Touch and Go Records came into existence (sort of) in late 1980, when the Ohio punk band Necros decided they wanted to put out a 7" record. Being in high school at the time (ie: broke), they were aided in this project by their friends Tesco Vee and Dave Stimson, who were the geniuses behind a fanzine called Touch and Go (and who were a little older and had real jobs). The 7"s by the Necros and the Fix (a Michigan punk band) were recorded in late 1980 and released in early 1981, and Touch and Go Records was officially born.

Corey Rusk was a member of the Necros, and for the first couple years of Touch and Go Records' life he ran the business part of it from his bedroom in his grandmother's house in Ohio, and Tesco Vee ran the promotional part of it from his apartment in Michigan. Then Tesco moved to Washington DC, leaving the label in Corey's hands.

In 1990, Touch and Go began to provide manufacturing and distribution services for other independent labels that shared similar ideals. Over the past 15 years, Touch and Go is proud to have provided manufacturing and distribution services for such influential labels as All Natural, All Tomorrow's Parties, Asthmatic Kitty, Atavistic, Cold Crush, Dim Mak, Drag City, Emperor Jones, Estrus, 5RC, File 13, Invisible, Jade Tree, Konkurrent, Kill Rock Stars, Le Tigre, Merge, Overcoat, Skin Graft, Sounds Are Active, Suicide Squeeze, Thrill Jockey, Trance, Truckstop, Voodoo-EROS and Warm.

In keeping with 1990 being a pivotal year, Quarterstick Records, Touch and Go's "sister label," came into being, releasing albums by Henry Rollins, Pegboy, and Mekons. Since its inception, Quarterstick has developed its own individual, eclectic identity through the releases of groups such as Bad Livers, Calexico, June Of 44, Mule, Rachel's, Rodan, Shannon Wright, Tara Jane O'Neil, The Shipping News, and others.

Pegboy, Naked Raygun