My name is Michael John Serpe, I Started Home Recorded Culture in 1994 after internships at both Sub Pop & C/Z records as well as years of working in various screen printing shops by day & at home recording by night.

I believe art & music is about creating beauty & inspiring ideas & for me HRC has been a good vehicle for doing just that.

Consisting of myself & a revolving cast of helping hands, HRC is not a label but an artist & musician toolbox in helping artist present their work from within the vision they hold.

Here we can record your music, custom design & package it, print you T-shirts, build you a web site,, all in- house, literally.

:Links:
We have limited amounts of the Doug Martsch 7" left as well as the Can't Dance,, Too Wet To Plow compileation, both which will be ran out of print. If you are a store & would like to order, please contact:

on-line sales:

Much thanks to the Tucson Weekly for awarding Home Recorded Culture with it's prestigious TAMMIE AWARD for BEST ARTIST PRESENTATION!!!

NEWS: 1-2010

Happy New Year folks! Exciting news !!

I'm starting a boutique label that will release limited edition, handcrafted releases from folks who inspire me & the first release out this year will be from John Convertino (drummer of Calexico) who in 2005 released a beautiful solo album by the name of "Ragland". John is laying tracks for it right now...Stay tuned for updates !

Jeremy Serwer had me do some Tshirts & postcards for him which look great. I did a new sticker design for The El Camino Royales & am wrapping up an album design for John DeRoos album called "Lonesome Static" which you all should pick up because it sounds lovely!

Also, I've been co producing some songs with my great friend Jeremy Michael Cashman... he & I get together on Mondays and improv some songs which are turning out really well... the project is unnamed as yet but stay tuned for updates!

NEWS: 10-2009

Wow, almost a year since my last update! Well a lot has happened this year, most note able,, my pop passed away on April 28th & he is surely missed!

As for the other areas of the ant farm... I recorded an E.P. for Space Over Desert,, Am starting a batch of songs for Larry Gatti. Did some album design for: The Animals At Night (12" vinyl mind you!) The Tangelos, Pretty Bird. Smash. , Cathy Rivers, John DeRoo, Space Over Desert, Vicki Brown . Did some poster layout for the Low Ones... Some shirts for The El Camino Royales, The Dead Tones & some underwear for Courtney Robbins & a slew of other stuff that has gone M.I.A. in the blur that is my mind...!

NEWS: 12-2008

Started recording an album for Jeremy Serwer, a great singer songwriter whos songs are a midnight drive down a haunting road lined with the likes of Jeff Buckley & Richard Buckner,, check him out!

Also, I'll be working on some new tracks with Cathy Rivers, by far one of the best female vocalist out there today. Cathy just released her new album "Gloom Cookie", an 11 song gem.

NEWS: 11-2008

We finished mixing j. daniel twelker's album & we just got the masters back in the mail from Graig Markel who did an awesome job mastering it. Graig also mastered the upcoming E.P. for "The Space Over Desert", which also sounds amazing !!

Look for the releases soon as well as John de Roo's album "Holy Cow" which is out now!

Also, for those needing some conventional design services, there is now a price sheet page available through the design page!

NEWS: 7-2008

I guess I'm just an updating every 3 months kinda guy... VENUSZINE has talked about us in thier summer issue (out now until Sept 1, with Missy Elliott on the cover)

I'm finishing up recording & mixing for "The Space Over Desert" should be out by end of summer.

Continuing work on the Twelker album...

Also I am the new host of the live section of "Locals Only" on KXCI.org (91.3 FM Tucson) every 1st & 3rd Monday of each month

NEWS: 4-2008

Another 3 months?! Well recorded some tracks for "Dirty Me" featuring the talents of Carolin Issacs & Laura Kepner; beautiful voices & a real fun time! Michael P. plays some mighty fine guitar with them & has also been keeping me busy with some packaging for his first reaslease !! god damn !!

Finishing up a package for John deroo, who's album ,"Holy Cow" reaches the shores of the Old Pueblo via the banks of a pond one summer of '86. Great story, great listen!

Been playing some bass up against some sounds & been recording that, my good friend Dave Norwood was in town! That kid can play some bass,, so he did! & we recorded that on two songs.

i like NY in June, how about you?

NEWS: 1-2008

Wow, 4 months since the last update, let's see,, lot's going on, the "In Seed" package turned out great & the release show was AWESOME! I recorded a demo for one of Michael P Nordberg's many projects called "The Downtown Originals". Helping "Little Black Cloud" with some new art for a new website. Will be doing a package for an upcoming release by Tucson's "John de Roo", We're re- attacking Twelkers album & will be starting on a L.P. follow up to my E.P.

NEWS: 9-2007

Coming into the final stages for Dr. Dan's album.

