail track construction and maintenance . [ 1 ]
founded by francis bouygues in 1952 , bouygues is a diversified industrial group with a strong corporate culture . its businesses focus on three sectors : construction , with bouygues construction ( building , civil works , energy and services ) , bouygues immobilier ( property ) and colas ( roads ) , telecoms with bouygues telecom and media with tf1 .
colas ' development strategy is based on a vision : collective global expertise serving a strong brand and profitable growth .
in 1959 , colas expanded its road business to include road safety and signaling by acquiring somaro , currently aximum . by the early 1960s , colas had an extensive network of sites in western africa and had established a presence in canada by acquiring a quebec - based company in 1962 that eventually became sintra , and subsequently in the united states by acquiring assets in 1979 that led to the creation of the group ' s first us subsidiary , barrett paving materials .
during the exhibition for french mayors and local authorities held at the paris parc des expositions from november 17 to 19 , 2009 , the group will present its most innovative products , processes and road equipment in the field of responsible development .
1980s - 2000s : the group’s network of french road companies is consolidated , international development is accelerated ( indian ocean , north america , europe , asia and oceania ) , business is expanded to include other activities , vertical integration is reinforced .
colas australia as a group has continued to expand throughout australia through acquisitions as well as organic growth . today , our decentralised network of local companies allows us to provide our products and services anywhere in australia . the group consists of three core activities bitumen import and sales , manufacturing and sales of binders and emulsions and road maintenance work . supported by over 300 employees , 15 work sites in 4 states all working closely with customers to provide them with more options and better solutions by developing and improving products and construction services based on recycling of material , improving of energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions .
colas is a world leader in transport infrastructure construction and maintenance , meeting the challenges of mobility , urbanisation and the environment .
in parallel , the group also expanded into civil engineering and building in and around paris and in the indian ocean ( following the acquisition of gte ) , networks ( with the acquisition of spac in 1993 ) , waterproofing ( smac in 1999 ) and railways ( seco - rail in 2000 and spie rail in 2007 to form the railway specialist colas rail in 2008 ) .
colas in 2006 - remarkable growth in business activity ( + 12 . 3 % ) and net profit ( + 29 % )
colas offers a wide range of market - leading services to support the sustainable development and maintenance of . . . find out more
in 1970 , colas took its first foothold in north america with the purchase of canadian - based sintra . at the beginning of the 1980s , the acquisition of grand travaux de l’est is the starting point for colas’ diversification into the fields of civil engineering and building .
colas canada provides various services that bring the most innovative and efficient solutions to the marketplace . we proudly provide road construction related services .
colas in 2007 strong growth in business activity ( + 8 . 9 % ) and net profit ( + 19 . 7 % )
starting in the 1980s , colas’ network of road companies in mainland france grew rapidly through the acquisition of various small and medium - sized regional companies as well as sacer in 1992 and screg’s road subsidiaries in 1996 , thus making colas a leader in the global road industry .
in 2008 , screg nord - picardie posted the best results and progress figures in the group’s french companies – the frequency rate for car accidents went from 0 . 242 in 1997 to 0 . 059 in 2008 , i . e . , a 75 % drop .
1922 : invention of the first bitumen emulsion designed specifically for road surfacing – called cold asphalt – that gave colas its name in 1929 .
for colas , sustainability is about taking decisions that recognise the interests and concerns of everyone . it ' s . . . find out more
the product name colas was given in 1924 , derived from the terms ' cold ' and ' asphalt ' . [ 2 ] [ 3 ]
colas is an ambitious , award - winning business , delivering sustainable solutions for the design , building and maintenance of . . . find out more
alongside these developments , colas pursued the vertical integration of its businesses by acquiring a great number of quarries and gravel pits in the regions where it operates .
colas said the acquisition would boost its existing railway business , seco - rail , which was also likely to generate sales of over 200 million euros in 2007 .
colas’ other services complement its core business , road construction . they include waterproofing , railways , sales of refined products , road safety and signaling , and pipelines .
the surfacing element of the project which commences in october will require colas to manufacture up to 40 , 000 tonnes of asphalt on site including french bba materials .
roads , colas’ core business , spans the construction and maintenance of roads and motorways , airport runways , ports , industrial logistics and commercial hubs , urban roads and amenities , reserved - lane public transport ( bus lanes and tramways ) , leisure areas and environmental amenities . the roads division includes colas’ civil engineering and building businesses .
the colas usa family of companies is always looking for entrepreneurial , talented people . if you are looking for a career with a company that values its employees and puts safety and ethics first , then colas usa is for you . take the opportunity to look inside at the many opportunities we have around the united states just waiting for you .
colas completes more than 80 , 000 projects a year , of very different sizes . drawing on a wide range of skills and extensive technical , legal and financial expertise , colas offers a comprehensive array of services especially suited to complex contracts ( ppps , concessions and long - term contracts ) . colas generated sales of €11 . 7 billion in 2017 , including 48 % on international markets ( 22 % in north america , 17 % in europe excluding france and 9 % in the rest of the world ) .
since our early beginnings in 1964 , colas canada developed a strong network of operating companies providing solutions and construction excellence in the areas of preservation , maintenance and upgrade of the canadian infrastructure network .
during the 1930s , the company started road construction , and became the société chimique & routière de la gironde ( scrg ) in 1936 . in the next three decades , the company diversified into related business areas , including civil engineering and construction , and in 1964 was renamed société chimique routière & d ' entreprise générale ( screg ) . [ 14 ] in 1979 , the screg routes et travaux publics subsidiary was spun off , and during the 1980s sacer and colas became part of the same holding group as screg . screg belgium was founded in 1989 . [ 14 ]
colas operates in more than 50 countries around the world through a decentralised network of 800 profit centres and 2 , 000 units producing and recycling construction materials such as aggregates , asphalt mixes and binders .
asphalt emulsion was named colas ( col d as phalt ) , and quickly gained wide popularity , as it met the growing needs of the market in the area of maintenance and construction of roads .
colas also has four specialised activities : railways ( construction and maintenance of rail networks ) , waterproofing ( waterproofing membranes , the roofing and cladding of buildings ) , r oad safety and signalling ( road safety equipment , road markings and signs , etc . ) , and networks ( laying and maintenance of pipes and pipelines ) . upstream , colas produces and recycles construction materials for most of its lines of business .
colas is an award - winning business , delivering sustainable solutions for the uk’s transport infrastructure . we invest , design , construct , maintain and operate a wide variety of projects for the public and private sector clients .
the
cold asphalt
patent was contracted to give way to the name
colas
and is used for the first time in france by sge in 1924 . the process goes on to enjoy rapid development .
colas canada , though its vast network both at home and abroad , has access to highly experienced and skilled personnel and state - of - art know - how in nearly every field of road construction , rehabilitation and maintenance .
colas has been a constant innovator since its creation in 1929 . its research and development policy focuses on sustainable development in areas such as recycling , energy - saving cold techniques , eco - designed products and vehicle detection sensors . in 2015 , colas launched a major ground - breaking innovation , the wattway solar road , the world’s first photovoltaic road surface suitable for all types of vehicle . the first trial applications of this technology were launched in 2016 .
