SST, the record label, was formed in 1978 when Black Flag guitarist/founder Greg Ginn needed an outlet to release his band''s music. SST (which stood for Solid State Transformers), the electronics company, was formed by Ginn a few years previous, a business venture apparently borne from his knack with ham radios and various electronic gadgets. The band had been going for two years (originally under the title Panic) and had built up a solid fan base in the LA area, and so spurred on by the DIY spirit of the time, he did what many others like him did: he started his own label and released the Nervous Breakdown 7". Following on with the Jealous Again EP in 1980, Ginn then went on to release records by other LA greats like the Minutemen and Saccharine Trust, before branching out across the US with other musical titans of the day such as Husker Du, the Meat Puppets and the Dicks. By 1984-5, the ball was rolling and SST had a roster that piqued the interest of various well-known (even mainstream!) critics and indeed resulted in several of its artists'' records being listed in the usual sundry "Year''s Best" rundowns in annual polls. (Dave Lang)