Stargate / Bob-Kat Productions (Bob Stohl & Kat Epple)

About

Stargate / Bob-Kat Productions was an independent record label operated by Bob Stohl and Kat Epple, active during the early 1980s and into the late 1980s. The label primarily released music on cassette tape, reflecting the DIY ethos and accessibility of underground music distribution during that era. Between 1980 and 1987, the label issued six releases, including albums such as Whispered Visions, Sound-Trek, Valley Of The Birds, Aqua-Regia, Love Unfolding, and the retrospective compilation Traces Of Time - A Musical Anthology. The catalog suggests an orientation toward experimental and ambient soundscapes, with titles evoking nature-inspired and introspective themes. As a cassette-based independent label, Stargate / Bob-Kat Productions represents the broader underground music community's embrace of affordable, portable formats for artistic distribution. The label's sustained output across seven years demonstrates a commitment to experimental music outside mainstream commercial channels, contributing to the rich ecosystem of independent labels that characterized the American underground music scene during this period.