Before I go through our long, boring, pointlessly tragic history a word about why we exist; our philosophy is oversimplified. Where previously NML stood for ‘no more labels’ (and now stands for whatever you want it to) the idea behind the previous moniker still stands; record labels are archaic and unnecessary. Music in the 21st century is for the most part internet based -streamed or downloaded in digital form. We don’t need record labels anymore, but more importantly WE DON’T NEED SPOTIFY, APPLE MUSIC, AMAZON, ETC. These predatory companies pay less than a pittance to artists for hundreds of plays/downloads and as for bands like those on NML that have a local, niche audience has after a decade made a couple of dollars.

As much as we appreciate bandcamp.com and think it’s the best most fair streaming service, they do take half of your earnings just to be on their platform. NML currently takes nothing. Digital music made by honest people should be free to listen to and donation based (there are other sites like patron.com, but none of them speak to our local, prolific, criminally underappreciated group of recorders and performers).
Alone we are weak and won’t make any impact. Together, with other great local recording artists we can make a mark even if it’s just a giant middle finger to the current methods of music distribution. Corporate rock will never stop sucking. Join us at kasreal@nml-records.com, or support us at our paypal site here We will use the money to expand; produce vinyl records, improve our studio, sign more bands, etc. While there’s currently only $7 in our account, there’s no limit to our ambitions. And now here’s the unnecessary tale of how we came to be.

NML Records was founded in 1992 in New York as a fake record label to make it look like keith’s 4 track tapes and photocopied sleeves were ‘legit’. By 1997, Keith had written 11 full albums and recorded about 7 or 8 of them. Today most of them are embarrassing to listen to and have therefore been deprecated from the catalog. Is that a word? In 1996, NML signed the first band that keith wasn’t a member of, A Pineapple Named Ed (made up of his friends Don, Andrew and some other guys but ironically not his friend Ed).

Around 1997 k. began travelling over the northeast, playing shows, writing, releasing, and promoting albums (under the moniker ‘k.’ Sonin but still using the NML name for his fake label company). In 1999 he established a base in Boston Massachusetts and released several of his albums in local record shops on commission. It was also around this time the juggernauts of the Hudson Valley, Raw Wet War were signed to NML. NML also established its initial online presence at mp3.com.

In late 2001 NML moved its operations to Albany, NY. Around 2004 several people expressed interest in playing as a backup band for k. after hearing the album ‘Dead End Mazes for a Buying Mood’. This band went through several lineup changes, eventually coalescing around k, bass guitarist Matt Heuston and drummer Jeff Fox and named ‘Catacomb Gypsy Vagina’ by a general consensus on the ‘Wasted Board’. They played many shows but never recorded an album. When Jeff moved to Chicago, k. formed a new band with a new drummer and a second guitarist called Che Guevara T-Shirt. They were immediately courted by and entered into a 7 album deal with NML Records.

In the 20 teens Sonin continued to release solo albums up to catalog # NML035. He also formed a band called the Ladykillers that recorded and released an album of live tracks. The most prolific artist signed to NML during this period was Che Guevara T-Shirt, which went through 4 different drummers and released 7 albums by 2018. Drummer Sean Meddler played on the first two records, Travis Schermer on the next 2, and finally John Olander joined to write and record parts for the last 3 CGT records

In 2020 in response to the pandemic k. in collaboration with power couple Jen Maher and Paul Coleman (of Haley Moley and Architrave) created the ‘518 Covid Compilation’ of local artists that were alone at home and bored and making music to try to kill time until the vaccine came out. It was released through NML’s bandcamp page, and all proceeds went to charities that were fighting the pandemic. Around this time NML also uncovered the last lost Struction album and released this through their bandcamp site. The last NML release in the 2020’s was a split album of feedback noise by Keith Sonin and a device that Keith bought but couldn’t figure out that he sold to John who used it to make the second side of the album.

In 2024 NML made a bunch of stupid moves and lost over $30,000 trying to purchase a storefront (to date Ikon Realty has failed to refund a single cent of this money despite the fact that they insisted the contract be terminated). In better news in 2024 NML made handshake deals with Paul Coleman (Mount Mole, Sinkcharmer), John Prusinski (Leap the Dips, Allegra Geller), and Chris Basset (Chris Basset) to release any future albums they make through the NML website. Oh and, of course, we created our new website that you’re reading right now (we were with you when you clicked the link with the Orin symbol…). We lost track of nomorelabelsrecords.com and/or stopped paying, which was just as well since the label name was changed back to just NML. Which brings us to the present.

Even after taking out a huge loan and having it stolen by amoral realtors, NML will not be deterred. In addition to our new site, we have built a new studio. We also plan to sign as many local original (no cover bands) artists/recorders/bands as possible. We will generate web pages for you on this site and will record your album in our new studio for free upon request. If interested, please e-mail us at kasreal@nml-records.com.