Three Guts, Lots of Love and Scads of Talent

I remember the first time I went to the Townehouse, the only decent live venue in Sudbury. It was to see The Constantines and openers, Cuff the Duke. Before going, a friend of mine said I would be blown away by what I saw and heard. He wasn't kidding! Not only was I blown away, but their performances spawned a love affair for everything Three Gut, Three Gut Records that is.

In 1999, Toronto was an inhospitable place for up and coming bands. The focus was on big acts and big money and there was little interest paid to helping artists grow. But this would all change with the coming of a new record label, one that would keep a small roster of very talented musicians and help create a buzz in Canada that has yet to pass. It all started with Lisa Moran and Tyler Clark Burke and a small group of musicians including Jim Guthrie and Aaron Riches who got together for the purpose of helping out each other and their friends. Through out their five year stint as a label, Three Gut had never strayed from that philosophy.

What made Three Gut so special was that the bands were as diverse as the Canadian landscape itself. Label mates Jim Guthrie, Royal City, The Constantines, Cuff the Duke, Gentlemen Reg and later on, Sea Snakes and Brooklyn, New York's Oneida all played together, ate together and partied together. This creative community was at the forefront of great music and to show for it, four out of 16 albums released were nominated for Juno awards, The Constantines have since signed with Sup Pop and Royal City's songs are featured in the movie Twist. There are countless other stories that tell of Three Gut's success as a label, too innumerable to mention. The creativity and devotion to quality that went into each project, be it elaborate album packaging or wax-sealed show invitations made Three Gut a tour de force in the music industry and helped get these artists the respect they deserved, not only in Canada but in the States and overseas as well.

But alas, all good things must come to an end. The Constantines' Tournament of Hearts marked the final album release for the label. Tyler is now focusing on her artwork and Burke is currently tour managing for Oneida and Sufjan Stevens. Three Gut Records was more than just a record label, it was a family, home to the rock.
— Marie Fence
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