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What Records?

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1970s-1980s punk rock label from Los Angeles, California, founded by [a=Chris Ashford]. For releases related to [l=Word] label and [l=A&M Records], please consider [l=What? Records]. [l=Iloki Records] was originally started as What Records in 1977. It was going to be the vehicle to put out The Germs' first single, "Forming," and it was. Shortly after, I was approached by The Dils' manager to put out a single for them. This was the birth of What 02, The Dils' "I Hate the Rich." I was frequenting The Masque in Hollywood, and from there I recorded The Controllers, The Skulls, and The Eyes. That was the beginning. For the next 10 years, I recorded many different projects, mostly staying away from the Punk rock that I started with. I got bored easily. Starting around 1982, I was working alot with punky instro surf music. Then it happened. I was approached by Word Records to buy the name - "What." Why would a Christian label from Texas want "What"? At first, I declined, then I thought "What" had lost any kind of identity, so I said to myself, why not? Thus, was born the name Iloki, which had a Hawaiian sound to go with the surf music I was working on. --- Chris Ashford, 2004