Pitchfork

2006 has been quite a year for anniversaries. Hefty and Suicide Squeeze Records are celebrating 10 years, as is Pitchfork. Kill Rock Stars is 15, and South by Southwest is 20.

But the stalwart Chicago imprint Touch and Go has got us all beat. This September, the label will throw themselves a 25th Anniversary Block Party at the Hideout (who will be drinking in support of their very own 10th anniversary) in Chicago.

The bash will bring in 25 bands performing over the span of three days, September 8-10. While the entire roll hasn't been announced yet, Calexico, CocoRosie, Enon, Ted Leo/Pharmacists, Pinback, and the Black Heart Procession are all on the bill.

The big news, however, is that mighty noise-rock progenitors Scratch Acid, who broke up in the 1980s (members would go on to form the Jesus Lizard), are reforming with all original members. Every kid out there screaming over a fuzzed-out sludge-blues riff needs to get on their knees RIGHT NOW.

Steve Albini's band Shellac will also make a rare appearance, as will the reunited Didjits. It's pigfuck heaven!

All proceeds from the Block Party will go to the Chicago charities Tuesday's Child, Literacy Works, and the Thomas Drummond Elementary School.

Touch and Go got its start back in the early 80s Detroit punk scene, releasing albums by the likes of the Meatmen, Negative Approach, and the Necros. The label relocated to their current residence of Chicago in 1986, and since then launched Slint, Don Caballero, Brainiac, Big Black, Blonde Redhead, TV on the Radio, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and many, many more. Basically, they pwn3d you.

To promote the festivities and honor their long run, Touch & Go are unveiling a reissue campaign. It kicked off on March 21 with the Blight (featuring the Meatmen's Tesco Vee and the Fix's Steve Miller) compilation Detroit: The Dream Is Dead - The Collected Works of a Midwest Hardcore Noise Band 1982, and will continue with a complete Fix discography collection, as well as other projects.

The label also plans to "unveil midline pricing for a score of classic T&G; titles." What those titles will be is unclear right now, though Urge Overkill and Girls Against Boys were mentioned. We're pretty sure UO and GVSB records are currently crowding the nation's dollar bins, so maybe Touch and Go will be charging 50 cents?

Just kidding! We love you, Touch and Go. Happy birthday, dudes.