My name is Joe Keithley. Friends call me Joey. People used to call me Joey Shithead, cause I was one of the first punk rock singers with my band DOA.... But punk rock has become a fashion statement now, and I ain't the most fashionable guy in the world! To me punk rock has always been about doing my own thing, about not taking BULLSHIT and about thinking for yourself.

Back when I started out as an eleven year old kid, learning to play the drums, I never thought I would be running my own record label, but here I am. It just goes to show you can accomplish anything if you set your mind to it. Some people ask me why would I want to run a label? Well here's why! I get to put out the records I like, when I like and no mealey-mouthed, two-bit record exec, can say shit about it! It goes right to the heart of my philosophy, BE YOUR OWN BOSS!

I first started Sudden Death Records in 1978, as a way to put out the first DOA record, the 7" EP "Disco Sucks". We knew way back then that nobody was going to come along and hand us a big fat cushy record deal. We knew we would have to fight for everything that we got. So that's what we did, D.I.Y. Do It Yourself man!

SDR was a part time label until the beginning of 1998, then we got serious. We have bands from all over the world, with styles ranging from punk to rock to experimental. We even have our own acoustic stuff we call anarcoustic! So there you have it, my friends! The home of the troublemakers!

Joey Shithead Keithley