Country of origin United States Founders Fred Cole, Toody Cole | Founded 1988 | |
Headquarters Portland, Oregon, United States Albums Stranded in the Mystery Zone, Nervous Sooner Changes, In the Graveyard, Just Colour | ||
Tombstone Records is an American record label that was founded in 1988 by Fred Cole of Dead Moon in Portland, Oregon, with his wife Toody.
The label was named for the musical equipment store they operated at the time. Their first release was Dead Moon's debut single, "Hey Joe" b/w "Parchment Farm." Cole mastered the single himself on a mono lathe that had been used for The Kingsmen's version of "Louie Louie." Many subsequent Dead Moon releases have appeared on Tombstone. Other bands such as The Flapjacks (led by Louis Samora, former drummer for Fred and Toody's band The Rats), and Inspector Luv and the Ride Me Babies (which later became Green Apple Quick Step), have released records on the label, which exists to provide mastering and duplication services, rather than scouting and promoting bands.