the uk ' s transport infrastructure has a major impact on everybody’s lives . it affects individuals , businesses and communities . at colas , we’re always looking for people who want to be part of the future we’re building for the uk .
for more than 70 years , the history of colas and the history of roads have followed the same path . at the beginning of the 1920s , two english chemists - hugh alan mackay and george samuel hay - discover the first bitumen emulsion .
the colas internet site uses cookies . by using the site , you accept that cookies will placed on your terminal ( computer , cell phone , tablet ) , according to the choices you make , which may be modifies at any time . learn more
société routière colas was founded in france in 1929 by shell and société générale d ' entreprises ( sge ) to operate the
cold asphalt
bitumen emulsion patent . the company originally specialized in the production of bitumen emulsion in addition to road works .
colas have been awarded a major contract to resurface the runway at jersey airport in the channel islands . the works which will involve re - profiling , resurfacing and strengthening of the runway and a number of taxiways can only be carried out at night during night time restricted possessions . colas have been appointed as part of the fitzpatrick team for the runway project and bring extensive experience having previously worked on the runway at jersey , providing the surfacing for the rapid exit taxiway built as part of the alpha taxiway project in 2000 .
backed by a workforce of 55 , 000 people , nearly half of whom work outside of mainland france , colas undertakes about 80 , 000 projects every year via a network of 800 construction units and 2 , 000 material production sites in some fifty countries worldwide on five continents .
in addition to the utilisation of local aggregate resources , colas will have to overcome the logistical challenges associated with the further importation of special aggregates from france and bitumen from the uk to meet the demands of the surfacing element of the project which is scheduled for completion in december 2008 .
. . sintra inc . . result of a 1974 merger of two long - established companies ( fabi & fils of sherbrooke and modern paving of notre - dame - du - bon - conseil , near drummondville ) . . sintra . . was the first north american company bought by colas
asia , by participating in a joint venture to build the jakarta airport , in 1981 . this was followed in 1993 by the construction of an emulsion plant in association with tipco , a listed thai company in which colas acquired a 17 % equity stake in 2000 ( now 32 % ) ;
fed by local demand , sge developed production facilities in france in the 1920s , and also exported the colas product to french north african possessions , poland , and romania . by the end of the 1920s , demand was such that sge sought the partnership of anglo - dutch oil company shell , and the société routière colas company was founded , with two shell subsidiaries taking two thirds of the stock and sge the remaining third . despite its creation during the great depression , the company was successful . it developed new bitumen emulsion - derived products and diversified into a wide range of road construction services during the 1930s . [ 2 ]
in the 1960s , the colas company acquired fabi & fils ( founded 1927 [ 4 ] ) and modern paving ( founded 1939 [ 4 ] ) . [ 2 ] [ 5 ] the two companies merged in 1974 , forming sintra ( derived from société d ' investissement et de travaux ) [ 4 ] [ 6 ]
over the years , colas has thus paved the way to a solid profile by broadening its lines of business ( via specialized activities and vertical integration ) , by steadily strengthening its foothold in local markets , and by expanding its global network . it has grown both organically and through acquisitions that have been carried out on a regular basis with highly successful integration .
the construction and maintenance of roads , highways , runways , ports , industrial platforms , logistics hubs , reserved - lane public transport ( tramways and bus lanes ) , recreational facilities , bike paths , motor racing circuits and environmental projects . colas also provides civil engineering services ( small and large structures ) and operates in the building sector ( construction , rehabilitation , demolition / deconstruction ) in certain regions ;
in 2018 , colas continues to innovate with a new dynamic road - marking solution . flowell technology can be used to resolve local mobility challenges by organising the shared space of roads and city streets thanks to a system based on the dynamic control of light - emitting signalling . for example parking spaces reserved in the daytime for deliveries can be turned into car parking spaces at night . the solution can also be used to secure pedestrian crossings by enhancing their visibility and that of pedestrians with light - emitting markings . instead of just places of transit , roads becomes places for sharing .
vegecol is the first bitumen - free plant - based binder used for surfacing .
guys of the construction save the challenge of the coast to rivière - du - loup . . . . »
challenge antoine - manseau triathlon and duathlon joliette presented by sintra in june 4th , 2017 . . . »
in the 1930s , it established operations in northern and western africa and the french caribbean .
upstream activities involving the production and recycling of construction materials ( aggregates , emulsions and binders , asphalt mixes , ready - mix concrete , bitumen ) through its extensive international network of quarries , emulsion plants , asphalt plants , concrete plants and a bitumen production plant .
strengthening and expanding the network of permanent units around the world , mainly through external growth , to establish and develop local leader positions and benefit from geographical diversification to help share risks .
discover a condensed , animated version of the information included in the annual report 2017 .
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in the construction and maintenance of road , air , rail and maritime transport infrastructure , urban development projects and recreational facilities . backed by
of roads , highways , airport runways , port , industrial and logistics infrastructure , bus and tramways , urban transport and recreational facilities , bicycle paths , and more .
( aggregates , emulsions , binders , asphalt mixes and ready - to - use concrete ) via an extensive international network of quarries and emulsion , asphalt and concrete plants ; manufacture and sale of bitumen .
sustainability and innovation are at the heart of everything we do . as technology and techniques evolve , our solutions do too .
we provide the complete service , from investment and design right through to project delivery and aftercare . at every step , we have experts with the capability and skill to turn the vision into reality . our people all share our passion to deliver excellence in everything we do .
over the years we’ve always kept our values : embrace people diversity and talent , work responsibly , encourage long - term visionary approach , develop innovative solutions , be passionate about everything that we do .
our values are behind everything we do and everything we stand for . they describe the qualities that have made us the company we are today and will continue to help us to become the company we want to be . we have five values that describe our company and our people .
over the years we have won many prestigious awards . these span more than just quality roads and airports – they cover all areas of our business , such as innovation people management , safety and investment .
your browser doesn ' t support html5 video . here is a link to the video instead .
the uk infrastructure of tomorrow will be driven by innovation and ability to deliver value . it needs to be sustainable , smart , and practical to build and maintain . the unlocking tomorrow offer brings together everything needed to deliver on this vision ; from finance , to in - house r & d ; scientists and design , to world - class management .
looking after today is our core offer . contracting extends across highway , aviation and defense infrastructure sectors . we provide bespoke , innovative and intelligent solutions across the uk . industrial products include bituminous , coated stone , and quarry products .
sustainability is at the heart of who we are . it’s a fundamental aspect of our corporate culture ; from the ceo and board through to every employee . our objective is to manage risk , reduce costs and meet our stakeholders’ demands , while protecting the environment and providing a safe place to work .
our vision is to deliver sustainable growth through intelligent , innovative infrastructure solutions , excellent service and inspiring , passionate people . we get there by combining local expert knowledge with global resources . we constantly review and improve everything we do .
every part of our strategic business approach is designed to deliver what the customer wants . our responsibility is to add value at all points , and to go above and beyond expectations . we use our experience and expertise to deliver solutions that represent real value in the short and long term .
