The California garage rock label has announced its closure.
Over the weekend, several allegations of sexual misconduct were made against staff members and artists signed to Burger Records. The label was accused of inviting underage girls into the “back room” of its store in Fullerton, California, where they were preyed on by older men. An Instagram account, dedicated to amplifying the voices of victims, was created.
Following the allegations, co-founder Lee Rickard resigned and co-founder Sean Bohrman announced his plans to move into a “transitional role”. Jessa Zapor-Gray was named the label’s new interim president. On Monday (20 July), Burger Records stated the label would “make major structural changes” and address its “culture of toxic masculinity”.
Burger Records pledged to help pay for counselling services for victims. The label also planned to rebrand itself as BRGR RECS and launch an all-woman imprint named BRGRRRL.
However, today (22 July) Zapor-Gray announced her decision to leave the role. “My plan was to quickly begin assessing and evaluating if anything about the label could perhaps be salvaged and made into something better,” she said, “then eventually hand off a functioning label to a future administration unrelated to the label’s founders; or if I found that rebuilding was not possible, instead to organise and prepare the label for closure.”
“When I was asked to take over in this capacity, I expected some blowback for my decision to accept but I believed that the opportunity to have a role in effecting real and lasting positive change within the Burger and indie music scenes was worth the risk,” she added.
“Upon further review, I have informed Burger Records that I no longer believe I will be able to achieve my intended goals in assuming the leadership role at Burger in the current climate. Therefore, I have decided to step away from the label entirely to focus on my other projects.”
Bohrman told Pitchfork that the label has now shut down, and will no longer continue its plans to rebrand. The label’s back catalogue has since been taken down from its website, and its social media channels are no longer running. Artists on the label have ownership of their music and are free to reissue their work.
Burger Records was originally founded in 2007. On Tuesday (21 July), Oakland’s Total Trash Productions – which runs the label’s Burger Boogaloo Festival – announced it would sever its ties to the label and change the event’s name.