Homestead Records was created and named by Sam Berger while he worked as the American Independent buyer at Dutch East India. Berger saw that many bands had already recorded tapes ready to be put out and just needed somebody to press them and distribute them. He came to Dutch East India owner Barry Tenenbaum who agreed to the venture. Tennenbaum had started a mail-order business, called Lord Sitar Records, from his bedroom when he was a teenager, importing records by
the Beatles and other artists from England that he could sell for a profit in the States. Tenenbaum had established an extensive distribution network, called Dutch East India Trading, so when the
Copyright Act of 1976 curtailed his ability to import artists who already had U.S. labels, he began licensing records for release and created the Homestead Records imprint for this purpose. Berger left Homestead in 1984 and was replaced by
Gerard Cosloy, the creator of the underground art fanzine
Conflict. Cosloy would be the sole employee of the label until 1987 when Craig Marks was hired to assist him in running the label. Cosloy and Marks both resigned in 1990. Ken Katkin was the manager from 1990 to 1992, and Steven Joerg from 1992 to 1996. The label closed in 1996 with its last release being
Ivo Perelman's
Cama de Terra. The label was known for its poor communication with artists and not paying royalty checks nor promoting albums. ==Artists==