Off Centaur Publications
Off Centaur Publications was the first "commercial" filk label. It was founded in 1980 by Teri Lee, Jordin Kare, and Catherine Cook, and was based in El Cerrito, California. The label produced high-quality recordings of some of filk's best performers, and changed the course of filk music. It was dissolved in 1988, and Teri Lee would go on to found Firebird Arts and Music.
Like some other filk labels the name was a pun upon the idiom "off center" meaning eccentric, odd, or unusual—all of which could be considered legitimate characterizations of filk music.
Because of the dissolution, releases from this label are very difficult to find. At an Interfilk charity auction at FilKONtario, a copy of Julia Ecklar's Horse-Tamer's Daughter was sold for CA$400.00. Off Centaur tapes are considered "unobtainium" since few have been republished or re-created.
Off Centaur Publications was inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame in 1995. Lee and Kare died in 2021 and 2017.
Notable albums and performers
A Wolfrider's Reflections, Songs Of Elfquest,, including songs by Mercedes Lackey, Leslie Fish, Cynthia McQuillin, and Julia EcklarCold Iron sung by Leslie Fish, lyrics by Rudyard KiplingThe Best of Chi-con IV anthology, recorded live at the 1982 WorldconMinus Ten and Counting: Songs of the Space Age including songs by Leslie Fish, Roy Torley, Julia Ecklar, Ross Douglas, Doug Olsen, Cynthia McQuillin, Catherine Cook, Sandy Rittenhouse, and George SpelvinSpace Heroes & Other Fools by Julia Ecklar, Anne Harlan Prather, and Leslie FishHorse-Tamer's Daughter by Julia EcklarSinger in the Shadow by Cynthia McQuillinCaptain Jack and the Mermaid by Meg DavisLovers, Heroes & Rogues by Michael LongcorOn a Bright Wind by Kathy MarMurder, Mystery and Mayhem: Songs by Mercedes Lacke anthology, lyrics by Mercedes LackeyPast Due by Bill Sutton Rebel Yells anthology, recorded live at the 1986 WorldconWhere No Man...'' collection of Star Trek filk songs
Songbooks
Westerfilk CollectionA Wolfrider's Reflections, Songs Of Elfquest, edited by Teri Lee