@ colasltd recruiting : senior estimator - birmingham / portsmouth locations and performance manager - crawley / warrington locations . # workatcolas apply here :
# tbt # uk in 2016 , @ colasltd has rehabilitated the east midlands airport runwayds . discover the projects whole story .
the safety of our employees and the public is part of our culture and our # 1 value .
roads currently make up approximately 80 % of our activity . this sector includes constructing roads , highways , airports and race tracks , as well as other major industrial activities . on average , we produce 100 + million tons of aggregates , 50 million tons of asphalt mix , and 1 . 5 million tons of emulsions and binders each year .
products & services | our companies | about barrett | environmental responsibility | safety | careers | contact | interactive map © barrett industries corporation . all rights reserved . powered by nessit .
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at the heart of the canadian economic and social life , we are committed to developing and improving products and construction techniques based on recycling of material , improving of energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions .
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branscome is one of the largest heavy highway and general contracting companies in the mid - atlantic region . we offer our clients a full range of heavy construction services - from excavation and site work , to underground utilities , asphalt paving , ready - mix concrete , and materials supply .
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television . in september 2016 , tmc on channel 10 zapped its past with a move up to a more premium positioning , a fresh image , and original programmes . . . .
personalised , adaptable , connected . these were the qualities bouygues immobilier focused on when it set about creating a new kind of home to match its . . .
its 55 , 000 employees , 40 % of them outside france , share a common corporate culture and values based on entrepreneurship , creativity and responsibility .
with wattway , roads are no longer just a way of getting from a to b but also become local sources of clean and renewable energy . in phase with the global objective of energy transition , this revolutionary technology paves the way for the future through communicating , positive - energy roads .
among the road safety products presented , some allow for a better tire / road grip and improved skid - resistance , such as rugosoft ® and microgrip ® ; others , such as colclair ® and colorasphalt ® , make roads easier to read .
to preserve the environment , in particular by saving resources and energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions , a number of products and techniques have been developed : in - place recycling with novacol ® , recycold ® , valorbase ® ; warm mixes with 3e ® , 3e + r ® ( combined with recycled materials ) , ecoflex / ecolastic , ecofalt ® ; plant - based mixes ( vegecol ® , compogreen ® , naturalith ® ) .
aximum will present its latest cutting - edge innovations in road equipment : elise ® , a self - propelled road marking machine , ecogyro ® , a led low - energy rotating light , and captor ® , an automated red light running detector .
the french minister of the environment , energy and the sea , ms . ségolène royal , visits a 1 - kilometer wattway solar road pilot project
production and sales of refined products activity in france is halted . srd ( société de la raffinerie de dunkerque ) is offered for sale .
revenue at the end of september 2009 : € 8 . 7 b ( - 9 . 7 % )
in may 1922 , chemist hugh alan mckay developed a revolutionary process of asphalt emulsion production that was basically the first usable emulsion for road construction .
the asphalt cold mix ltd company was established , successfully using this process for road construction . in july 1924 , the license for the process was acquired by société générale d’entreprise .
thanks to the long tradition in the production of bitumen emulsion we are at the forefront of manufactures . . .
during the second world war , the company , majority - owned by a dutch firm , was treated as an enemy possession . after the war , the company recovered and became the leading road construction company in france . it expanded into french north africa , creating full subsidiary operations in algeria and morocco by 1950 . the société parisienne raveau - cartier acquired most of shell ' s shares in the company in 1958 . [ 2 ]
in the decades following world war ii , the company established a strong position in the french market through collaboration with the government transportation ministry . it continued to operate in former colonies in africa and elsewhere , and began to expand via native subsidiaries in other european countries . it also expanded through acquisitions in france , [ note 1 ] belgium ( arboroute ) , canada , [ note 2 ] and established a u . s . presence in vermont . [ 2 ]
the origins of the sacer company date back to the 19th century and the anciens etablissements brun company , formed through the merger of companies owned by gaëtan brun ( son of pierre - jean - félix brun [ note 5 ] ) and alphonse brun ; the newly created company took steam tractors used to transport agricultural produce and put them into road construction service in between farming seasons . the first road - rolling contract was awarded in 1874 . [ 10 ] a new automated product , bitulithe , [ note 6 ] was developed in 1911 . [ 10 ]
in 1920 , the road - rolling entities were spun off into a separate company , société anonyme pour la construction et l ' entretien des routes ( sacer ) . [ 9 ] [ 12 ] in the following two decades , the company expanded throughout france and into algeria and morocco . [ 13 ]
in 1910 in blaye , near bordeaux , france , the jf humarau & cie . chemical company ( founded in 1898 by jean - ferdinand and louis humarau ) set up a tar distillation factory . in 1917 , it became the société chimique de la gironde ( scg ) , known as
la gironde
. from 1924 , the company began to specialise in road construction products , producing bitumen emulsions by 1926 , and operating over ten production plants by 1928 . [ 14 ]
acquisitions included compagnie lyonnaise des goudrons de bitumes , france - route , routes modernes , maison devaux and compagnie métropolitaine de asphaltes . [ 2 ]
pierre - jean - félix brun , farmer and landowner of claix , near grenoble , france , sold his land and entered business with his son gaëtan , establishing companies in road transport and road - rolling , flour , grain and feed , and farm machinery rental . in 1883 , he built a biscuit factory producing pain de guerre ( biscuits with a long shelf life ) with which the brun name would become synonymous . [ 9 ] see also ( brun ( company ) french )
bitulithe : a tarmacadam - or asphalt concrete - like product , manufactured in situ by a portable machine . [ 11 ]
( in french ) , vol . 1 no . 1 , p . 80 , spring 2010 – via urltoken
blind tasting the peppers ( dr pepper , pibb xtra , dr thunder , dr . perky ) ( soda tasting # 15 )
knowledge management platform . it allows users to manage learning and research . visit defaultlogic ' s other partner sites below :
each year , the french trophy is awarded to the subsidiary with the best road safety performance .
as a leading manufacturer of bituminous products we are at the forefront of surfacing developments , offering . . . find out more
we develop pioneering product and service solutions for our customers . our approach to innovation is backed . . . find out more
we continue to place the customer at the centre of everything we do as we develop . . . find out more
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infinity cat recordings is an independent record label founded in 2002 and based in nashville , tennessee .

the label has released recordings from artists including jeff the brotherhood , diarrhea planet , be your own pet , ed schrader 's music beat , and daddy issues .

in 2011 , the label was highlighted by british publication the guardian , which wrote " forget the grand ole opry ; there are more thrilling new bands in east nashville than anywhere else on earth [ and ] so many of their records have been released on the same label , infinity cat . "

in 2011 , billboard magazine listed infinity cat among the 50 best indie labels in america .

