Lovitt Records started in 1995 as a mailorder distro run by Brian Lowit out of his college dorm in North Carolina, putting out releases from his hometown of Washington, D.C. Upon moving back to DC, he joined forces with
Frodus singer/guitarist Shelby Cinca, and the two went full steam into releasing bands like
Engine Down,
Sleepytime Trio, and
Four Hundred Years.
By the turn of the millennium, Shelby stepped back to focus on his bands and graphic design, staying on for occasional artwork but leaving the day-to-day. Lovitt kept documenting the DC area and expanded outward. After two decades attending Iceland Airwaves, the label started releasing Icelandic artists, making Reykjavik a de facto second home. Years later, Shelby rejoined as co-owner and brought Sweden's Carcrash Records into the fold.
The label's logo was designed by Shelby Cinca and Steve Kille (
Dead Meadow,
The Impossible Five), inspired by Japanese
kawaii culture and
Baba Yaga's Hut: a cute cartoon record with chicken legs. The legs were eventually dropped, though they resurface in posters and art. What remained was a grinning vinyl record, its expression drawn from the positive demeanor of founder Brian Lowit.
Lovitt operates in the spirit of the DC DIY ethic, informed by the
Dischord Records approach: work hard, stay independent, and let the music speak. Lovitt bands have generally found their way to us by putting on a crazy live show, touring with other Lovitt bands, being recommended by people we trust, or forming from the DNA of bands already in the family. We've never signed a band based on a demo alone. The path is the same one it's always been: play shows, tour relentlessly, put out your own material, and make enough noise that someone pays attention... Be cool, don't be too biz. It's about the music, man!
