Back in 1971, 23-year-old blues fanatic Bruce Iglauer was
frustrated and motivated. As a shipping clerk for Bob Koester’s
Chicago-based Delmark Records, Iglauer wanted the label to
release an album by his favorite band, Hound Dog Taylor & The
HouseRockers. Koester just wasn’t interested, so Iglauer gathered
up what little money he had and decided to do it himself.
Recorded live in the studio in just two nights during the spring
of 1971, the s captured the band at the height of its
powers. Hound Dog and his HouseRockers simply plugged in and
played the same beat-up guitars through the same raggedy amps
they used when they played at blue-collar blues clubs like
Florence’s Lounge on the South Side. At a cost of $900, Iglauer
produced a direct-to-two-track master tape—no overdubs—which he
mixed as they went along. With the remainder of his money, he
pressed 1000 copies of Hound Dog Taylor & The HouseRockers. And
with that, Alligator Records (named after the way Iglauer clicks
out rhythm patterns with his teeth when he likes a song) was
born. Fast forward 40 years. Today, proudly independent Alligator
Records is home to some of the world’s foremost blues and roots
rock talent and is regarded by fans and the media alike as the
top contemporary blues record label in the world. The Washington
Post said, “Alligator is the premiere blues label.” The Chicago
Sun-Times added, “Alligator is numero uno among indie blues
labels, with artists representing the best in contemporary
blues.” Alligator Records celebrates its 45th anniversary in 2016
with the release of The Alligator Records 45th Anniversary
Collection. The 2-CD set clearly lays out Iglauer’s wide-ranging
blues vision. From the ragged glory of Hound Dog Taylor to the
raw Chicago blues of Koko Taylor, Son Seals and Lil’ Ed & The
Blues Imperials to the harmonica workouts of Charlie Musselwhite,
James Cotton and Rick Estrin to the guitar pyrotechnics of Albert
Collins, Johnny Winter, Michael “Iron Man” Burks and Anders
Osborne to the front porch roots-rock of JJ Grey & Mofro to the
gospel soul of Mavis Stes, the one constant is Alligator’s
dedication to releasing what has been dubbed “Genuine
Houserockin’ Music.” Everything except for the actual
happens at Alligator’s international world headquarters, located
in an old three-flat on Chicago’s North Side. Staffers —operating
with a grass-roots, do-it-yourself ethos that would make any
indie rock label proud—reach out across the globe from offices
that used to be bedrooms, kitchens and living rooms. Through
their tireless work, the 15 dedicated employees (many of whom
have been on board over 20 years) carry out major label-level
promotional campaigns on a fraction of major-label budgets,
achieving results that rival any deep-pocketed corporate record
company. With a catalog of almost 300 titles, Alligator Records
is the largest independent blues label in the world. Its
s have received three Grammy awards (as well as a slew
of nominations), Indie Awards from the Association For
Independent Music (AFIM) and French Grand Prix du Disque awards.
Alligator and its artists have won many Living Blues Awards and
over 100 Blues Music Awards, the blues community’s highest honor.
But even with all of the accolades, Alligator Records never rests
on its laurels. According to Iglauer, “Alligator should be the
label that’s exposing the next generation of blues artists and
bringing their music to the next generation of blues fans. I want
the future of the blues and the future of Alligator Records to be
one and the same.”