How does it feel to be celebrating 30 years of Stomp Records?

Mike Magee: It’s absolutely surreal! Seriously. Like, how the hell did we actually get here? Obviously, it feels pretty damn great to be able to keep doing this thing we love doing and working with all the fantastic bands that we love so much. And we’re extremely grateful to everyone who’s supported us over the years (looking at you PunkNews)…

Matt Collyer: Honestly, it’s truly remarkable that we’re still doing this. I still update my CV, thinking that next year I really need to start looking for a real job. I feel very fortunate and lucky. Thank you!

What have you learned about running a label (as well as a booking and management agency) and about yourselves during this time?

Mike: That’s a really good question. At the beginning, there wasn’t anyone to show you how to do this stuff, so we were kind of making it up as we went along, trying to do the right thing and keeping the label alive at the same time. Personally, I’ve learned that I always have a lot to learn. The business side of the music industry is constantly evolving and it’s important to me to stay on top of things while maintaining our integrity. I think we’ve learned that putting the artists first and building a community is the most important thing at the end of the day.

Matt: The easy things were way harder than I thought they’d be, and the hard stuff wasn’t so bad. Mike summed it up really well. It’s sorta like making a sandwich with your eyes closed and big oven mitts on your hands, and then someone sneaks in some tasty ingredients, like really good pickles, and then TADA! We made a sandwich! It’s just not the one I thought we’d make. It’s weirder and better.

You currently have 35 bands on the roster, and so many incredible bands have called Stomp home over the years. How do you decide which bands to work with?

Mike: It’s always different. Sometimes we’ll see a band live and just be blown away. Other times, bands on the label will come back from a tour recommending an awesome band they played with. It’s rare, but other times we’ll get a demo that kicks ass and start the discussion there. We always start with the music. If we’re stoked on that, then we’ll try to hang out and figure out if we’re a good fit.

Matt: What Magee said!

You’ve put out a total of almost 300 releases. What goes into getting a record ready for release?

Mike: Soooo much stuff! Working with the bands to find the right producers and studios. Artwork concept and design. Roll out plans. Marketing plans. Setting up release shows and tours. Basically, just trying to support the bands with all the endless tasks that go into making a record.

Matt: Lots and lots of effort, love, and emails.

If you were to tell the story of Stomp through three records you’ve released, what would they be and why?

Mike: That is completely impossible! If you put a gun to my head, I’d have to say:

1: The All-Skanadian Club Vol. 1. This was the first release on Stomp back in ‘95. The whole idea was to create a national scene and bring bands together from across the country to build this cool community and network. And it worked!

2: The Flatliners’ Destroy to Create and The Great Awake. These 2 records were so explosive and phenomenally awesome. They totally re-energized us to work harder and push farther for our bands.

3: Every single Planet Smashers record (there’s 10). The Smashers have this uncanny ability to laugh in the face of adversity and party through the hard times. Their unbreakable optimism, kindness, positivity, and ability to write highly addictive songs really sum up what Stomp’s all about. Matt, Planet Smashers' vox/guitarist, founded the label, so it definitely makes sense.

Matt: I’m doing 5, could’ve easily done more, but for the sake of the interview, these are my 5 cornerstone releases;

Planet Smashers - Life of the Party

Bedouin Soundclash - Sounding a Mosaic

Creepshow - Run For Your Life

Dreadnoughts - Polka’s Not Dead

Wine Lips - Mushroom Death Sex Bummer Party

Each one was important and relevant within their respective genre. They also sold well; people seemed to like ‘em. Personally, these 5 releases marked new beginnings or new journeys: Smashers went full time after LOP, Bedouin’s SAM went platinum in Canada (it was crazy fun), Creepshow’s RFYL was one of the biggest psychobilly albums ever, Dreadnoughts single-handedly resurrected polka, and Wine Lips brought me back to my garage roots.

What do you feel have been your biggest challenges and your biggest successes as a label?

