title: Asphodel Records
text: Asphodel Ltd ( Asphodel Records) was a San Francisco-based independent record label founded by musician Mitzi Johnson and Naut Humon in 1992.  The label is named after the mythological flower that grows along the banks of the River Styx in Hades.  The label had shut down as of January 2011.
  
  Asphodel has a diverse catalog of releases with a prominent experimental thread in the genres of turntablism, electronica, ambient, illbient, electroacoustic, trip hop, spoken word, noise, techno, and lounge.
  
  History
  
  The label's first release was the self-titled debut by Johnson's band, Blue Rubies.
  
  Naut Humon became the official Asphodel head of A&R in 1994.  Erik Gilbert, once served as the label's General Manager, before becoming the Vice President of Content at the Independent Online Distribution Alliance before Sony restructured to become The Orchard.
  
  Asphodel was named as one of the "top 10 independent labels in the world" by Rolling Stone magazine in 1998.
  
  Speaking on the legacy of Asphodel, [Erik] Gilbert underlined its uncompromising stance and approach: "Incredible artists, incredible albums. I am honoured and proud to have been involved with them. Nothing has since come close." For [Gregor] Asch, without Naut there would be no DJ Olive as we knew him and perhaps no illbient. "The label is Naut’s legacy really," he admits. "Quality sampling from emerging sounds on the meridian between the underground and the popular. A world class grasp of production and mastering while always pushing the boundaries of a surround performance experience."
  
  As of January 2011, a message on the asphodel.com last snapshot reads, "Asphodel is now closed. Thank you for the love and support. Mitzi Johnson, San Francisco
  January, 2011".
  
  Artists
  
  AGF.3 + SUE.C
  Alexander Rishaug
  Ann Magnuson
  antimatter
  Badawi
  Biosphere
  Blue Rubies
  Broker/Dealer
  Byzar
  Christian Marclay
  Curtis Roads
  Daniel Menche
  David Darling
  Diamanda Galas
  DJ Spooky
  Fe-Mail
  Fires Were Shot
  Gregory Lenczycki
  Iannis Xenakis
  Invisibl Skratch Piklz
  Iso Orchestra
  Janek Schaefer
  Jeff Greinke
  John Cage
  John Ward
  Ken Nordine
  KK Null
  Laminar
  Li Alin
  Martin Ng, Oren Ambarchi, Tina Frank, Robin Fox
  Maryanne Amacher
  Mix Master Mike
  Naut Humon
  Otomo Yoshihide
  Phil Crumar
  Ray Guillette
  Reinhold Friedl
  Rhythm & Sound
  Richard Devine
  Robert Rich
  Ryuichi Sakamoto
  Single Cell Orchestra
  Steve Roach
  Sub Dub
  The-Allies
  Thomas Dimuzio
  Tipsy
  Ulf Langheinrich
  Vidna Obmana
  We™
  World Standard
  X-Ecutioners
  Yasunao Tone
  zeitkratzer
  [The User]
  
  See also
   Naut Humon
   List of record labels
  
  References
  
  External links
   Last snapshot of Asphodel.com
   Asphodel's MySpace Page
   Asphodel on YouTube
  
  American independent record labels
  Companies based in San Francisco
  Music of the San Francisco Bay Area
  1992 establishments in California