Criminal IQ Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, founded by John Babbin and Darius Hurley to facilitate the releases from Chicago's no-wave/punk scene circa 2003 to present. Most notably, garage pop punk band M.O.T.O.'s LP Kill Moto the Functional Blackouts S/T LP and dark wave psyche punk band Vee Dee's Furthur LP.
These initial releases were met with healthy critical acclaim from underground music zines such as Maximumrocknroll and Horizontal Action through to more established glossies such as Arthur, Thrasher, Kerrang!, and Concussion Magazine, and the records received airplay and occasionally topped charts [1] [2] [3] on college radio stations around the country as well as getting airplay on the BBC via the late John Peel Show. [4][5] Building on this success Criminal IQ signed up The Krunchies, all-girl band The Manhandlers to do LPs, and co-released the Maybe Chicago? compilation with Proto-mersh which featured original sound recordings by the Ponys, the Baseball Furys, the Tyrades, Twat Vibe, White Outs, Busy Kids, and the Hot Machines.
In 2006 Criminal IQ broke out of its Chicago-only policy and released singles by Texas Hardcore band Army of Jesus, Milwaukee's Bear Proof Suit, Green Bay, and Portuguese punk band The Youths.
"All the above makes for an expansive independent label that possesses courage in their convictions and a determination to raise underground awareness. Something that could have the same impact as if the rat population of New York City, decide to form a protest about the air quality by taking over the likes of 55th Street, Central Park and 5th Avenue. No-one would know what to do." [6]