Interview: Bruce Pavitt-Sub Pop Records Founder

You can’t discuss the recorded history of Grunge without talking to SUB POP records founder Bruce Pavitt. Any list of the Greatest Grunge anything would contain a large chunk of DNA from that label and it’s artists. Bruce shares anecdotes from his entire time with SUB POP and of course what it was like to be at the Epicenter of Rock’s last great scene.

Bruce Pavitt was born 1959 in Chicago IL.
At the age of nine, he sold Christmas cards door-to-door in the summer heat, earning enough money to buy his first record player, and soon after, his first record (“Revolution” by the Beatles).

A lifelong passion for music brought him to the Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA, in 1979, where he spent time as a DJ at KAOS-FM. Soon after, he started his own zine named SUB POP, which reviewed hard-to-find independent rock recordings.

In 1988, along with business partner Jon Poneman, Bruce opened the doors to the SUB POP record label in downtown Seattle. By the early 90′s, SUB POP had released recordings by Nirvana, Soundgarden and Mudhoney, and helped initiate a global interest in Seattle area music.

Both an entrepreneur and music historian, Bruce has authored two books, Experiencing Nirvana and SUB POP USA, a collection of his early Sub Pop zines and syndicated columns.

Recognized as a cultural visionary and Seattle business icon, Bruce has appeared in a number of documentaries, including Sonic Highways and Hype. His footprints have been bronzed and embedded into the Walk of Fame sidewalk at 6th and Pine in Seattle, alongside Jimi Hendrix and Bill Gates.

Bruce Pavitt currently lives on Orcas Island, Washington. He is the father of two, and works as Creative Director at 8Stem interactive media.

https://brucepavitt.com/
https://www.subpop.com/

About Whatever, Nevermind

Whatever, Nevermind is a 25 part sidecast counting down the 25 Greatest Grunge albums according to Rolling Stone. Each Episode features a special guest host from the Podcast Community. In addition to the 25 album episodes will be bonus interviews from the people responsible for the music. Featuring artists, producers record label execs and more.

Whatever, Nevermind Archive:

https://cobrasandfire.com/category/podcast/whatever-nevermind/

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