Did a album package for the ever talented Vicki Brown

Starting an album for Cliff Kuhn of Molehill Orkestrah

Finishing up the package for my E.P. called "In Seed"

NEWS: 5-2007

Recording albums for Brian Field, Dr. Dan & the Low Ones. Also doing an E.P. layout for Jacob White & a full design & package for my own E.P. entitled "In Seed"

NEWS: 4-2007

Recording albums for Brian Field & Dan Twelker.

Also just finished recording an E.P. for myself with Graig Markel up at his studio, the wonderful Recovery Room in Seattle. WA. I'm starting the packaging now with a release set for June, It will be called; "In Seed"

NEWS: 12-2006

Recording a demo for Jake White & a short run holiday release for Chris Gunn of the Low Ones.

NEWS: 11-2006

Recording demos for Will Elliotts new album. The Mighty Joel Ford & A new E.P. of yours truly!

Also doing a poster for Colin Spring & album packaging for Will Elliott, I also printed some Tshirts for Will availible on his website.

NEWS: 7-2006

Home Recorded Culture, is no longer in the record label business, Carrot Top Distribution will carry the remaining releases until they go out of print, you can also buy online through CDbaby & heathencall.com

We are in the process of signing on with a start up label that will be releasing the future work of mine as well as Colin Spring. Well post details of the new label as they develop, here as well as at heathencall.com, Please check back!

04/06

I've been taking on bass playing duties for, newest kin to the HRC family,, Mr.Will Elliott & will be joining him & Clay on April 19th at Club Congress, then on April 23rd at Plush FOR HIS TOTALLYKICKASS CD RELEASE SHOW!!!  Check out his new page in the music room. Rochelle & I will be playing at Vaudeville Friday April 14th, joining us on drums will be Mr. Ryan Keys. Having had only 4 practices with him I asked if he was ready to play this friday & he said "I play drums, it's what I do." I take that as a yes,, come on out & buy him a drink! I have some other new shows coming up hope to see ya soon!

I had the honor of making some posters for the ever great Ian Moore & the lovely Cathy Rivers for their shows together in Tucson & Phoenix, I got a chance to go with them to the Phoenix show... it was a blast,, NEVER,EVER miss a chance to see Ian live, he'll change your life!

03/06

 The album release show went great! I was surprised about the turn out, especially for a Tuesday night, good thing most my fans are drunks :) I Did some demo tracking for local Will Elliott, Will is a great singer songwriter. He's going to be recording an E.P. that I'll be doing the packaging for.... HOT DAMN!

02/06

 We are having an album release show at PLUSH on Feb 21st starting at 9:30, I'll be doing 2 sets with a mixture of old, older & brand spanking new material, first set I'll probably play solo & the 2nd set with my bass master general Rochelle, unless she gets carried away in a drinking competition & tells me to piss off! Anyway,, there will be some album give- aways & good times, so come on out & make yourself known! 

01/06

 BEST WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR!!!

 First off A Night In Gins Hollow is now done, its' street date is Feb 25th, but you can buy it now at CDbaby.com! You can also hear samples there as well. This is my first release since 1998s American Gothic, I'm pretty proud of it. It sounds great & the packaging came out awesome! I've been playing & writing with a new bass player, her name is Rochelle DeYoung, she's pretty damn brilliant, we've been getting ready for some live shows & will be recording in March when the ever so talented Jason Rinker arrives to Tucson to lend his percussion abilities & good times to the mix. Currently Jason is embarking on a month long trip to India, so keep him well in mind.

Colin Spring is settling in well to his new home of Portland Oregon, playing new digs & writing new songs. Be sure to get his newest album before they are all gone, he also has some pretty damn hilarious shirts left as well!

Of all the things left behind in 2005, The talent of Chris Whitley will be greatly missed. Chris was an amazing guitar player & singer, he was 45 years young. Go out & buy DIRT FLOOR & hear why I'm crying........ 

09/05

I've been added to both the B.A.M Fest & the Tucson CLUB CRAWL as well as some other local gigs. As for the album that should of been released this month,, It's being remastered & we shoot for an early November release date.

At The Spine & Colin Spring send good word from the road as they tour across America,, & have added a stop date for Tucson, look for them November 10th.

07/05

 Both Colin Spring & At The Spine have finished up their latest & greatest releases to date & are hitting the road for 3 months in September, to see when they will be coming through your town to rock your lil' ass check in at Colin Spring or At The Spine .

 As for me, I'm a glutton for punishment & will be limiting my rockin  rollin' & whatnot to all that burns in Tucson with 5 shows coming up in the next 2 months, to see if our paths may cross check in & come on out. As far as my 2 year old new album, A Night In Gins Hollow, It looks to be done by October, Hey, better late then never right? 