infinity cat recordings

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the “cathouse , ” the office for infinity cat recordings in nashville , tennessee . photo by chona kasinger .
left & right is an indie rock band from virginia now residing in philadelphia , pa . they ' re signed to infinity cat recordings .
byop formed in 2003 in the basement of the orrall home , which doubles as a home studio / rehearsal space for indie label infinity cat recordings .
jeff the brotherhood and infinity cat ink deal with warner bros . [ updated ]
lately , jake has been thinking about how to make infinity cat smarter and more efficient .
a rack of tapes at the infinity cat offices in nashville , tennessee . photo by chona kasinger .
update : see an official statement from infinity cat ' s robert orrall at the bottom of this post .
natural child is a garage / punk / pop band from nashville , tn on the infinity cat label . urltoken
the new single from nectar ! debut album knocking at the door out 4 / 20 on infinity cat recordings ( us ) and 2670records ( japan ) ! preorder : http : / / infinitycatrecording . . . . . . show less
cassettes were nearly extinct a decade ago , but now suddenly they ' re playing in every diy kid ' s beat - up old car . what ' s going on ? nashville ' s infinity cat recordings provides a fascinating case study .
the infinity cat visitors center & gallery presents
drawings of things like naked girls , and naked guys with penises , and . . .
infinity cat operates a
visitors ' center
retail store at their headquarters . the visitors ' center was opened as “a response to requests from fans who have wanted to stop by when they ' re in nashville , ” and sells recordings , merchandise , and label - related rareties .
jeff’s forthcoming we are the champions lp — set for release june 21 — will still come out exclusively on infinity cat , but with distribution via ada , while a follow - up lp ( tentatively slated for next year ) will come out on infinity cat , but under the warner / ilg umbrella .
dine alone records is excited to announce a newly inked worldwide partnership with nashville - based infinity cat recordings . the new association will kick - off with the release of jeff the brotherhood’s new album wasted on the dream being released worldwide on march 24 . listed # 10 in billboard magazine’s “business biz : 50 best indie labels in america” , infinity cat’s back catalog includes jeff the brotherhood , diarrhea planet , and be your own pet , among others .
music videos + album release show from ed schrader ' s music beat , the newest member of the infinity cat family . new album coming spring 2014 !
that ' s part of the idea with the warner deal ,
band manager holland nix explains ,
to bring attention to the label .
( nix also owns a partial stake in infinity cat . ) under the agreement , infinity cat retains all rights to the band ' s back catalog , which jake calls
pure profit .
and the partnership with warner doesn ' t change the label ' s basic structure — infinity cat remains purely independent .
infinity cat operates a
visitors ' center
retail store at their headquarters . the visitors ' center was opened as
a response to requests from fans who have wanted to stop by when they ' re in nashville ,
and sells recordings , merchandise , and label - related rareties . [ 13 ]
as a case study , infinity cat’s cassette business is an excellent example of managing risk . in comparison to cds and vinyl , cassettes are absurdly cheap to produce , even when farmed out to professionals . for its cassette series , infinity cat prints about 300 copies of each tape , with a new release every two months . each release sells for $ 6 , and each new tape is always from a different artist , often either unsigned or from another label . the label is part imprint , part a & r department — bands have springboarded from an infinity cat cassette to sign deals with other labels , or even signed with infinity cat proper to release full length lps . much of the grunt work is done by label manager ale delgado , as is the case for all things infinity cat . but the cassette series is really casey weissbuch’s baby .
a highly sought - after band on its roster inking a deal in the record - label big leagues and seemingly poised to become stars ? infinity cat has been here before .
jeff the brotherhood , a psychedelic rock duo based out of nashville , has released so many albums in past decade - and - a - half that it is hard to keep count . the band , made up of brothers jake and jamin orrall , also run a record label together called infinity cat recordings , signing friends like daddy issues and diarrhea planet .
independent label established in 2002 by jeff the brotherhood . in 2013 , a physical retail store ( the
infinity cat visitors center
) opened at 467 humphreys st , nashville , tn 27203 .
luck can be important . part of the reason infinity cat is one of the few labels that can directly upload tracks to itunes is that early on , bob and jamin crashed a party held to recruit labels for the new itunes store . the kitten - size infinity cat hadn ' t made the highly exclusive guest list , but bob feigned disbelief at the omission . standing nearby , jeff walker of aristomedia quickly caught on and played along with the ruse . feigning outrage , he called infinity cat
one of the most important labels in town
to the unwitting apple gatekeeper , who promptly waved the orralls in .
in other words , jeff is bringing on the major leagues , as stephen malkmus might say . they got signed , and infinity cat is , at least to an extent , a major - label imprint .
yesterday , jeff singer - guitarist jake orrall and infinity cat co - founder robert ellis orrall confirmed with the scene that the local punk torch - bearers have — in conjunction with their literal and figurative parent label — signed a deal with warner music group . the agreement will give the band global distribution through the conglomerate’s alternative distribution alliance ( aka the ada ) and infinity cat a place among wmg’s independent label group ( aka the ilg ) .
the band originally caught infinity cat ' s eye after tastemaker casey weissbuch offered the trio a spot on the cassette series he curates for the label , which has hosted releases from artists like rozwell kid , colleen green and guerrilla toss over its three - year history . days after submitting their tape in the summer of 2015 , the band signed to infinity cat as official artists , releasing a 7
split with louisville band white reaper later that year .
the tour is big because hypnotic nights is the first album to come out fully under the auspices of the warner label group — complete this time with an official press release from warner calling infinity cat a
family - owned , super cool , vinyl - centered record label . . . which has been a pillar of support for nashville bands .
and all the attendant album promotion includes the infinity cat logo , presenting the orralls with their best chance yet at reaching a much wider audience .
not far from the railroad tracks that run just beyond the nashville sounds ' guitar - shaped scoreboard , and a stone ' s throw from the infinity cat house , sits another notable , if unassuming , property : producer roger moutenot ' s studio .
ale delgado is infinity cat ' s social media coordinator — i . e . , the main tweeter and facebook updater — and de facto webmaster . a 21 - year - old belmont music business major originally from cincinnati , delgado decided she had to work at infinity cat after talking to a former intern who said he ' d spent an entire day spray - painting old cassettes .
that pretty much made the decision ,
she says . delgado also runs the milkshake truck moovers and shakers in the summer with fellow bruin hayden coleman .
on the night of july 20 , 2002 , infinity cat recordings sprung to life by selling 11 copies of an album that hadn ' t even been made . sure , their inaugural release had just been taped — live , for an audience of a few dozen at the long - since defunct guido ' s pizzeria . but the crude recording , made with a dat machine taped to a back wall , hadn ' t been mixed , burned onto cds or slipped into the photocopied sleeves that the band members would later hand - splatter with paint .
cool or not , the label landed on a 2010 billboard list of the top 50 indie labels in the country , alongside art school mainstays like matador , merge and jagjaguwar . jenn pelly , now a pitchfork staff writer based in new york , compiled that list .
infinity cat might not be fashionable ,
she says ,
but in my eyes they ' re pretty radical .
demurring on the whole notion of
cool ,
she says ,
infinity cat and the bands on that label are probably what make me want to visit nashville more than anything else .
