[Cover photo of This Is A Revolver (Los Angeles, CA)]

In the Punk heyday of the 1990s, multi-band compilations quite common and beloved, including Epitaph’s Punk-O-Rama and Fat Wreck Chords’ Fat Music series, along with earlier one-offs like Lookout! Records’ The Thing That Ate Floyd and Alternative Tentacles’ Let Them Eat Jellybeans.

Now, Marc Kravitz, founder of Mild Chaos Records, is bringing back this discovery format. The Orange County, California-based Punk label’s inaugural release will be the compilation, Touch of Chaos Vol. 1. The 12-track collection is a survey of independent artists from all sub-genres of Punk. Touch of Chaos Vol. 1 will only be available physically via vinyl and CD.

Kravitz says:

I fell in love with punk after my dad brought home The Clash’s Sandinista! when I was 8. I don’t have a background in music. I’m just a huge fan of the punk scene, and this is me giving back to the music I have loved since I was a kid.

This venture is an extension of the DIY ethic of the bands on the comp. These are all bands that have released their own music, and are hustling to make their way in the industry just like I’m doing with Mild Chaos.

Mild Chaos is a small operation founded in 2023. Kravitz describes his job description at the label as fluid, as being “everything from the janitor to the CEO.” Within that expanse, Kravitz is also the label’s A&R person, and he curated the comp from submissions culled from “punk bands wanted” social media solicitations.

Eventually, Kravitz hopes to grow Mild Chaos through putting out a second volume of the comp series, and releasing split 7” EPs.