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DEAD
PINHOLE
PHOTO
GRAPHY
Kristopher Sebring
Founder, CEO, CFO, CMO, Customer Service Representative, Custodian, Sales, Astrological Advisor
Phone:
555-555-5555
Email:
Mail:
P.O. Box 325
Nazareth, Pennsylvania 18064
Website:
Dead Pinhole Records
Once a titan in the music industry, Dead Pinhole Records was renowned for discovering and nurturing some of the greatest talents of the 20th century, boasting a roster that included legendary artists whose albums defined eras and shaped musical landscapes. However, as the industry evolved with the introduction of music videos and eventually the advent of digital music and streaming platforms, Dead Pinhole Records struggled to adapt to the rapid changes and shifts in consumer behavior. Despite their storied history and deep catalog, they found themselves overshadowed by more agile and tech-savvy competitors, leading to financial difficulties, a diminished presence in the music scene, and untoward tragedy.
The Early Years
1952 - 1959
1959 - 1964
In 1952, Dead Pinhole Records was founded in New York City by visionary jazz enthusiast and entrepreneur Kristopher "Kris" Sebring. Passionate about the evolving jazz scene, Sebring sought to create a platform that championed innovative and experimental jazz artists. Dead Pinhole was born out of a desire to push the boundaries of the genre, embracing progressive jazz movements like bebop and hard bop. The label quickly gained a reputation for its high-quality recordings and commitment to artistic freedom.
During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Dead Pinhole Records experienced its golden era. The label became synonymous with groundbreaking jazz music, signing legendary artists such as Mookie Kramer, Ella Monrow, and Charlie Johnston. Albums like Karmer’s "Midnight Mookie" and "Live! At the Escargot Club" not only solidified the label's prestige but also became a cornerstone of jazz history. Dead Pinhole was known for its distinctive album covers and excellent sound engineering, thanks to partnerships with top-tier recording studios.
Rebranding and Struggle to Pivot
1964 - 1965
1965 - 1967
1967 - 1970
The early 1960s saw a seismic shift in the musical landscape with the British Invasion, led by bands like The Beatles. By 1964, The Beatles had become a global phenomenon, and their influence on popular music was undeniable. Dead Pinhole Records, noticing the changing tastes of the public and the declining sales of jazz records, faced a critical juncture. Founder Kris Sebring, always attuned to the pulse of the music industry, made the strategic decision to pivot towards, and ultimately exploit, this new sound.
Embracing this new direction, Sebring signed a roster of, what he believed were, up-and-coming pop artists, hoping to capture the zeitgeist of the mid-60s and establish Dead Pinhole as a leader in the popular music. This transition marked a bold departure from Dead Pinhole's roots, reflecting the broader cultural shift taking place across the music industry.
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None of these new acts, including long forgotten groups like The Electric Lemons, The Dune Surfers, or The Midnight Kicks, were able to make a mark and dissolved as quickly as they arrived. The Satin Tones, with their modest hit Sheer Delight, are the only possible exception but this is due to the use of the song in a 1990's panty house commercial.
As music tastes rapidly shifted and their roster of artists failed to produce hits, the company faced mounting financial pressures and declining sales. Desperate to stay afloat, Sebring pivoted to a last-ditch effort: producing low-cost novelty records to be used as prizes in cereal boxes. These flimsy vinyl singles featured catchy but uninspired tunes meant to appeal to children and casual listeners, a far cry from the label's once-ambitious musical endeavors. While the move kept the lights on for a while longer, it marked a humbling chapter for the struggling company, illustrating the harsh realities of an industry in constant flux.
