Originally, the label was created for the sole purpose of releasing the first Fantômas album. It has since distributed music by artists such as Melvins, Oxbow and Isis, as well as several of Patton's other projects and collaborations.
The label is named after syrup of ipecac, an emetic, or vomit-inducing, medicine. Its slogan is "Ipecac Recordings—Making People Sick Since 1999".
Ipecac is distinguished from most labels (independent labels included) by their policy of signing bands to only one-album contracts. Werckman claims that "when starting our label we decided that it did not feel right to 'own' the artists on our label. Instead we would rent or license records from artists that we liked."[2] "Lawyers or businesspeople call us morons for only doing one-record deals," Werckman scoffs. "They say, 'You're not really anything, then.' Well, we like our catalogue. We like the records we put out. Our bands aren't rushing away. Our job isn't to own any artist. We're here to put out the art that people create."[3] Low overhead and no video or promotional cost partnered with very little distribution costs allow for hearty royalties. "Every six months I send those guys royalty checks," Werckman says. "It's great. It's the way it should be. Even bands that are very successful — when they get royalty checks from us, they're stunned."[3]
