Alternative Tentacles Loses “Fresh Fruit”

Contributed by jheisel, Posted by Alternative Tentacles

From Alternative Tentacles : Finally caving in to Decay Music's demands, Cherry Red Records have terminated Alternative Tentacles Records' license to distribute Virus 01 Dead Kennedys Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables LP/CD/MC. In April 2002 we will no longer be allowed to sell the first Dead Kennedys album. (The other 4 albums were yanked away from us last January when we lost then lawsuit.) It will be coming out on Cleopatra Records in America. A label known for their tribute albums, as well as goth and techno music. So, if you want the original version make sure to purchase it before April 2002, else it will raise eBay's stock price come mid-2002.Click READMORE for a whole heap of AT news, including financial troubles and more from the DK soap opera…

////////Times are tough in the music industry.
We are in a recession. It is now official I am told. The music industry is
hurting big-time. Valley Media were one of the biggest distributors around. They
shut their doors last week. Our distributor, Mordam Records, are losing tens of
thousands of dollars due to their shutting down. Ouch! Everyone is saying that
the real damage caused by their closure won't be known for another few months.
Most likely some labels will be put out of business as well as other small
distributors. It really sucks. Alan McGee's Poptones label seems to have closed
down as well.The label fired its entire staff because of "difficult times" in the
music industry, according to the Times of London. Maverick (Madonna's label) is
being absorbed by a larger label. The Beastie Boys label Grand Royal shut its
doors too. And Frank Kozik's extremely popular Man's Ruin label seemed to shut
down at the peak of its popularity! I don't get it! Don't people buy music anymore?
Or is the picture a bit bigger?
////////Times are tough at Alternative Tentacles
We are feeling it too. Firstly, we just don't sell as many records as we used to.
A band that would sell 4,000 copies 4 years ago only seems to sell 2,000 or so.
And its not the music and its not that band's don't tour to promote their
records. We have some bands that tour for months, yet still they don't seem to
sell that many records. We have put out lots and lots of great records in the
past 2 years!. We had to lay off our graphic artists and production person last
week. Now we are a staff of 4. He will still do work for us but from home as a
free-lancer. Hopefully there will be no further lay-offs but you never know. It
is amazing that we have made it this long. 22 years old and still around and
working on our own terms; what a rarity! But losing the Dead Kennedys records has proven to
hurt.
////////DKs "FRESH FRUIT" To Rot With Other Vegetables
Finally caving in to Decay Music's demands, Cherry Red Records have terminated
Alternative Tentacles Records' license to distribute Virus 01 Dead Kennedys Fresh
Fruit For Rotting Vegetables LP/CD/MC. In April 2002 we will no longer be allowed
to sell the first Dead Kennedys album. (The other 4 albums were yanked away from
us last January when we lost then lawsuit.) It will be coming out on Cleopatra
Records in America. A label known for their tribute albums, as well as goth and
techno music. So, if you want the original version make sure to purchase it
before April 2002, else it will raise eBay's stock price come mid-2002.
////////DK WATCH - That Darn Ray
Someone just pointed out that there is a new website that contends it contains
the truth behind the DK lawsuit and all of the allegations being flung around
pre- and post-trial. All I will say is that do as Uncle Jello preaches and that
is to get both sides to every story and inform yourself. Maybe Jello will comment
on everything on the new website or maybe he won't.
Here are some of the things That Darn Ray has been up to of late :
He has told Jello that he will not pay him for any Decay Music income due to him
for his involvement with Dead Kennedys until Jello pays Decay Music ~$140,000!
That money is supposedly a quarter of the legal bills that Decay Music incurred
in suing Jello Biafra and Alternative Tentacles Records. He needs to pay to sue
himself.
Ray has told us to stop selling 2 compilations : Not So Quiet On The Western
