Kill Rock Stars founder Slim Moon is leaving the label for an A&R role at Warner Music Group imprint Nonesuch Records. The indie label will be moving its headquarters from Olympia, Wash.-to New York, where Nonesuch is based. The day-to-day functions of Kill Rock Stars will be handed over to Moon’s wife, Portia Sabin.
It is unknown as of yet what will be happening to Kill Rock Stars’ artist roster. As part of the transition, one full-time staffer will be let go, and the label’s relationships with “three or four part-timer staffers” will end, according to Moon. The transition is due to be completed sometime after the Oct. 31-Nov. 4 CMJ music conference. In addition to Sabin, Kill Rock Stars GM Maggie Vail, mailorder head Tobi Vail and accountant Nard Mullan will stay on with the label.
Sabin has previously worked in artist management, opening Shotclock Management with Moon. Shotclock provided Moon and Sabin a connection to Nonesuch, as the company has worked with Nonesuch recording artist Laura Veirs.
Moon formed Kill Rock Stars in 2001, and the label soon became associated with the riot grrl punk movement, thanks to early releases from Bikini Kill and Bratmobile. The label was the longtime home for the now broken-up Sleater-Kinney, and released two albums from singer/songwriter Elliott Smith. In recent years, Kill Rock Stars has seen two of its biggest acts leave for other labels, with Sleater-Kinney going to Sub Pop to record its final album, “The Woods,” and the orchestrated-pop act the Decemberists recently jumping to Capitol.
An outspoken champion of independent labels, Moon was an early supporter of the American Assn. of Independent Music (AAIM). He had recently been named the head of AAIM’s Pacific Northwest chapter.
