Frontline Records (1980s)

Frontline Records was a Christian record label founded in 1986 by James Kempner. The label focused primarily on modern rock, rap, and hip-hop. The label closed in the early 1990s.

Background

Kempner had a background in concert promotion, and had run the New Years Eve Christian music festival series at Knott's Berry Farm, growing the event to one of the largest Christian events in the country before forming Frontline.

Artist Terry Scott Taylor became the production manager for the label, and Drummer Ed McTaggart became the primary art director, designing many of the label's album covers. Sublabels included Intense Records, Alarma! Records (a resurrection of Taylor's early 1980s lablel), and MYX Records (a dance music label supervised by Scott Blackwell).

Initial distribution was through Benson Records.

Frontline Records became an important label in the development of the West Coast Christian alternative music scene. Their roster included what 7ball magazine would later refer to as "truly classic alternative, rap, metal, and rock" music, and HM editor Doug Van Pelt would call "the lion's share" of classic hard Christian music.

Frontline and all of its assets were acquired by KMG Records in early 1998.<ref...
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