10/01/98

Dead Kennedys Sever Ties with Alternative Tentacles Records

Dead Kennedys regretfully announces that as of October 1, 1998, they are terminating their business relationship with Alternative Tentacles Records (ATR). Three of the four members of the band - guitarist East Bay Ray, bassist Klaus Flouride and drummer D. H. Peligro voted on September 30, 1998 to sever ties with the label due to serious problems with the accounting to Dead Kennedys and the inability of the parties to settle the matter over the past nine months.

Dead Kennedys created Alternative Tentacles in 1983 with the explicit aim of treating every artist fairly and equally. ATR was an example that a group of upstart punk musicians could create and sustain an independent record label different from the majors. Jello Biafra took over sole ownership of the label in 1986.

Recently, it was discovered that for the past 10 years ATR was paying Dead Kennedys without their knowledge or consent less per CD than the other artists on the label. Although claims for royalty underpayment have been presented to ATR, no satisfactory response was received, thus setting the stage for yesterday’s action by the partners.

Although invited to attend the meeting where the fate of ATR’s distribution relationship was decided, Jello Biafra was not present. According to his attorney, he was “out of town”.

After their long association, the decision to leave Alternative Tentacles was a very difficult one for Dead Kennedys to make. However, after extensive negotiations between the parties and their attorneys failed to produce tangible results, it was inevitable.

Dead Kennedys intend to continue to operate as a partnership with Jello Biafra. Future distribution for the partnership recordings will be established and announced shortly. It is hoped that no interruption will occur at the retail level with respect to the availability of Dead Kennedys albums due to yesterday’s action.

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last updated 07/14/04