05/05

 Much thanks to all who made my 1st Tucson gig a good time,   I have some other upcoming shows come on out & let's do it again!

Also a short story I wrote is being published in a book entitled Nickel & Dimed in the Southwest which is being put out by the Southwest Center for Economic Integrity, a Tucson based organization which works towards reshaping economic imbalance by promoting the need for corporate responsibility & fair wages. Check back here or at www.economicintegrity.org for info on it's progression & publication date. My story isn't all that great but the cause is!

Colin Spring is doing some local/ regional shows up in the Pacific NW,,, yes his songs just keep getting better, go see him! 

03/05

 Dave Norwood's page is up in the music room with some MP's from his last two installments & some info.

Word from the garage is that Colin Spring is done recording & about to master his new, as yet untitled album..

Joel Ford is about to start recording some songs based around various percussion pieces he's been working on.

 Michael John Serpe will have his album 'A Night in Gins Hollow' packaged for a release date of June 21 2005.

02/05

Dave Norwood, now residing in Austin TX - Who graced us with a track for the Can't Dance,, Too Wet To Plow compilation Will be releasing a series of 12 CD/EP's this year as chronicles of his time spent in various parts of the southwest over the last decade entitled The Cold Planets. Recorded & packaged by the man himself, A new CD will be released each month for $3 a piece ($5 overseas) to cover postage & packaging.

We are currently building him a room here at HRC headquarters so check in to hear some songs & find out about all things Norwood.

if you are local to the Austin area check out  www.tragedyofcommons.com  for info on seeing or helping book a show.

01/05

 HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!

Michael John Serpe & Joel Ford have been in the studio doing some demo work on a few new tunes & are booking shows through out the South West for this coming spring. Also the packaging design for A Night In Gins Hollow is almost done with a release date soon to follow.

 

12/04

The site is under some development right now so it may be a bumpy ride! Also we now have mp3s up on all the bio pages, so get yourself some free music, we won't sue you!

 The design page is getting a facelift but we will have new example photos up soon.

Word in from EGG Studio is that work on Colin Spring's new solo album is all but solo & turning into quite a project, An all star cast of fine people & players have been lending hand & we should be hearing some demos of it soon,, right COLIN?

So what of The Band that Murdered Silence you ask? Well they too are on a working sabbatical & recouping from the work of Cancion Del Pollo.

Which by the way is far from a cold chicken! There are few copies of the album left, so if you don't have one might I suggest YOU BUY IT!

10/04

 Well we finally made it down to Tucson & are settling in nicely. Joel Ford, (percussion extraordinaire) & mr. SERPE  have been working on some songs & will soon have an ensemble together for some local / regional shows. 

Up in Seattle, the ever busy Colin Spring Has begun recording the makings of a new album with Mr. Johnny Sangster over at Egg Studios. "What?!" you say "..working on a new album on the coat tails of releasing Cancion Del Pollo?"  well the boy has a lot to say & it's reeeeeaally good so you should listen because you probably aren't reading as much as you would like to be anyway.

He also has some shows with the band as well as ala natural coming up here in NOVEMBER, check in here or at murdersilence.com for the where & whens.

For those of you (hi david) who've been asking me to  post a lyric page to help decipher for my "cryptic" "mumblings", there is now one available on my bio page for both American Gothic & the yet unreleased A Night in Gins Hollow

Thank you soooo much to all who came out to the farewell Seattle show,a great time was had, a lot of folks came out of the wood work for it & it was a pleasure to see you all.

 HOME RECORDED CULTURE  will be moving to Tucson Arizona in late September, thanks to all who helped with the live, learn & love over the last 11 years!!! 

Colin is playing solo at Bumbershoot 3 days!! Below is the schedule.  If you are in the area please come by.  It'd be great to see you.   Sat 4:00-4:45 Sun 7:00-7:45 Mon 1:00-1:45   All three shows on at the Busker Stage which is NE of the fountain near McCaw Hall on the Exhibition hall lawn. 

Thanks all who made it to  The Band That Murdered Silence CD release show it was a blast  the boys rocked, & Melinda lent her beautiful voice to some of the songs spoiling me to never see them again unless she sings (just kiddin') 

Colin Spring has just released an album with the Band that Murdered Silence called CANCION DEL POLLO. Backed by a full band this is Colins most well produced & articulated songs to date. Pick it up here on line or locally @ SONIC BOOM.

CD RELEASE SHOW IS AUG 27TH @ NEUMOS

Colin will playing live on KGRG on August 15 between 7-10pm Seattle time. 

Colin is also nearing the final stages of a new solo album, more stripped down to the neighborhood of his first two releases. look for shows ala natural & with the band through out the summer.