Epitaph Records is an independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. The label was originally "just a logo and a P.O. box" created in the 1980s for the purpose of selling Bad Religion records, but has since grown into one of the largest indie record labels. Most of the bands on Epitaph are punk rock and hardcore groups, but several sub-labels exist, such as ANTI- and Hellcat Records that have signed other types of bands. A few of the first bands signed include Bad Religion, L7, Offspring and NOFX. Recently (2003), Epitaph has sparked some controversy among its fans by signing noted alternative rap artists Atmosphere and Sage Francis, leading to many heated online debates about what constituted the true nature of "punk" music, but so far the new groups seem to feel at home on the label.
