About Light In The Attic

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The story of Light in the Attic begins, curiously enough, with a motor crash in Madrid, Spain. Light in the Attic founder/co-owner (most of us call him Matt) was but a teenager in the middle of one of those requisites of American post-high school life―the “find yourself” hostel-hop through Europe. The journey usually involves, at the very least, a Eurail pass, a backpack, and a pair of hiking boots.

This particular sunny day in Madrid back in 1997, however, was to have lifelong consequences for young Matt Sullivan. Aside from the sight of the totaled Fiat (tin cans, they are), something of even greater interest immediately caught Matt’s eye. The unlucky car he had just hit was filled to the brim with records―Stooges, Spacemen 3, Suicide, Love, Monks, MC5―in other words, REALLY GOOD records. Matt introduced himself to his unwilling yet amiable “crash mate,” Iñigo Pastor, who just happened to own the stellar Spanish label Munster Records (and soon Vampi Soul). The shock of the accident suddenly took a proverbial backseat in the scheme of things as the two immediately began to talk music. Within an afternoon’s time, a transatlantic bond based on the love of music was formed.

Matt immediately ditched his plans for the rest of his European sojourn and soon began camping out at the Munster headquarters in Madrid. Though Matt and LITA co-owner Josh Wright’s love of music began at their high school radio station, KASB in Bellevue, Washington, way back in ‘93, in Spain, Matt was able to see firsthand the actual BUSINESS of putting out records. He soon discovered that the thrill of finding a long-lost gem and reissuing it to a grateful public was often tempered by the more loathsome side of the music business―endless unpaid orders, flaky artists, and threats of lawsuits from myriad hustlers and frauds. But Matt remained undeterred and, with guidance from his Spanish mentors, began making more concrete plans for a record label of his own.

Once back in the States, the Master Plan began at once. The idea was to build a label which placed as much emphasis on releasing quality reissues as it did developing new talent. As the dot-com boom went bust, Sullivan was thankfully laid off from one of those shaky establishments. On that glorious day in July 2001, Light in the Attic’s humble roots came to be from a little basement apartment in Fremont, Seattle. Suddenly unemployed, Matt wasted none of his newfound free time. Instead, he began building LITA from scratch. His tools? A little savings and a lot of tenacity.

The first release landed in October 2002 with deluxe album reissues from hip-hop pioneers The Last Poets. With the LITA ball finally rolling, Matt soon called upon lifelong friend Josh Wright for help with the business. Josh provided the necessary energy and business know-how needed to transform Light in the Attic into the thriving company it is today.

Since that first release, Light in the Attic has proven that its company mission is simple: put out great music, wherever it may be found. It’s this dedication to music―first and foremost―that has created a diverse and respected catalog of releases. In addition to its own catalog, LITA also distributes over 100 excellent labels and has grown to be a truly well-curated machine, selling direct to hundreds of record stores and retailers around the globe. With its deep catalog, the company has an incredibly talented music licensing department, placing songs in film, television, and advertisements.

With its commitment to quality as well as its disdain for convention, LITA has released over 250 instant classics. Highlights include the reintroduction of Sixto Rodriguez, a Detroit-born artist and star of the Oscar-winning film, Searching For Sugar Man and the GRAMMY®–nominated collections Native North America (Vol. 1) and Kankyō Ongaku: Japanese Ambient, Environmental & New Age Music 1980-1990. And who can ignore the reissues of funk goddess Betty Davis, larger-than-life crooners Serge Gainsbourg and Lee Hazlewood, folk great Karen Dalton, private press classics from singer-songwriter Jim Sullivan and teenage farmers Donnie & Joe Emerson.

Since those early basement days, the LITA family has vastly expanded, with a staff located around the globe, along with a brick-and-mortar record store in Seattle.

Light in the Attic continues to defy convention by refusing to pigeonhole itself. It’s safe to say that you can expect more surprises―and more great music―in the very near future.

And they owe it all to a badly mangled Fiat.

Well, sort of…

Our Staff

Shop Staff Picks

Emilee Booher

Head of Sync & Creative Licensing

I’m a left-handed Libra who grew up on an alpaca farm in rural Oregon. Aside from that, I come from a background of music journalism, visual art and video production. Which somehow led me to music licensing, which somehow led me to Los Angeles, which somehow led me to Light in the Attic. I am very thankful for all of these things.

Daniel Cohn

Sr. Account Manager

Raised on the West Coast. Calypso enthusiast. Owner of a local tape label - Youth Riot. Find me on MySpace

Mina Douglas

Supply Chain Manager

Originally from Richmond, VA. My dad is a musician who managed a local record store (Plan 9) and venue (Twisters) during my childhood, causing my life to be immersed in music at an early age. On my days off, you can find me at an estate sale or flea market. I collect vintage band t-shirts, Victorian jewelry, mid-century furniture, and anything that looks like it would belong in Pee-Wee’s Playhouse.

