Monet (Whiplass Records)
SPB: I imagine you’d been thinking about starting this label for a while before it happened. What was the final push or aha! moment that turned it from idea into reality?
Monet: Our origin was actually a series of events: The wheels started turning when I decided to write an article for a punk zine (Razorcake) about the burgeoning femme/queer/trans scene here in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The music coming out of here is so good and bands have a LOT to say about the political climate and their personal experiences of oppression. It's not only a scene -- but a movement -- that I wanted to spotlight on a broader level. The article had a very enthusiastic reception. That eventually led to me being one of the key organizers of the first annual WTF?! Fest (Women Trans Femmes and Allies to the Front!) featuring seven bands from the scene including my band Spit Takes and fellow organizers Doll Chaser and Selfish Teammate. The fest was also a benefit for Twin Cities Trans Mutual Aid. The event was a big success; all the bands were thrilled with the turnout and we were able to make a big donation to TCTMA. A couple months later, I was talking to my fellow bandmate Charles about what else we could do to elevate what's happening here. We were saying how, in addition to the amazing bands, there's such a great network of supportive venues (both formal and DIY), mutual aid networks, promoters. and fans that the only missing piece is a label to support the effort. That was really the final push as you say -- I had the name reserved a long time ago, but it wasn't ‘til now that we had an actual purpose for the label...so January 1, 2026 we got the paperwork sent in and Whiplass Records LLC was born.
