About

About Ordering

About the Label

What happened to 'postpaid' shipping?

On May 14, 2007 The USPS began a new postal rate policy which raised the rates most used by small press and independent mail-order businesses while reserving the most favorable rates for the giant media corporations. This new structure along with the fact that the post office has taken to raising prices at such a maddening pace has made it impossible for us to continue our 'postpaid' shipping policy. Given that our 'postpaid' approach has been with us since the beginning of the label, this decision did not come easily. However, while we resisted raising prices over the last several postal increases (our last price increase for CDs came in 1999) we prefer to no longer use our straight-forward pricing to cover for what we consider unreasonable, unethical corporate-friendly increases. If you want to learn more about what has been going on in the nefarious corridors of the post-office, go here: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070507/stack

How will my domestic order be shipped?

Most orders are processed with 48 hours and sent via the USPS. We now offer your choice of Media Mail, First Class and Priority Mail shipping with prices automatically calculated and displayed according to the weight and destination of your order. Media Mail is usually the most affordable option and according to the Post Office Media Mail packages should arrive within 3-9 days of shipping. In our experience the vast majority of packages do arrive within this time frame. However, in rare instances we have found that Media Mail packages have taken up to 3-weeks. We can not track packages so please be patient and try to refrain from asking about your order until this time frame has passed. Contact us at orders@dischord.com if you think your order may be lost.

Do you offer Priority Mail shipping?

Yes! You can opt to have your package shipped by Priority Mail which, according to the Post Office, should arrive within 2-3 days of shipping. However, you should note that First Class packages will often arrive in the same time-frame as Priority mail, especially on the east coast, and may be more affordable for you. Shipping prices and estimated transit times will be displayed in your shopping cart.

What form of payment do you accept via the website?

We accept most major credit cards and well as Pay Pal. Customers may order with Checks and Money Orders, however, these orders will not be shipped until funds arrive and are cleared by our bank.

What form of payment do you accept via traditional mail-order?

We accept most major credit cards, pay pal, check and money orders. If you are sending cash you do so at your own risk, so conceal it well! If you are ordering from a country other than the United States you must pay in US funds with a postal money order.

How are international orders shipped?

International orders are shipped via USPS First-Class Mail International which is by far the most affordable option. The USPS used to estimate 4-10 days shipping time but now does not make official estimations for this service. The next fastest option is so absurdly expensive ($20 for a single CD) that we didn't bother to offer it.

Why was my credit card declined and why then does my statement say, "payment pending?"

The main reason for declined credit card transactions, other than insufficient funds, is incorrect billing address information. To protect ourselves and our customers from fraud our bank requires billing address verification, which includes street address and the 5 digit postal code (zip code). Some international postal codes have only 4 digits and we recommend that customers from these countries use Pay Pal (who will accept credit cards) for a payment option.

Customers who receive an error statement or a statement that their card has been declined should be assured that their credit card has NOT been charged for their order. A "pending" charge may show up on your bank or credit card company's records for a day or two, but no actual funds have or will be transferred.

Who do I contact about a missing package or a mistake with my order?

Mistakes do happen and we try to resolve them as quickly as possible. You may write to orders@dischord.com or call 703-351-7507. Please have your order number or confirmation email handy and we'll try to take care of whatever problem you have asap.

Does Dischord sell digital downloads of songs and albums?

Currently we offer digital downloads of songs and albums from: downloadpunk.com, othermusic.com, e-music, itunes and rhapsody.com. We will offer digital sales directly from this site, hopefully before the end of 2007. In the meantime we will slowly add more download services as they seem appropriate.

Why do you put the mail-order price on the back of your records? And why do record shops charge more than that price?

We put our mail-order price on our records because we charge less than most labels and we want our customers to know they have the option to buy directly from us if they believe the savings are not being passed onto them. However, it is perfectly reasonable for stores to charge $1-2 more than the price you see on the back of our records. Record stores have high overhead costs and offer convenience and variety that mail-order does not always afford so it is perfectly fair for them to charge a little more. We absolutely support independent shops and believe you should too!

Can I visit the Dischord House?