Alejandra Frank

Label/Vendor Coordinator

Born an Aries under the smiling/unsmiling sun of San Diego, I bought my first cassette of Selena’s Dreaming of You when I was seven which quickly spiraled me into a habit of collecting cds/tapes with my lemonade fund and would ultimately lead to me spending my paychecks on records. I started Teros magazine in my 20s which evolved into a gallery/venue and is in its current form an art residency. Karaoke nights and free pile scavenging get me in trouble, but my true passion lies in creating collaborative spaces.

Greg Gouty

International Sales

Born and bred in Nantes, France, I've been lucky enough to meet some great people and work in record stores, music labels and distribution companies in France, London and Tokyo. I now take care of various international things for this wonderful company that is LITA! I also run a label called 180g, and when not dealing with records I love playing sports, watching NBA, going camping, enjoying a good dinner with friends and spending time with my wife and kids.

Victoria Holt

Supply Chain Coordinator

I was raised in San Francisco by two British mods on a mixture of Talking Heads, Otis Redding, David Bowie, and Cornershop. Childhood evenings were spent sitting around the living room listening to music, my Dad interrupting the track every few minutes to point out an amazing bassline or sax solo. At the age of 10, my favorite song was "Alive" by Pearl Jam, and it's still my go-to at karaoke. I moonlight as a live music photographer and vinyl DJ, have lived in Seattle and New York, and am thrilled at the opportunity to spend more time thinking about vinyl!

Lydia Hyslop

Label Coordinator

The daughter of musicians, I was named after the Lydian mode. If you don’t believe me, just ask my sister, Dorian. Needless to say, music has always been at the forefront of my life. I mostly enjoy depressing, loner jams with a healthy dose of Dolly Parton; three-part harmony is the way to my heart. When I’m not proofreading liner notes, you can find me singing in the shower, writing, making movies, cooking, crafting, remembering to breathe, casting spells, thrifting, and attempting to limit my son’s screen time to varying degrees of success and failure.

Holly Mattox

Product Asset Coordinator

Brought up in rural Kentucky with 6 siblings, spent a handful of years in Chicago and ended up in Los Angeles. Raised on 90s alternative rock, Watergate salad, and the Cincinnati Bengals. I was gifted a love for music by my parents, who made sure I knew Third Eye Blind and Madonna's entire discographies by the time I could speak. A bunch of other things I love include perfumery, pedal steel guitar, antique shopping, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, a good melody, Tyler Childers, the New York Times crossword, and Dexter.

Alec McIntyre

Customer Support Specialist
DC born, Richmond raised, Memphis based. Record hunter since I was barely old enough to push a lawnmower and wash a frying pan. I was weaned on my parent’s collection of long-haired country, southern soul and traditional folk. Then I found Negative Approach and Suicide records in the basement of the old Plan 9, where LPs and 45s were everywhere and cheap (thanks Mina’s dad!) and the world opened up from there. Life took me to Memphis where I fell in with the Goner crew and learned the other side of the counter. And now I’m very happy to be sailing with the crew of the SS LITA!

Travis Ritter

Manager, Light in the Attic Record Shop

I’m a Virgo raised on a rural coastal mountain homestead in Northern California, who had a cool older brother, who listened to alternative, synth pop, punk rock, skate rock and anything we read about in Thrasher. The hats I’ve worn throughout life include berets, beanies, buckets, and ball caps (especially ones with a propeller). I previously worked at LITA in 2010 writing stuff for the old blog and shipping out records before jumping into a semi-lucrative career as a copywriter. I've been a music journalist and a DJ for over 20 years, but now mostly spend my free time drawing, drafting, designing, and involving myself with Vibrant Palette Arts Center, an arts program in Seattle for adults with I/DD.

Matt Sullivan

Founder/Co-Owner

My lovely wife often says, 'who ever decides what they wanna do with their life at 16?' Well, I'm that nerd. I'd be an overgrown teenager obsessed with college basketball if it weren't for my 10-watt high school radio station KASB and teacher Mr. Zujko, who crowned me Music Director, thinking I was the only student who wouldn’t steal the promo CDs. I knew then that I would start a label. After years of college radio and zillions of hours cleaning toilets as a label intern, Light in the Attic was born in 2001.

Ryan Wilson

General Manager

Born in San Diego, CA I got my first job bussing tables at Outback Steakhouse to subsidize the habit of riding my bike to the local Music Trader to buy CD's. I played the Tuba through college, spent my 20s playing guitar in bands, and now reside in Los Angeles, CA where I am the proud roommate of a rescue hound dog named Bill.

Josh Wright

Co-Owner/Sales & Distribution

Born and raised in the epic metropolis we can only call Bellevue, Washington. Nearly 20 years have passed running this ship we call LITA.....hoping to parlay this record gig later down the line into a spot on the Senior PGA tour, or running a poke/karaage shack on Kauai.