Downfall, Desparation, and Prison
1970 - 1976
1976-1977
1978 - 1999
Facing imminent collapse, Dead Pinhole Records was reduced to a skeleton crew after nearly all its employees jumped ship, leaving the founder, Kris Sebring, in a dire situation. With no new hits in years and a mounting pile of debt, Sebring grew increasingly desperate. Determined to keep his dream alive at any cost, he turned to unsavory business practices, including underhanded deals with shady promoters, payola schemes to get his records on the radio, and agreeing to put out records of mafia members' wives and girlfriends. He even resorted to producing and selling counterfeit records of popular artists at flea markets and swap meets. While these tactics bought him some time, they tarnished the label's reputation and pushed Dead Pinole Records further into the shadows of the music industry, casting a dark cloud over what was once a hopeful venture.
Sebring felt his luck had changed when he stumbled upon a troubled but talented artist with a unique folk sound looking to put out her third album: Barbara Jean Carter. The signing of Carter gave the company a glimmer of hope and a chance to turn their business around. The record, Late Summer's Fool, was a moderate success and got a lot of airplay on country radio stations. By this time Sebring was the sole employee at the company and the income from the record only served to fuel Sebring's unscrupulous ways.
Carter's star power put Dead Pinhole Records back in the conversation, but the relationship soured in late 1978 when Barbara Jean abruptly parted ways with the label over financial disputes, creative differences, and drug use.
In the wake of Carter's departure, Sebring once again struggled to keep Dead Pinhole Records afloat. Desperate to salvage his crumbling empire, Sebring engaged in a series of fraudulent financial schemes. By the end of 1979, his actions caught up with him. Sebring was convicted of multiple counts of fraud and sentenced to a lengthy prison term.
While behind bars, Sebring's life took an unexpected turn. He began corresponding with Erma Beth Fletcher, a troubled woman who had developed a fixation on Sebring after seeing his name in the news. Their letters, filled with intense emotions and dark fantasies, became a lifeline for both. Erma Beth's mental instability seemed to mirror Sebring's own turbulent inner world, and they quickly formed a strange, co-dependent bond. In a move that shocked everyone, the two were married in a small prison chapel in 1983, despite never having met in person before Sebring's incarceration.
Upon Sebring's release from prison in the early 1992s, he returned to a world vastly different from the one he left behind. With Dead Pinhole Records a distant memory and his reputation in tatters, Sebring moved in with Erma Beth, who had been eagerly awaiting his release. The couple's unconventional reunion led to the birth of their daughter, Penny Fletcher, in 1993. Penny's arrival brought a fleeting sense of purpose to Sebring's life, but the scars of his past, coupled with Erma Beth's erratic behavior, created a volatile environment for the young family.
Almost Rising from the Ashes
2014 - Today
By 2014, Sebring's family was long gone and he was eking out a meager existence when he stumbled upon a newspaper article about Penny Fletcher, his estranged daughter, now a struggling indie musician in Philadelphia. Fueled by equal parts guilt and greed, Sebring decided to worm his way back into Penny's life. He pitched himself as the one person who truly understood her raw, unpolished talent—claiming his experience in the music industry could catapult her band, The Penny Fletcher Trio, to stardom. Playing on Penny's frustrations with the cutthroat music scene and her longing for a father figure, Sebring promised to resurrect Dead Pinhole Records, the label he had driven into the ground decades earlier, and release their debut album.
Against all odds, Dead Pinhole Records was revived, albeit in Sebring’s cramped basement, where he insisted the echo from his vintage washing machine added “texture” to the recordings. Their first album, Hymns for the Stars, was a chaotic mix of avant-garde noise rock, obscure yodeling, and unexpected didgeridoo solos, which Sebring touted as "genre-defying brilliance." To everyone's surprise, it gained a cult following. But by the time the second album, Vintage Ballads of Glass & Stardust, was released, tensions had reached a boiling point. Sebring's erratic management style, penchant for nonsensical marketing stunts, and his insistence on inserting himself into every creative decision led Penny and her bandmates to finally break ties. Feeling betrayed and unwanted, Sebring spiraled back into obscurity, where he can still be found ranting to anyone who will listen about how he "nearly saved the soul of rock 'n' roll."
Dead Pinhole Records LLC.
123 SW Main Street
Pennsylvania, PA 18064
Visit Us
(555) 555-5555
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