Seeking info on the Hadjis and the Black Labels

Randy Mahlberg Jul 10, 2023 10 Comments

I hope this brings back memories to all the fans of Duluth’s music scene. I am beginning research into two Duluth bands from the past, namely the Hadjis and the Black Labels.

Although I already possess a number of recordings and photographs of these bands dating back to 1996, I am hoping to find additional audio/video recordings and photographs, with an eye toward compiling as many of their recordings as I can find and perhaps working up a history of these bands. Why? Because my brother, stage name Gomez, was a guitarist in both bands and I believe that music fans would enjoy reading about and hearing these bands again.

For those reasons, I am asking anyone and everyone who reads this and has any material that might be useful to my endeavor to contact me, Randy Mahlberg, via email at chiclero @ hotmail.com. Two local CDs I would find particularly useful are Undergroundhog Day from 2001 and Let’s Get Sloppy on Shaky Ray Records from 2002.

Thanks to all for reading this.

Recommended Links:

History, Music Queries, The Black Labels

10 Comments

Paul Lundgren

about 10 months ago



Here's the Black Labels track "Henrietta" from the compilation album Undergroundhog Day, released by the Ripsaw News in 2002.

The Black Labels track on the Shaky Ray Records compilation Let's Get Sloppy is titled "Please Give Me Something." When I put that CD into my computer it grinds like I'm feeding it into a wood chipper.

lager_man

about 10 months ago

I don’t have media to share, but I have great memories of Black Labels shows at the Red Lion in the early 2000s. The “Roar by the Shore” was a gem of a venue and hole in the wall bar. An awesome and diverse mix of freaks at those shows, as I recall. I think they played a weekly show on Mondays, maybe? I was a huge ska and rocksteady fan then and now, and I recall good musicianship delivered loud in a garageband style. Full horn section, thumping base, crowd involvement. Recall them running some of the old Studio One riddims like “Real Rock” and “Rockfort Rock” and some Skatalites tunes, if I’m not mistaken. I miss the walk along old Superior Street down to R.T. Quinlan's at 12:30 a.m. Good times. Tell your brother thanks for the memories, if he is around.

Paul Lundgren

about 10 months ago



The weekly gig at the Roar was on Wednesday nights.

duluth_bishop

about 10 months ago

Probably not helpful, but am providing it for the record ....

Chester Knob

about 10 months ago

Is that Marsten and Norby in the photo?

lauriecarroll

about 10 months ago

You can check out the CD Undergroundhog Day from the Duluth Public Library. It's in the local music collection. The library also has the compilation Duluth Does Dylan with one song by the Black Labels, but that seems to be the extent of what's in the collection.

Paul Lundgren

about 10 months ago

I think it's Marsen and Norby in the video image and Marsen and Gomez in the newspaper ad image, but neither is clear enough for me to say it with confidence.

JP Rennquist

about 10 months ago

I'm pretty sure I have that Undergroundhog Day CD. I know I used to have Duluth Does Dylan and I even featured one or two tracks on various radio projects I did over the years.

I might have some promotional material from gigs they did around the NorShor in 2004 and 2005 where I was briefly, but memorably, the manager. We had live music almost every night and the Black Labels played several times during that period. Gomez was a regular even when the band was not playing and I remember him fondly. We were not particularly close but he was always decent and on board with what we were trying to cultivate there. That vision failed, but it was nice that so many people tried to make it work. 

Finding these items will require some digging. And it might actually be something that I have you do for me or with me as I have a lot of other things on my plate these days. If this works like the old days you will get my contact info along with the comment. If not, the webmasters and PDD honchos will know how to reach me. 

Best wishes to you in your project. It sounds fantastic.

Brian Barber

about 10 months ago

I have the Let's Get Sloppy CD, Plays fine and all that, cover is even in pretty good shape and looks like it was signed by Mark Lindquist to "J-Dog." (I'm pretty sure I bought it used.)

Paul Lundgren

about 9 months ago


Here's the Black Labels covering Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Woman #12 & 25" from the compilation album Duluth Does Dylan, released in 2000 on Spinout Records.

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