Touch and Go

Touch and Go Records was one of the largest independent record labels during the 1980s. Touch and Go originally started as a fanzine by Tesco Vee in 1981. Corey Rusk, one-time bassist for the Ohio-based hardcore band The Necros, came on board shortly after the label started and took over in 1983 when Tesco moved to Washington DC. Rusk moved the label to Chicago and few years later and ran it with his then-wife, Lisa. The Rusks divorced at the end of the '80s. Corey took full control of the label and also launched Quarterstick Records as a subsidiary in 1990.

In September of 2006, Touch and Go had a 25th Anniversary concert at The Hangout in Chicago. It hosted reunion shows by Big Black, The Didjits, Scratch Acid, Man or Astroman, Negative Approach among others. In 2009, Touch and Go announced that due to the poor economy it was scaling back operations and today the label exists to primarily maintain its back catalog.

Chicago Bands on the label

 * Big Black
 * Naked Raygun (CD re-releases, not original)
 * Pegboy
 * Shellac
 * Tar
 * Urge Overkill
 * The Effigies (Remains Nonviewable CD reissue)
 * The Jesus Lizard
 * Rapeman