Mike: Jeez, that’s another tough one. I don’t want to trauma dump, but there’s been so many setbacks and times where we just wanted to give up over the years. Personal losses, professional disasters, attacks from all over the place…you name it. We’re incredibly lucky to have the support of our friends and bands to get through all that shit. We’re also very stubborn, so I think that helps too.

I consider every release on Stomp our biggest success. Seeing a record through from start to release date has got to be one of the greatest pleasures in life.

Matt: Biggest challenges: we almost went broke several times. Biggest successes: miraculously not going broke.

What does it feel like to see the recent ska resurgence?

Mike: It feels great! It’s so awesome to see a new wave of ska bands grabbing the torch and running with it. They’ve really made it their own, and I’m super looking forward to seeing where it goes!

Matt: I’m stoked to see it happening!!! It’s great getting a chance to play with some of these bands, Catbite, Kill Lincoln, Faintest Idea, Omnigone, just to name a few.

There is a powerful feeling of community that surrounds Stomp Records. What helps you keep this community strong?

Mike: Honestly, I think it’s just because we’re relatively nice people and try not to fuck anyone over. The bands and the fans are what holds the community together. We’re here to help support as best we can.

Matt: That feeling of community is probably one of the greatest reasons why Stomp is still around. Our bands help each other out and they understand that lending their strengths is a way to develop themselves in other towns/markets. That makes things way easier for us! Their fans are cool too; they like hearing new stuff, they’re concerned about similar issues, yet they like having fun, coming together, and enjoying life. It’s fucking great.

You have seven shows across Canada coming up to celebrate 30 years of Stomp and each one has an incredible lineup made up of bands from your roster. What went into putting the lineup for the shows together?

Mike: Matt can answer this way better than I can, but it basically grew from trying to book a couple anniversary shows in Montreal. We realized pretty quickly that we wanted all the bands on the label involved, so it kind of snowballed into a bunch of shows across the country.

Matt: Honestly, it kinda was the Stomp usual. No real plan. It started with the first show, begged some bands to play, then found some mortar to glue together the next one, bamboozled a few more bands into playing, tossed around some ideas, and then TADA! 7 shows!

What are you most excited for about these shows?

Mike: I’m so stoked to see all these bands play and to hang out with everyone! It’s going to be so rad to get everyone together and celebrate this thing we’ve built!

Matt: Hanging out with pals!!! Getting right hammered!!! [laughs] Not really. Hammered in spirit.

How would you describe the state of punk and ska in Canada right now?

Mike: I’d describe it as resilient, strong, and innovative right now. These genres aren’t as commercially popular as they once were, so the bands keeping these scenes alive are the realest of the real. They’re playing this music because they sincerely love it. There’s a huge amount of heart and grit - and insanely good music - coming from these bands and that makes me very hopeful.

Matt: Outstanding. Some of the best stuff ever. So many good bands. So much diversity. I keep finding new incredible stuff every day.

Which moment from the past 30 years are you proudest of?

Mike: It’s totally corny to say, but it’s this one right now. I’m unreasonably proud and grateful that we’ve been able to make it this far. I’m super proud of all the Stomp bands, new and old, proud of the supporters and everyone we’ve worked with over these last 3 insane decades.

Matt: The 4 months after I broke my neck. People covered for me, did my job while I healed up, helped me heal up, and encouraged me to keep going. Coming back to work for the first time. Playing my first show back. I couldn’t have been prouder (of my family and friends). Thank you.

What does the future hold for Stomp Records?

Mike: Who knows? We’ve got some amazing releases coming up, tons of awesome tours, and some killer new bands joining the roster in 2026. We’re just going to keep doing what we do as long as we can.

Matt: Stomp 31st!

Is there anything that I didn’t ask you that you’d like to add?

Mike: Be kind, go to shows, buy merch if you can, and support your local record store!

Matt: What Magee said!