#jonathan poneman

Somebody mentioned SubPop records. You know I got you covered, fam. Let’s go inside.

SubPop was started by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in 1986, in the Terminal Sales Building on 1st Ave in Belltown. The building, 1932, is still there, still looking very nice.

The offices were on the top floor. The one beyond where the elevator went. They called it the ‘penthouse’ but ‘half unfinished floor and storage rooms’ would probably be more accurate.

At points, they released Nirvana, Soundgarden and Mudhoney on their label. They also had one of the FIRST if not THE first monthly record subscription services, the SubPop Singles Club.

Ok, that stuff’s on wiki. Here’s some pictures.

Pic 1: SubPop logo. There was also a version that said ‘Going out of Business since 1986′.

Pic 2: Jonathan and Bruce in the SubPop offices, probably 86 or 87. Not my pic, obviously.

Pic 3 and 4: The incredibly posh looking entrance to the Terminal Sales Building on 1st.

Pic 5: The elevator bank.

Pic 6: The mezzanine level from the lobby floor.

Pic 7: Mama’s Mexican Kitchen, on 2nd in Belltown, where Bruce would take possible clients rather than the offices, which frankly looked like a bit of a mess.

A funny story I was told (Hi Eric! Hope you’re well and happy in Japan now!) by a former employee was that when out of town possible clients would come to Seattle to discuss signing with Sub Pop, Bruce or Megan Jasper would meet them in that lobby with the explanation that the office was being painted, so wouldn’t they MUCH RATHER talk at a local watering hole instead? The trip up the 12 floors in the elevator (and then the walk up to the penthouse floor by the access stairs) only came later, once the ink was dry on the contract.

Pic 8: Soundgarden does a photoshoot on the Subpop roof, c. 1993. The two circular towers of the Westin Hotel are easily identifiable in the background, also the crenellated  top of the Moore Theater building at extreme right of the photo lines up for that shot.

Pic 9: Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell watch the implosion of the Kingdome, again from the roof of the Subpop building, Space Needle in background, March 26, 2000.

Pic 10: The roof, the small gray boxy structure is the backside of where Eddie and Chris are standing at the door.

The Terminal Sales Building is still there, proudly anchoring the corner, at 1932. The lobby is still open, free to visit. Look forward as you go in the doors for the elevator bank, look up and to the right for the mezzanine level. Straight up for crystal chandeliers.