The time has come for us to celebrate another revolution around this flaming coil of molten garbage for our number one favorite corporate sell-out, the Sub Pop Airport Store. This May marks 3 years in Sea-Tac’s heavily populated Central Terminal. Come for the Qdoba, stay for the moderately priced vinyl records (sorry, they’re not calendars).

In simultaneous celebration of our anniversary and this month’s obscure internet holiday, World Goth Day, I’ve created a Special Bonus Zine Page highlighting some of the “Dark Music” of Sub Pop. As a dedicated night shift worker and self-deprecating-20-something-nightcrawler (using this in place of “goth” to avoid hate mail), I’ve forever been a fan of all things Sub Pop. However, I wanted to specifically bring forth some of the label’s dark music of present and past. 

From Sub Pop 100’s track list including Skinny Puppy’s “Church in Hell” and Scratch Acid’s “Greatest Gift” (drummer Rey Washam went on to play with Ministry and Jello Biafra and Al Jourgensen’s Lard) to Birthday Party-influenced bands like The U-Men (infamous for setting the moat surrounding Seattle Center’s Mural Amphitheater on fire during a concert), there is a clear lineage of darker influences spanning genres from post-punk to industrial and dark wave. There is still a vein of significant contemporaries in bands like Hardly Art’s Grave Babies, Sub Pop alums A Frames, Italian band His Electro Blue Voice, and dark electronic duo Handsome Furs. 

If you see me at the airport store, please do ask me to discuss your favorite Clock DVA album, please don’t lecture me on the bands I didn’t include in this blog post (I know, I wasn’t born when you saw Nirvana play in your friend’s basement).
 
Also, in lieu of apologizing profusely for not selling bottled water or newspapers, please accept some Top 3 lists from the Airport Staff:

 

Top 3 Albums to Clear Out the Store
1. Earth, Earth 2

2. Eugene Mirman, I’m Sorry You’re Welcome

3. Comets on Fire, Blue Cathedral

 

Top 3 Albums to Lure Hippie Moms from Vashon Island

1. Rose Windows, Rose Windows

2. Jesca Hoop, Memories Are Now

3. Beachwood Sparks (any)

Top 3 Instant Play-n-Sell Albums
1. Chad Vangaalen, Shrink Dust

2. Handsome Furs, Plague Park

3. Shabazz Palaces, Lese Majesty

 

Top 3 Free Things in the Airport

1. Classic Logo stickers at Sub Pop Records (Central Terminal)

2. Cheese samples at Beecher’s (C Gates)

3. A “massage” from TSA (Security Checkpoint of Your Choice)