when singer and guitarist jenna moynihan saw the phrase “daddy issues” scribbled on the bathroom wall of a now - defunct nashville diy venue , she mistakenly assumed it was the name of an all - girl punk outfit sure to become her next favorite band . upon realizing that no such band existed , moynihan and friends emily maxwell ( drums ) and jenna mitchell ( bass ) picked up their instruments , taught themselves how to play and started their own band . three years later , daddy issues released their full - length vinyl debut deep dream on 5 / 19 via infinity cat recordings .
these days , ballard is also the lead singer in art circus , one of bob ' s projects and a vehicle for his more whimsical pop songwriting . ( the art circus album apples and oranges is out on infinity cat ' s sister label , plastic 350 . ) and she designed the newest infinity cat t - shirt , now in its second printing . this is not a particularly hectic day , but it ' s busy enough that when local photographer emily quirk calls to see if there ' s any work she can do to pick up a few hours ' pay , bob gives the green light .
they understand the value of scarcity and diy ,
says jay millar , marketing director for united record pressing , whose back door is just a couple hundred feet from the infinity cat house . on any given day you might see him guiding a hand truck laden with boxes of freshly pressed records down the street .
a while back , the cream reported that infinity cat records had plans to open a retail shop in their headquarters at 467 humphreys , possibly by summer . that is still mostly true . robert ellis
bob cat
orrall tells the cream that what they ' re opening is
not a store ,
but rather a
visitors center .
and it will
never open .
what he means by that is there will be no regular open - to - the - public hours , or regular hours of any sort . starting april 27 , anyone who wants to come by is instructed to call the infinity cat hotline at 615 - 730 - 8417 to find out if someone ' s there to let you in . the goal is to
always be low - key ,
orrall says .
but running a relatively small operation lets jake be nimble . according to seth riddle , general manager of serpents and snakes records , the imprint owned by kings of leon ,
the key for small labels [ like infinity cat ] is they react really quickly . they get things done .
and that spontaneity is an asset .
cannomen have been added to freakin’ weekend playing saturday march 10th at the end with traditional fools , mikal cronin , heavy cream , and the men . if you are “wtf”ing about them not being on the live at glenn danzgi’s house 7″ – the recordings of their set that night came out entirely too muddy .
we were really inspired by asian man records at the beginning ,
jake says , referring to mike park ' s label out of monte sereno , calif . , as he reclines on a couch at the infinity cat house .
just this guy putting out tons of punk records out of his mom ' s basement .
who knows where infinity cat and the artists on its roster will be in another 10 years ,
pelly says ,
but regardless , they ' ve done a great job documenting a very specific scene that to my knowledge , wouldn ' t have been documented otherwise . that kind of work doesn ' t lose value .
like just about everyone else we’ve announced so far , cy and the boys have a brand new record dropping this year that’s going to blow your mind . it’ll be released via our favorite nashville label – infinity cat recordings – sometime this spring . in the last year , we’ve seen cy’s lineup change a little and we’ve definitely witnessed a lot of growth as they’ve been developing their own sound that’s distinguishably “way outsider” but also “punk as fuck . ” they’ll be featured on that special ndr treat that we hinted at so long ago in this giant post and we think they outshine everyone else on it . get your kicks… cy barkley is coming for you
audio cassettes have never been at the pinnacle of audio quality , but at a time when most full length lps have retail prices in the $ 20 range , picking up an old cassette player on ebay to play $ 6 tapes can seem quite appealing . major labels mostly focus on vinyl these days , but they will still print the occasional cassette , and thousands more are printed every year by dozens and dozens of independent labels in the united states alone . one of those labels , nashville’s infinity cat recordings , has incorporated the format into a business model that lies somewhere in between the majors printing cassettes as a novelty and the diy kids with beat - up old duplicators .
even with brand loyalty so fierce and so far afield , infinity cat isn ' t quite where jake wants it to be . over his shoulder , his father ' s eyes , decades younger , peer out from an oversized cardboard poster that sits behind the couch — a blown - up cover of contain yourself , bob ' s 1984 album for rca .
he has trouble defining
cool
—
listened to by art school students ,
he jokes at one point — but he ' s sure it has eluded infinity cat to this point , even as influential outlets from brooklyn vegan to vice dutifully announce every new jeff video , every new tracklist , every new
unveiled
piece of album art .
eventually it was on to xl recordings for the young rockers , and their faces on magazine covers , their names on music blogs and all the attendant pressure to play the major - label game . in the middle of it all , with everyone ' s star seemingly on the fast - track to fame , jamin quit the band .
be your own pet generated a massive amount of press following the release of their debut single
damn damn leash
on infinity cat . the single was produced by kings of leon producer angelo and infinity cat ' s robert ellis orrall , and mixed by modest mouse mix engineer jaquire king . the press included an interview in rolling stone , appearances at the glastonbury and reading / leeds festivals , as well as successful appearances at sxsw and slots supporting bands such as the kills . the band also appeared on the queen tribute album , killer queen : a tribute to queen , covering the classic
bicycle race
. the band released their eponymous album in the uk in march 2006 , and in the us in june 2006 .
if jake thinks about things like legacy , he doesn ' t talk about it . and he laughs when asked about the infinity cat logo :
that ' s just something i used to draw on all my notebooks at school . my teacher said , ' that drawing will make you a million dollars someday , '
he recalls , unable to contain his amusement at the very thought .
selling records is sometimes referred to as
moving units .
but in this case there were no units . and tusky mahloo by the sex ( icr - 01 ) wasn ' t an album so much as the promise of an album . in much the same way , infinity cat wasn ' t a record label , really , nor were the baby - faced brothers jake and jamin orrall — then just 16 and 14 , respectively — the electrifying , continent - hopping band they would eventually become . they were a pair of high school kids growing up on the west side whose basement lair was as cluttered and chaotic as any teenager ' s hangout . only theirs was heaped with stashes of experimental recordings and teetering towers of one - off music projects .
as for other artists on the infinity cat roster , robert orrall says that , while the agreement they have pertains specifically to jeff , wmg takes an overall interest in the label as a whole , saying
[ they ] really get what [ jeff ] and the label are all about ,
and he ' s optimistic they will go on to express that interest “one band at a time . ”
it ' s nearly impossible to draw the connections between bands and band members in nashville ' s indie - punk underground without starting at , passing through , or ending up somewhere on the infinity cat family tree . thinking it would be fun to literally draw those connections , bob hung a sheet of paper in the hall and asked everyone to help fill it out . both jake and jamin rejected the idea outright .
just to be super clear , infinity cat is still a completely independent record label , distributed by ada for the upcoming jeff the brotherhood release we are the champions . future bro - hood releases will be under the warner / ilg umbrella . as far as the rest of the roster is concerned , we will continue to act independently , and we hope to build on that relationship , one band at a time .
in 2008 , soon after jake and jamin put everything they owned in storage and quit their jobs to pursue music full time , the brothers sat down with bob and told him they would be limiting infinity cat releases to young , hard - charging bands like their own . that meant no more albums by monkey bowl , bob ' s solo project that had caused a minor stir with a song called
al gore .
