Engine Room Recordings (ERR) is an independent music company based in New York City. We combine marketing and distribution services traditionally found at record label, with the road capabilities of a seasoned booking agent and the dedication and industry-wide network of a management team. We provide national physical distribution and digital distribution for our artists releases. We have an experienced in-house booking department, marketing & retail staff, a digital promotion team, a radio team, and great licensing and PR partners. We also own and operate two established studios complimented by award-winning mixing and mastering services available for our artists.

Most of 2006 was dedicated to creating a fully functional structure and develop relationships with our retail, tour, distribution, press and licensing partners. In August we released our first record, "Twisted Heart" by Goat, an old friend of ERR co-founder Mark Christensen and formerly signed to Columbia and Interscope Records. Thanks to the efforts of our radio team Goat's first single went #21 on the Triple A charts, the highest charting independent release of the year. Goat also toured nationally, including opening slots for Madeleine Peyroux and other top talent. During the promotion period for the album Goat appeared on dozens of Radio and TV shows, garnered tour press all over the US and was featured on several big TV Shows and commercials including CSI. Thanks to our Digital Promotion team Goat's presence online included over 200 different web communities and every major online retail location. In January 2007 Porter Block's debut album "Suburban Sprawl" was released, with several North-East and Mid-West support tours with popular legacy bands like The Samples, a music video, a string of Borders in-stores, online presence on over 200 web communities, and more..

In 2007 we produced Guilt By Association, a compilation with some of the biggest names in Indie music covering their favorite guilty pleasure pop songs. Brand new and exclusive recordings by musicians such as Devendra Banhart, Jim O'Rourke, Luna, Will Oldham/Bonnie Prince Billy, The Concretes, Petra Haden (The Decemberists, Foo Fighters), Mooney Suzuki, Mike Watt and others covering Journey, Destiny's Child, Paula Abdul, Mariah Carey and more. For this release our tour and promotion team set up 16 different launch events across the country in all the major markets for this record as researched in partnership with our distributor. There was also a high profile release show at NYC's classy Joe's Pub/The Public Theatre with several of the artists from the record. The press response was phenomenal with features and major coverage in over 80 publications including Entertainment Weekly, NME, OK!, Spin, Washington Post, USA Today, Harp, Paste, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, The Wall Street Journal, The Onion, Stereogum, Alternative Press, Radar Magazine, Time Out, CMJ, Blender, and many more. The ISIS coalition, the biggest Indie music retail chain with 150+ stores, placed Guilt By Association in their chain-wide listening stations for the month of release. We organized a widely publicized music video contest through Pitchfork Media that generated hundreds of proposals and 3 final videos were selected and serviced to TV, online video communities and made available on our website. AAM, the country's #1 College Radio company, serviced the record to over 300 different colleges.

Currently we are hard at work on Guilt By Association Vol. 2 for 2008, a new Porter Block record and tour season. We are also looking to sign a handful of new bands in the Indie Rock and Indie Folk genre for

The Founders
Mark Christensen brings experience from many different areas in the music world. Formerly signed to both major and indie labels, Mark toured with Radiohead, the Wallflowers, the Gin Blossoms, and others. Mark is also a music studio owner (Engine Room Audio), an experienced mixing/mastering engineer (Ben Folds, Gavin DeGraw, Moby, Nick Cave, Ben Kweller, etc.), and a producer.

Peter Block brings experience from many different lines of business. Previous to ERR, Peter ran multi-media production companies, produced documentaries and VH1 shows, and was an executive in an international consumer goods company. Peter's also an accomplished songwriter who's worked with Dean & Britta (Luna) among others, and a experienced touring performer.

The Staff
Wesley Verhoeve got his record label experience during his time at Universal Music and Columbia Records before choosing the independent route and joining the ERR team as General Manager. In addition he's the co-founder of reputed NYC indie concert promoter Liberated Matter and the Cross-Pollination concert series, a staple in the NYC scene. Wes is also a contributor to several blogs (including his own), a songwriter and musician in NYC's The Undisputed Heavyweights, a photographer and keeps busy in a few other ways in the NYC music scene including music placement and executive producing albums.

Chris Hacker Originally from Chicago and the Radio world with stints at promoter Jeff McClusky and Triple A powerhouse WXRT 93.1, organizing radio events and coordinating street activities. Chris took to traveling throughout Europe in 2004 and when he returned to the US made the decision to relocate to New York City. Upon arrival in his new home town he started working with several independent artists and in April of 2006 joined the ERR team. In addition Chris also founded Howling Clue, a college booking agency and NACA affiliated business.

Gary Lefkowith is our Head of Radio Promotions. He's been been promoting for over 25 years. For the last 10 years his focus has been at Top 40 Radio and Triple A where he has successfully promoted singles by Hoobastank, Joan Jett, Fleetwood Mac, Gwen Steffani, Janet Jackson, Lenny Kravitz, Jay-Z, American Hi-Fi, LeAnn Wommack, Everclear, Inner Circle, Julian Lennon & Mick Jagger. He had two #1's radio hits in 2005 and in 2006 he brought Goat's "Two Sides To Love" all the way to #21 on Triple A radio as the only indie release of the year to do so.

Meara Jones runs the essential ERR Street Team Department and hails from Minnesota. Previous to moving to New York Meara could be found working 3 consecutive Warp Tours (2003/04/05), Lollapalooza, had her own radio show on WSUM, wrote a music column for Emmie Magazine, and booked shows for few venues in Madison (WI) during college and promoted for Michael Franti, Motion City Soundtrack, Fall Out Boy, Yo La Tengo, George Clinton and many more.

Last but not least we have an amazing group of interns that help us in a million ways and keep our ears to the street. Each semester a team of 8 fresh new faces joins the team.