Front and The Virus That Would Not Die because they both contain a DK song each.
As you know the DK tracks represent 1/47th of one of the comps and something like
1/23rd of the other. It wouldn't be feasible for us to re-issue those comps again
after omitting the DK tracks as we would have to re-do the artwork and re-master
the CD. Nice of Ray to think of all of the other bands on those comps not to mention the
fans.
He has told people, such as the owner of Cherry Red Records, Iain McNay, that he
wants Alternative Tentacles to go out of business. When the lawsuit was filed in
October 1998 Ray even called the label and asked an employee if he had updated his
resume.
Looks like a band calling themselves by the following names : "DK Kennedys","Dead
Kennedys", "The DK 4" are touring!! 3 of the original members are in this new band. Just
be aware that none of those bands feature the guy named "Jello Biafra". Character
actor Brandon Cruz will be singing for them.
////////ATLDF Still Open
If you have an extra money, you can help support Jello Biafra and Alternative Tentacles
Legal Defense Fund by contributing money. The proceeds pay the legal bills.
More info at :
***FRESH & FREE MP3s ADDED!***
Just put up fresh and free MP3s by : Strobe Talbot, Noam Chomsky, The AK Press
Monkeywrenching compilation, Flaming Stars, Slim Cessna's Auto Club, Victim's
Family,..
***WEBSITE UPDATED***
Check out our updated website with new news stories on Jello Biafra kissing Tammy
Faye; Mumia and Doc Dart trade stories about post 9/11; read about trading cards
for the war. New animated GIFs with new crap to look at. MP3s that are free.
***NEW MERCH IN THE STORE***
Virus 274 STROBE TALBOT 20 Pop Songs CD
The Yellow Submarine of Punk Rock, Mr. Jad Fair is back as Strobe Talbot! Strobe
Talbot are Jad Fair, Mick Hobbs, and Benb Gallaher. This was recorded in Spain,
Portugal and Maine over the course of a year. It features 21 songs in 52 minutes.
Jad is rad; here's more proof. Totally quirky pop that yums.
Virus 271 NOAM CHOMSKY An American Addiction: Drugs,
Guerillas….intervention in Colombia Noam explores the next Vietnam(?) in
Virus 272 VARIOUS ARTISTS - Monkeywrenching The New World Order 2xCD
An audio introduction to the New World Order and its discontents: Noam Chomsky,
Chris Crass, Robin Hahnel, Howard Zinn, Ward Churchill, Alexander Cockburn, Craig
O'Hara,..
Virus 268 FLAMING STARS Ginmill Perfume LP/CD Max Decharnes' 5 year
old band's first US album. A comp. of some of their hits. Early punked western
lounge, outlaw country,..from former Gallon Drunkard and an ex-Stingray. John
Virus 267 FLAMING STARS One Lonely Night / Days.. 7" 2 new ones that won't be
on the album: "Nick Cave meets Elvis in a whiskey bar" . America, wake up and
FLAMING STARS ginmill perfume STICKER $1.00
Virus 269 SLIM CESSNA'S AUTO CLUB s/t(re-issue)LP/CD A re-issue of their very
first. Country with that AT edge. Newly re-mastered and re-artworked.
Virus 266 VICTIM'S FAMILY Apocalicious LP/CD They're back!!! First
album in 6 years and well worth the wait!!
Virus 270 FLESHIES / VICTIM'S FAMILY split 7"
ROOKIE doomsayer punk rock vs. VETERAN agit-punk noise hounds
Virus 263 THE PHANTOM LIMBS Applied Ignorance LP/CD
no waved carnival freaks grind their keyboards for fans of punk, goth
and cabaret
Virus 264 FLESHIES Kill The Dreamer's Dream LP/CD
diy confronto mayhem punk; understand the hype
Virus 265 RATOS DE PORAO Guerra Civil Canibal 10"/MCD
Canibal-themed hardcore from Brazil. A snack between full-lengthers.
They cover Sepultura & Half Japanese.
***ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES STORE***
Featuring tons of lps, tapes, cds, 7"s, clothing, books, merch,
stickers, buttons, …lots of new stuff now in stock - from the latest
Alternative Tentacle's releases to merchandise to hard to find Wesley
Willis CDs……including TONS OF DEAD KENNEDYS merch - check it out!!
***AT eBAY AUCTION SITE***
Take a geek-peek for yourselves at :

http://cgi6.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewListedItems&userid=virus235&include=0&since=-1&sort=2&rows=25

Or just look for eBay user Virus235.
Lots of bargains, rarities, oddities, that we exhumed from our 22 year old vaults.
Items added almost daily. If you ever wanted to start a museum honoring your favorite label,
this is how you can do it. Phones. Test-Pressings. Posters from the wall. Band photos…..