for now , infinity cat’s cassette series is still ticking — on may 13 , colleen green drops her self - titled 6 - song ep ( above ) . weissbuch already has the first release lined up for the next round of releases , which starts in july . you can subscribe for a year’s worth of releases at a slight discount ( without knowing what they’ll be ) — with only a few dozen available , those typically sell out quickly .
at 18 , ballard is somehow both the label ' s youngest employee and its longest tenured non - orrall , though she likens working at infinity cat to being adopted . headed to belmont in the fall to join delgado and bush as a music business major , the nashville native has been at the label for five years , ever since taking an internship on a whim , after a friend who had signed up for it turned out to be too young .
in any event , the impact the label has had on indie rock in nashville , and its reach around the country and the world , is undeniable — a perspective shared by metro councilman at - large ronnie steine , who introduced resolution no . rs2012 - 339 , which proclaims :
it is fitting and proper that the metropolitan council recognizes infinity cat recording on its 10th anniversary as one of nashville ' s best independent labels .
to celebrate , the i - cat crew is throwing a pair of birthday shows : july 20 at exit / in — with a reunited skyblazer featuring jake , jamin and lindsay powell , aka cake bake betty — and july 21 at the zombie shop .
the deal itself is essentially a joint venture between wmg , jeff and infinity cat , in which the label will share ownership of the band’s masters with warners , or one of its subsidiaries . the band will continue to self - produce their records and retain creative control over their output . “they still wanted to call the shots , ” robert orrall says of sons jake and jamin ( drums ) . “within the structure of this deal , they can do that . ”
the brothers say they don ' t hit up their dad for business advice very often .
a lot of dad ' s experience , in that world , doesn ' t really translate ,
jamin says . likewise , bob doesn ' t try to force his viewpoint — not that he could — and infinity cat is no shell corporation for his royalties .
there ' s no investment ,
he says .
i ' m not putting money into this .
we’re also bringing back our favorite little pop - up shop this year ! we’ll be down at local honey [ 2009 belmont blvd ] selling records / t - shirts / posters / tapes / just about anything else you could want . it’s gonna be a full - on party all day and all night . we’ll be selling released from labels like nashville’s dead records , infinity cat recordings , third man records , turbo time records , sturdy girls , cass records , sebastian speaks records , jeffrey drag records , baby don’t records , and a lot more . and we’ll be doing it same way we did last year — on the cheap . something different we’re doing this year is having a couple of day - time shows at the pop - up shop that’ll go down in the back lot at local honey . we’ll post a full inventory of items later this week — but for now let’s take a look at the day shows… .
cosby says he ' s lost track of exactly how many infinity cat albums he owns . many are on loan to friends around the world who belong to record - swapping clubs formed online .
apart from the killer music , the artwork is always brilliant ,
he adds .
a lot of the early releases came with handmade / hand - stamped artwork , giving every [ record ] an individual touch — you feel like you ' ve got a one - off !
like many of the record labels they admired — often little more than names devised and slapped onto records to lend them some air of importance — infinity cat started as an outlet for jake and jamin to release their own music and their friends ' music , with few ambitions beyond that . the purpose at first was to put whatever money they were able to make into their next release . if they liked a band , they ' d put out a record if they could afford it .
not every tape in the series has sold out ( there’s still plenty of copies of that spanish candles tape for you mike and brent fans ) , but several have . the demand for the guerilla toss tape was so high that the distributor bought all the copies before they could even sell any directly — the band would would go on to re - press the cassette as an lp and sign with dfa records . listening to weissbuch talk about past releases , he sounds like a mix of rabid fan and proud dad : “and then rozwell [ kid ] … i still can’t believe they let me do that — but they did that thing and now they’re on side one dummy . and music band is signed to infinity cat , daddy issues signed to infinity cat . they have booking agents , they are like doing things as a career , and i’m like…i don’t think that i was responsible for that in any way . i don’t want to take credit for that . but it feels good . ”
in terms of its context in the greater market for cassettes , the few hundred tapes that infinity cat moves each year is clearly a drop in the bucket : beyond the generally low overhead that comes with cassette releases , there’s a whole “cassette culture” and entire labels built around the format . burger records , from fullerton , california , works with slumberland , captured tracks , and hardly art to release cassette versions of their lps . through their weiner imprint , any band can get their tape mastered , pressed , and promoted by burger .
wrgw’s pat geiger was joined by victoria ruiz and joey la neve defrancesco from downtown boys for a phone interview in anticipation of their upcoming show at the black cat . a transcription of the interview is below . the full audio from the interview can be found here .
10 . infinity cat for nine years , this tiny nashville imprint has been run by recent breakout rockers jeff the brotherhood - brothers jake and jamin orall - and their dad , robert orall , a major - label producer and songwriter for taylor swift , among others . the label has been home to the first be your own pet releases as well as many nashville garage acts . although jeff recently signed a major - label distribution deal with warner brothers for their new , critically acclaimed record we are the champions , the label remains a diy venture .
it was here that moutenot , who ' s worked with the likes of sleater - kinney , paula cole and yo la tengo , served as recording engineer for infinity cat ' s 17th title , an ep released in 2005 called damn damn leash — seven minutes and 25 seconds of unhinged punk ' n ' roll that blew out of the speakers like a tornado with a mile - wide sneer . it introduced nashville , and later the world , to be your own pet , one of the most compelling and polarizing bands ever to call music city home .
you can ' t really talk about infinity cat without talking about be your own pet . you also can ' t really talk to jake and jamin about be your own pet , a band they ' re both happy to leave in the past — or at least their roles in it . jake had already left byop , and the country ( for a year abroad in iceland ) , by the time those first seminal tracks were recorded . but it ' s jamin lashing the drums behind jemina pearl ' s snarled vibrato and jonas stein ' s careening guitar stabs .
champions was jeff the brotherhood ' s first album with warner , though you could be forgiven for not noticing that aspect of the release . warner sent out no official press release , and there is no warner logo on the album sleeve . aside from a catalog number on the spine , there is no evidence that champions has anything to do with warner at all . in fact , even as the final details of the deal were being ironed out , infinity cat pre - emptively released champions themselves , and the band took a limited edition clear vinyl version with them on the road .
in 2010 , bob left music row , at least in the physical sense . for four years he had written songs , recorded demos and , in his spare time , helped run infinity cat out of the 1010 music offices on music square west . in january 2011 , he and the label moved to the house just off chestnut street . the relocation was not a big maneuver in itself , but soon after , as the steady climb of the label ' s flagship band began approaching some lofty peaks , things would begin to grow faster than anyone involved had imagined possible when they started .
getting on with their own thing – at least , not yet being beholden to anyone with a commercial interest in their careers – is why the old saw that musicians make music for themselves and if anyone else likes it , that ' s a bonus , sounds true here . why wouldn ' t it , when these groups are also the founding cores of each other ' s audiences , when they play on each other ' s records , when they ' ve all been in bands together before , when so many of their records have been released on the same label , infinity cat ?