The Dischord label is no longer run out of the "Dischord House" which folks are used to seeing on album covers and pictures, and truth be told -- we try to discourage impromptu visits. Our current office space is small (and rather boring) and visitors tend to keep us from doing what we do. Ian still maintains his office in the Dischord House but it is mostly used as a residence and since he is often out of town we ask people not to disturb the folks who live there. It should also be noted that the Beecher Street address is actually Ian's parents family home and not the Dischord House.

Does Dischord have a retail store?

No. We are a mail-order and wholesale distributor and do not have a public "store."

Does Dischord sell directly to stores?

Yes! We sell "direct" to mom and pop shops across the country. We sell all the Dischord stuff as well as hundreds of bands, labels, books and DVDs from the Washington DC independent scene. Contact <direct@dischord.com> for a catalog.

Who else distributes your records in the USA?

Southern Records in Chicago is our main supplier. They sell our records to independent distributors such as: Carrot Top, Choke, Cobraside, CR Japan, Electric Fetus One Stop, FAB, Forced Exposure, Galaxy, Gallery Of Sound, Get Hip, Indie One Stop, Inertia, Lumberjack Mordam Music Group, Morphius, MVD, No Idea, Revelation, Revolver, Scratch, Smash, Sonic Unyon, Sound of California, Stickfigure, Suburban Home. Additionaly, they sell to larger chains and one-stops through Fontana.

Who distributes your records world-wide?

Southern Studios (UK) distributes Dischord Records in Europe and in other select territories. Dischord sells directly to Japan and other select territories. For information on distributing our records in your part of the world contact us at Dischord Direct and we'll point you in the right direction

Why don't you release music from outside Washington, DC?

We only release music from DC because this is the city where we live, work and have the most understanding. To expand would be to dilute our focus. We encourage creative people to take control of their local scenes and to look within themselves to create opportunities as others have encouraged us to do.

Well, how DO bands end up on the label?

We work with bands through a rather organic process. We do not work with contracts so our relationship with our bands is based on friendship and trust. New bands come into the fold when they have made a mark within our community and there is mutual agreement that we would be a good fit for each other. We do not purport to represent the entire scene in Washington, DC. Dischord is one of several independent labels who work collectively make up the DC underground.

Tell me about the re-mastered CDs. Should I replace my original CDs?

Our main objective with our Re-mastered Series is to present CDs that are faithful to their original recordings. Digital sound technology has improved dramatically since the early 90s when many of the albums from our catalog were first transferred onto the CD format. While the quality of the original CDs was state of the art for the time, it has become clear to us that the digital quality of our newer releases have been more faithful to the sound of their original source tapes than the older ones. So, as older titles come up for scheduled re-pressings we have decided to replace the old masters with new masters and take advantage of this new technology and quality. For a complete list of our re-mastered CDs go here: Dischord Re-Mastered CDs

There is nothing defective with the quality of the original CDs and no need to replace the copies you already own if you enjoy them. To the casual listener the main difference between the old and the new is a slight boost in volume and clarity.

What is "mastering" anyway?

"Mastering" is a process that occurs after the music has been recorded and mixed, where the material is collected from its original source tapes, computers, etc., transferred to a single media (now usually digital) and run through a highly sensitive equalization process to attain a uniform tonal and volume range from song to song, source to source. There are also different ranges for digital media (CDs) and analog media (LPs) so each format needs to be mastered to different specifications.

What is the status of Fugazi?

Currently Fugazi is on an indefinite hiatus and has no plans to tour or record. This may be a permanent condition, it may not -- only time will tell. In the meantime the Fugazi band members remain busy, both with other musical projects and tending to their young families. Ian runs Dischord Records and is playing out with his band, The Evens; Guy has appeared in projects with members of the EX and Patti Smith and has produced recordings for Blonde Redhead and The Gossip among others; Joe is writing and performing solo and in collaboration with others and is working on the Fugazi Live Series; and Brendan is producing the Burn To Shine Live DVD series, and has been active producing albums by Medications, Mary Timony and others.

What's a truck?

A truck is a vehicle.