In 1991, friends and campus radio enthusiasts Randy Iwata and Bill Baker founded Mint Records Inc., an indie label based in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Their vision was to create a company that celebrated the all the fantastic talent they saw in Vancouver. Since its birth in 1991, Mint has put out over 130 releases by such artists as The Organ, Neko Case, The New Pornographers, cub, Lou Barlow, The Sadies, P:ano, The Buttless Chaps, Pansy Division, and The Smugglers, to name a few.

In just the past five years, Mint has grown significantly, more than doubling its staff, with half a dozen people working out of the newly expanded Vancouver office, and an office based in Toronto. Mint also recently started up Mintunes Inc., an arm of the label tasked with administering publishing for both Mint and non-Mint artists, and with more aggressively developing the label's presence in the area of music licensing.

With its international distribution and presence expanding every year, Mint Records Inc. is currently laying the groundwork for its future stars. Recent releases include The Pack a.d., Novillero, Kellarissa, The Awkward Stage, Duplex!, The Handsome Family, Vancougar, Young And Sexy, Immaculate Machine, Juno nominee Carolyn Mark, Hot Panda, and many more!

Can I send you a demo?

Absolutely. Just pop a CD in the mail with a handwritten note and your contact information. No fancy packaging is necessary. We'll do our best to listen. Also, we should note, we spook easily - so please don't be a nag. If we like it, we will be in touch.

Po Box 3613
Vancouver, BC
V6B 3Y6

What else can you do to get our attention? Get involved with your local music community. Go on tour. Make lots of friends. Get people talking. We'll notice.

Can I use [insert song here] for my movie, website, podcast, [insert project here]?

Bill Baker is our licensing and publishing guru. Sometimes there is paperwork involved, sometimes, there is none. Regardless, Bill is your man. bill@mintrecs.com

Can I join Team Mint?

Do you love music? Do you love Mint Records? Do you love getting free CDs and getting on guest lists? How about postering, handing out flyers for shows and distributing fancy treasures to the good citizens of your hometown?

Since we do not have a Mint Records magic carpet (yet), we need a little help spreading some Minty joy through Team Mint. Should you choose to join this elite bunch, we'll send you on secret missions that may or may not involve putting up posters, loitering in record shops and taking goodies to your favourite venues, stores, cafes etc. Heck, when they're in the neighbourhood, a band might even need help selling merch.

And, to reward you for your noble efforts, you shall be rewarded with free CDs (often before your friends get 'em), guestlist spots for the occasional show and other fanciful treasures.

Interested in joining this choice club? Please contact Shena.

Some cities we're looking for helpers in (but not limited to):

- Seattle
- Portland
- San Francisco
- Los Angeles
- Chicago
- New York
- Boston
- Austin

And in Canada:

- Calgary
- Edmonton
- Saskatoon
- Regina
- Winnipeg
- Ottawa
- Quebec
- Montreal
- Halifax

We also have a fledgling internship program. Sometimes, we adopt students who have had full-time practicum placements to fill. Alas, these positions do not pay and are not glamorous. It's hard work. However, we reward our loyal interns/ambassadors with our love and admiration (and often, a cd or two). Interested? Send Shena a note and tell her a bit about yourself and how you could help. Or, befriend us at a Mint show. We're always around.

I'm a journalist/producer/media-type and would like to....

Say no more! The lovely Yvette Ray is our Publicity Queen. She'll get you everything you need! Email her here.

Who distributes your releases?

Hey, retailers! For info on ordering Mint Records from our distributors, please contact dave(at)mintrecs(dot)com or the following fine, fine, superfine people:

Exclusive in CANADA:
Outside Music (phone: 416 461-9220)
Scratch Distribution (phone: 604 687-0499)

Exclusive in USA:
NAIL (phone: 1 800 288-1007 x 2049)
All titles also available from AEC and Super D one stops.

Exclusive in the UK:
Shellshock (phone: +44 (0)208 800 8110)

Exclusive in BENELUX:
Sonic Rendezvous (phone: +31(0)72.567.3030)

Exclusive in Germany:
Broken Silence (phone: 040/32 52 85-0)

Exclusive in Spain:
Locomotive Music (phone: 917105127)

Exclusive in Portugal:
Compact Records (phone: 351 22 948 13 93)

in Poland:
Eblok Distribution (phone: +48 607 2560)

in Greece:
Hitch-Hyke Distribution (phone: +30 210 923 3472)

in Italy:
Goodfellas Distribution (phone: 0621 48346)

What is that Fresh Breath of Mint Zine all about anyways?

Have you seen Carolyn Mark's recepies, Immaculate Machine's comic strip or The Young and Sexy crossword puzzles? The Fresh Breath of Mint is our seasonal artist driven zine and has been our primary printed promotional device since the fall of 2005. The process is simple. We collect stories from the bands and friends. We draw some pictures. Randy does the layout and makes everything pretty. We send the files to a printer. Several weeks later, our office is filled with cardboard boxes. Then, we send several copies to record stores, radio stations, and give them out at shows. Normally, there are a couple of boxes left over. If you'd like a copy or liked a copy, please contact Shena. If you'd like to advertise in our little zine, please heckle her too. She'll help you out.

Your Fancy New Website is beautiful, but....

We're big fans of our Fancy New Website. And although it is near perfect, there are several little quirks we'll soon work out. For questions or comments about the Fancy New Website, send a note to this address. We'll fix it! Or, help you out however we can. And, check back soon. Fancy new audio and video clips are always being added!!

Can you explain the Mint Records logo?

The Mint Records logo was envisioned by co-founder Bill Baker and executed by Scott Fearnley, he of local computer animation/wizardry fame, who spent many hours studying the shadows made by candies under a spotlight. Some folks have said that the words look like "KILAT Records" but we can tell the difference.