that same year , infinity cat issued another pivotal release : meemaw ' s glass elevator ep showcased the feral stylings of jessica mcfarland , the off - kilter , catchy songwriting of daniel pujol and the hangdog goofs of former cowboy dynamite frontboy wez traylor . like be your own pet before them , meemaw was entirely too good for how young its members were . and though they never shot to the heights byop did , they unraveled almost as fast . bob couldn ' t believe it when they split up .
you ' re like the clash ,
he remembers telling them .
you ' re that good — and you haven ' t even made your sandinista yet !
and as the sex became jeff became jeff the brotherhood — a hard - touring duo with sold - out shows from brooklyn to l . a . and a major - label record deal that ' s just kicking in — fans of the scrappy record label the brothers started out of their parents ' basement a decade ago have continued to snap up just about anything they release for that very same reason . jack white is often credited , and rightly so , with helping expand and deepen music city ' s reputation . but long before third man opened its doors on seventh avenue , infinity cat had already become the heart through which nashville ' s punk - rock arteries pumped their noisy , vibrant blood — helping make the city synonymous with a raw , restless strain of rock ' n ' roll , and doing it on almost no budget .
over the past decade , the label has released some of nashville ' s defining indie - rock records , their roster reading like a who ' s who of the rafter - shredding scene that has thrived in basements , small clubs and makeshift venues while also vaulting onto some of nashville ' s most storied stages . ( after years of playing parties anywhere that could hold a p . a . and a few dozen people , jeff the brotherhood made their debut at the ryman on sept . 15 , 2011 , opening for the raconteurs . ) and while be your own pet didn ' t make infinity cat a household name , the band did land some of the first punches against that old music city bugaboo — the notion that nashville is nothing but cowboy hats and country songs — while also laying the groundwork for an updated image of nashville as a place fueled by young , hungry bands and suffused with a fiercely independent spirit .
most days you can find robert ellis orrall here , starting early in the morning and often late into the night . although jake orrall is infinity cat ' s de facto ceo — no one has official titles — and makes the final decisions about releases , bob ( as most people call him ) is the label ' s de facto general manager , answering emails , directing the staff , printing out orders and album one - sheets — sometimes all at once , while also fielding a reporter ' s questions across a counter that separates the kitchen from the business / songwriting / recording / chilling - out area , shouting over his shoulder as he stocks the fridge with sodas and flavored seltzer . with jake on tour with jeff the brotherhood much of the year , managing the day - to - day operations falls to bob . not that he minds too much :
i love coming to work here every day ,
he says , beaming .
or maybe not out of nowhere , exactly . on delgado ' s first day of work , jeff the brotherhood had just finished recording their sixth album , we are the champions .
it was just cool because i got to see that whole thing happen ,
she says . by
that whole thing
delgado means jtb ' s signing a deal with warner music group , through which champions is distributed by the conglomerate ' s sizable alternative distribution alliance . she also means that thing where the preorder link for champions went live and almost immediately crashed the infinity cat website — which led to that thing where the site finally came back online , but a glitch in the system made it impossible to limit the number of orders , so they ended up selling almost 300 more than they had planned for .
and people can still buy it — it ' s really weird ,
delgado says .
we should probably fix that .
a few blocks from greer stadium in the wedgewood - houston neighborhood , along a fairly unremarkable side street , sits a neat eggplant - colored house . a small etched metal sign beside the back door displays the company logo — a simple line drawing of a cat with a figure - eight floating halo - like above its head — but otherwise the low - slung ranch blends right into the neighborhood , a mix of single - family homes and commercial properties that includes nearby gabby ' s burgers and fries .
on a recent afternoon , the i - cat house is a hive of activity . piles of promo cds , scraps from recently cut record sleeves and other evidence of hand assembly occupy a table in the kitchen where heavy cream singer jessica mcfarland is hanging out . ian bush , a 20 - year - old intern from appleton , wis . , and a distant relative of sugarland singer kristian bush , has just arrived .
i ' ve only been here two weeks , and i haven ' t done the same thing twice ,
he says ,
which is pretty sweet .
last – but certainly not least – we’d like to announce that we’ll be releasing a very special 7″ in celebration of the freakin’ weekend . it’s a 4 - way split 7″ of recordings from the last glenn danzig’s house show featuring cy barkley & the way outisders , bad sports , d . watusi , and the wax museums . it sounds pretty brutal and gnarly – but what else would you want from a live house show recording ? glenn danzig’s house is a place that we hold very dearly in our hearts and we think a lot of you feel the same way . we wanted to take the time to properly remember it for what it was : a place where you could come see great shows for cheap and directly support the people making the music . we miss it all the time – but such is life – and now we’ll have something to keep glenn danzig’s house alive forever . there will be a limited number of copies packaged in a different sleeve each with their own individual photo print from a show at glenn danzig’s — those will only be available at the pop - up shop . here’s what cy has to say about it… .
on november 11th the members of hippo campus scooted into a back room of the black cat for an interview before their show . they are a new indie - rock band out of st . paul minnesota , in the midst of their south ep tour . with black x’s on their hands , the band is composed of jake luppen , lead vocalist and guitarist , nathan stocker on lead guitar , zach sutton on bass , and whistler allen on drums . the band members attended a performing arts high school in the twin cities , where they found their love of music and founded their up and coming band . since then , they’ve released two eps : the first - “bashful creatures” - came out in february of this year , and the second , called “south” , followed in october . after the sound check , a few brief introductions and a side conversation about scooters and glasses frames the conversation got going .
but the people who paid $ 5 that night , to have a just - recorded debut album by a trio of teens mailed to them whenever and however it was finally manufactured , did so because they believed one thing : whatever the particulars of the finished product , it was going to be good .
how they got to where they are now is a story that could really only happen , at least the way it did , in nashville .
if you ' ve ever promised yourself you ' ll never grow up , bob orrall is the kind of person you want to not grow up to be . on the wall above a desk that holds an imac , a set of studio monitor speakers and a small bank of audio equipment , there ' s a large framed plaque commemorating 3 million copies sold . it ' s for taylor swift ' s eponymous debut , for which orrall co - produced or co - wrote a total of six songs .
a few feet to the left hangs a bright orange super soaker water gun . bowls of candy , antique toys , musical instruments , paintings , records , magazines and pieces of old cars litter the room , and a daisy red ryder bb gun hangs from a window frame .
i love the possibilities ,
he says .
i love hearing these kids making this great stuff . i feel real lucky .
and dischord , obviously ,
jamin adds from across a glass coffee table .
jamin is the more talkative of the two , though neither is particularly talkative , at least around media types . even offstage , jake cuts an imposing figure , with his broad shoulders protruding assertively from under long locks of hair . while jamin has caught up in height , he still looks every bit the younger brother . when the two interact , often in short , terse phrases , it sometimes seems there must be a telepathic connection filling in the gaps . theirs is a bond strengthened by years of playing music together almost every day . online haters have tried to characterize them as spoiled showbiz kids who never paid their dues , but don ' t believe it for a second : in their mid - 20s they ' ve already logged a lifetime ' s worth of shows — in living rooms , mostly empty clubs , dingy pizzeria basements and most recently , on a barge in the pacific ocean during a surfing competition .
