Vicious Kitten Records

Vicious Kitten Records
Founded1999
FounderColin Gray, Denis Gray
GenrePunk rock, rock and roll, garage rock
Country of originAustralia
LocationCanberra
Official websitehttps://viciouskittenrecords.com

Vicious Kitten Records is an independent Australian record label founded in 1999 by brothers Colin and Denis Gray. Based in Canberra, the label earned a reputation for championing underground punk, garage rock, and rock and roll artists from both Australia and overseas.

Formed after the demise of the music fanzine Vicious Kitten[1][2]—also launched by the Grays—the label helped to spotlight cult musicians and lesser-known acts, especially those in the punk and underground rock scenes. In the early days of the label, a print newsletter titled Cat Scratch Fever was also produced.[3] Copies of both Vicious Kitten fanzine and Cat Scratch Fever are held with The National Library of Australia. [4]

The launch of the label was mentioned by journalist Vince Lovegrove in his UK-based news column Lovegrove's Ear On London.[5]

After a hiatus of several years, during which the brothers focused on music blogs and producing The Australian Rock Show podcast, the label was relaunched in 2021.[6]

In August 2023, the Gray brothers were interviewed on the *Endless Summer* radio show broadcast on the FREIRAD station in Austria.[7]

Notable artists on the label include Kevin K, Nikki Sudden, The Ballbusters, and The Golden Arms.

The label is also included in the Wikipedia page List of record labels: R–Z.[8]

Notable Releases

Among the label’s most significant releases[9] are:

  • Tonight We Ride! – a bootleg live album featuring Hitmen DTK with guest guitarist Deniz Tek. For the week beginning 11 March 2024, the album debuted at No. 7 on the 100% Independent Albums chart published by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).[10] The long-lost recording was unearthed and officially released by Vicious Kitten Records in 2024.[11] It received positive critical response, including reviews from Loud Mag[12] and I-94 Bar.[13]
  • Rock 'N' Roll War (An International Collection of Rock 'N' Roll Action) a compilation album released in 2000. The album features a diverse lineup of artists, including The Dictators, Sylvain Sylvain (New York Dolls), Deniz Tek (Radio Birdman), Jeff Dahl, Peter Wells (Rose Tattoo), and Hitmen DTK.[14] A second volume, *Rock 'N' Roll War Volume II*, was released in 2002 through Vicious Kitten USA, a subsidiary label based in Boston, featuring artists such as Cheetah Chrome (Dead Boys), Jeff Crane, Walter Lure (The Heartbreakers), Dave Kusworth (Jacobites), The Streetwalkin' Cheetahs, Michael Thimren (ex-Johnny Thunders), and The Bullys.[15]
  • Calling from Nowhereland (Live in Vancouver 1994) a live album by Pillbox NYC, released in October 2025. It was originally recorded on cassette at The Town Pump and also includes a set of rare 1992 demos. A review on the online music site Veglam noted that Pillbox NYC "was the real deal!"[16][17]
  • Multiple albums by American underground rocker Kevin K, including Magic Touch, Shadow Work 38, Cadallac Man, 13th Street and Broken.
  • GRRRR!! the second studio album by Melbourne outfit Girl Monstar, who reunited in 2025[18]

Discography

Cat. No. Year Artist Title Format
VKR 001 1999 Sheek The Shayk I Want Her So Bad 7", EP
VKR 002 1999 Freddy Lynxx & The Corner Gang Have Faith 7"
VKR 003 1999 Kevin K Band Midnight Dragon 7"
VKR 004 1999 Nikki Sudden Red Brocade CD, Album
VKR 005 1999 Rick Blaze and the Ballbusters Manhattan Babylon CD
VKR 006 2000 Kevin K Magic Touch CD, Album
VKR 007 2000 The Golden Arms Oriental Junk Sick 7"
VKR 008 2000 Various Artists Rock 'N' Roll War (An International Collection Of Rock 'N' Roll Action) CD, Compilation
VKR 009 2001 The Ballbusters People's Republic Of Rock And Roll CD, Album
VKR 010 2001 Kevin K 13 Street CD, Album
VKR 011 2021 Kevin K and Ricky Rat Identity Crisis 7"
VKR 012 2022 Aunt Helen Hey Aunt Helen! CD
VKR 013 2022 Kevin K Cadallac Man CD, Album
VKR 014 2022 The Golden Rat We Got A Right CD, Album
VKR 015 2023 Kevin K Broken CD, Album
VKR 016 2024 Hitmen D.T.K. with Deniz Tek Tonight We Ride! (Official Bootleg Release Live In Sydney: 13 November 1991) CD, Album
VKR 017 2024 Kevin K and the Bowery Kats Rosewood CD, Album
VKR 018 2024 The Ballbusters Keepin’ Up With The Jones 7", 33⅓ RPM, EP
VKR 019 2025 Kevin K and the Bowery Kats Shadow Work 38 CD, Album, Digipak
VKR 019LP 2025 Kevin K and the Bowery Kats Shadow Work 38 LP, Album
VKR 020 2026 Girl Monstar GRRRR!! CD, Album, Digipak
VKR 021 2025 Pillbox NYC Calling from Nowhereland (Live in Vancouver 1994) CD, Album, Digipak

See also

References

  1. ^ "Vicious Kitten". ZineWiki. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  2. ^ "Vicious Kitten". Trove. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  3. ^ "Cat Scratch Fever". Trove. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  4. ^ "Search results for "Vicious Kitten"". National Library of Australia Catalogue. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
  5. ^ "Lovegrove's Ear On London". Immedia!. Internet Archive. 28 September 1999. Archived from the original on 2000-06-14. Retrieved 2025-07-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ^ "Punk & Disorderly June/July: A long-dead label resurrected, local bands respected and new music prospected". BMA Magazine. 1 June 2021. Archived from the original on 30 January 2026. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  7. ^ "Endless Summer: Interview with the Gray Brothers". CBA – Cultural Broadcasting Archive. August 2023. Retrieved 2025-07-16.
  8. ^ "List of record labels: R–Z". Wikipedia. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
  9. ^ "Vicious Kitten Records". Discogs. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  10. ^ "100% Independent Albums Chart - 11th March 2024". Australian Independent Record Labels Association. 2024-03-11. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
  11. ^ "Long-lost Oz Punk Live Recording of Radio Birdman Offshoot Hitmen D.T.K. Unearthed". Nyrdcast. May 2024. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  12. ^ "Lost Hitmen D.T.K. Live Recording Surfaces". Loud Mag. 2024. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  13. ^ "Live Album Finds Hitmen and Tek Still Riding High". I-94 Bar. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  14. ^ "Various – Rock N' Roll War: An International Collection Of Rock N' Roll Action". Discogs. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  15. ^ "Various – Rock'n'Roll War Volume II". Discogs. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  16. ^ "Pillbox – Calling From Nowhereland (Live In Vancouver 1994)". Discogs. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  17. ^ "PILLBOX NYC – Calling From Nowhereland (Live In Vancouver 1994)". Veglam. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  18. ^ "Girl Monstar Return With Protest Single 'Hate Train' Ahead Of New Album 'GRRRR!!'". Noise11. 21 November 2025. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
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