we were listening to a lot of fugazi at that point ,
jamin recalls .
and any punk band that came through town , any show we could go to , we ' d buy as many records as we could afford . we ' d take them home , look at the labels and order stuff through the mail .
case in point : during a recent break from touring , jake asks jamin about taking some copies of their new single , a split 7 - inch of hole covers with the band hell beach , and making special tour - only sleeves for them . although jamin long ago relinquished his responsibilities —
i realized i don ' t want to run a record label ,
he says — he still acts as a sounding board for his brother ' s ideas .
yeah , just printed it off on the computer , cut the letters out and xeroxed it .
they ' ll almost certainly sell every one , and by making a version of the single that was only available on one tour , they ' ve created another necessary acquisition for their rabid fans , who will post about it on
the brohood
or other internet forums . there , aficionados like jeff superfan john cosby might go hunting for a copy , perhaps offering another record variant or piece of band - or label - related minutiae for trade . those limited - edition sleeves with the hand - cut letters , and the differently colored vinyl for various editions of a single , are all part of the label ' s quirky appeal for cosby , who lives on a farm with his parents in tattenhall , england — what he calls
a sleepy little village
of fewer than 2 , 000 people about 35 miles southeast of liverpool .
i think they ' ve done an exceptional job carving their niche ,
millar says .
they ' ve got a diehard group of fans that will pick up anything they put out , and it ' s not just blind allegiance . . . it ' s good , and they ' ve earned the trust of their fan base .
for a label our size , it ' s all about being a cool label ,
jake says , offering mexican summer — home to recent tour companions best coast — as one example .
we ' ve just never been one of those .
for his part , riddle — who moved to nashville 16 days before jake and jamin collected their first preorders that night at guido ' s — doesn ' t mince words :
they ' re one of the coolest labels in the country ,
he says firmly . then , to drive the point home , he adds :
fuck , man , those are my favorite bands — period .
it ' s like hanging out with your family , but better than your regular family ,
halle ballard says of the loose , fun vibe the label has cultivated .
and [ bob ] stocks up the fridge with mini ice cream things .
when i first started here , i ' d do like three orders every couple days or something , and the rest of the time i would just hang out and watch bob write songs ,
delgado says .
and all of a sudden i remember i came in one day and there were so many orders , and there was nobody else working at the time so i had to do them all myself . it was crazy . we blew up really fast , pretty much out of nowhere .
the album was done ,
jake recalls matter - of - factly .
things were moving too slowly for us .
it was a gutsy move ( or suicidal , depending on your viewpoint ) to potentially jeopardize an unusually sweet and artist - friendly deal with one of the world ' s biggest label groups . but jake and jamin are no strangers to following their gut . besides , they didn ' t need a record deal . they already had one — with themselves .
in the end , everything worked out , and future albums — including the new hypnotic nights , due july 17 ( see review on p . 33 ) — will be released under the warner / independent label group umbrella . the band demanded full creative control , and they got it .
labels have been after them for years ,
riddle says .
but they waited for a deal that made sense .
as someone who ' s tracked the band ' s progress , riddle admires the approach they ' ve taken — not signing to a larger indie , not taking on too many support roles for better - known acts .
if you ' re gonna build a big house , you ' ve got to build the foundation right ,
riddle says .
they ' ve been very diligent and taken the right steps . they are ready to be a big band .
it was a band made up of kids whose parents had served in music row ' s trenches , in one capacity or another . but the byop kids weren ' t your typical sign - me - up - for - corporate - band - camp types eager to be fitted with whatever haircut was selling best that week .
everyone in that band is so talented , and so smart ,
riddle remembers thinking .
they ' re hard - working , unusual in all the best ways — you just knew that whatever happened , they would have interesting careers .
they were destined to blow up , and everyone knew it .
at the time , riddle worked for rough trade , which later released damn damn leash in the u . k . he would eventually put it in the hands of legendary bbc radio 1 dj john peel , who quickly played it on his show , conferring it with his estimable approval . britain ' s taste - making music press picked up the drumbeat , and major u . s . publications followed suit .
from that point on , it ' s hard to overstate the fervor — both laudatory and hostile — that surrounded this group of preternaturally charismatic teenagers for the short time their flame burned impossibly bright . the band became a beacon for those hoping to awaken interest in nashville ' s non - country music scene , and a resentment magnet for those who saw the band as proof of everything wrong with contemporary music ' s youth obsession and trend - chasing ways .
then the majors came calling , and it got weird ,
bob orrall recalls . at one point , as label headhunters took turns courting the young band over fancy expense - account dinners , bob saw a familiar face : seymour stein , the a & r ; rep who had tried to recruit him to sire records 25 years before .
do you know you ' re trying to sign my son ?
he asked , the layers of his life suddenly collapsing around him .
it wasn ' t what he signed up for ,
bob says .
riddle remembers watching the teenage band as it buckled under the pressure — including battles with their label about turning down the warped tour , which the band members saw as cheesy but was expected of young , punkish bands trying to make it big . riddle saw byop ' s penultimate show at the reading festival in england , where he says he could just feel the band ripping apart at the seams , a memory that still resonates with him .
it is so stressful , and it freaks you out ,
he says .
going from just being a normal kid to being a rock star — and they were — it is a big leap .
be your own pet may have burned up on re - entry , but everyone has gone on to do interesting things . guitarist jonas stein made turbo fruits his main gig , and riddle eventually signed them to serpents and snakes . stein also started the seafaring indie - rock festival the bruise cruise with booking agent michelle cable . jemina pearl and drummer john eatherley teamed up for an album on thurston moore ' s ecstatic peace imprint , and pearl now plays in the heavy - blues outfit ultras s / c . nathan vasquez has continued to play with the criminally underappreciated deluxin ' and other projects . eventually jamin wound up with a bigger record deal than the one his dad called him crazy for walking away from — though that isn ' t the reason he left .
in some ways they were just another young band that couldn ' t keep it together , but they were also much more than that . as riddle puts it :
you can still track the influence of that group of kids throughout the whole nashville scene today .
i got kicked off my own label ,
bob says with an amused grin that only a proud parent — and one with a 3 - million - seller plaque on his office wall — could conjure .
like byop ( and unlike the clash ) , meemaw yielded offshoots that continue as productive touring bands today : mcfarland fronts the raved - up punk quartet heavy cream ; pujol lends his whip - smart songwriting to the eponymous pujol ; traylor cracks wise on bass and vocals with the stones - y party band natural child . both pujol and natural child have since moved on , to omaha ' s saddle creek and fullerton , calif . ' s burger records , respectively .
we tried to put out too much stuff [ last year ] ,
he says wanly .
we could have been a profitable label .
before he can finish that thought , his phone lights up with a text from richie kirkpatrick , aka ri¢hie , the wily , mustachioed guitarist perhaps best known as the former frontman of ghostfinger , or as the guy who played the guitar parts on jessica lea mayfield ' s 2011 album tell me that many critics assumed were dan auerbach . jake looks up at his brother inquisitively .