GREENMUSE is a regular reader and fan contributor at antiMUSIC, the views expressed here don't necessarily reflect those of antiMUSIC or our sponsors, but we are sure you will enjoy what he has to say! 

In the music world there are bands and then there are the legends. The almost holy, not limited to but including The Beatles, Black Sabbath, Zeppelin, The Clash and the Dead Kennedys; it’s the last one I'm here to talk about. 

Jello Biafra was the front man of the band and wrote almost all of their songs.  He also owns Alternative Tentacles Records, which has been the Kennedys label pretty much since the beginning. The label has also been home to The Butthole Surfers, Mojo Nixon, Nomeansno, The Beatnigs and a plethora of assorted other bands. From spoken word, to folk, the label has it all. 

After the Kennedys broke up in 86 things haven’t been so pleasant between the ex-members, especially between guitarist Eastbay Ray and Jello. A year or so ago the former Kennedys took Jello and Alternative Tentacles to court for “failing to promote Dead Kennedys properly”. Jello thought he had this one in the bag, as no label promotes a defunct band’s back catalog. Well he was horribly wrong; the judgment was against Jello and A/T records. With payments to the ex-Kennedys and the legal costs Jello and A/T records now owe over a million dollars. Jello is appealing the judgment, but isn’t the worst part of the story. Here is where things get dirty.  

Supposedly the Dead Kennedys have been booked by a booking agency in Florida, but Jello wont be there. When asked about his absence the band has been evasive at best. To add insult to injury the band also released a live album for which Jello had this to say “The other 3 ex-Kennedys have now released a lame live album that I was not allowed any input on at all.  The sound is OK, but the performances range from so-so to just plain bad.  Not much thought appears to have gone into the artwork either, in sharp contrast to the original spirit of the band.  I do not recommend this album.” Jello’s former band mates have also went so far as to release “reissues” of the old albums. Like a slap in the face, these CD’s failed to give Jello credit for writing his songs. What makes this even sillier is the fact that D. H Peligro now has song writing credits on an album that was released before he even joined the band!  

In January East Bay Ray went into Mordam Records (Alternative Tentacles distributor) and took every unsold copy of the DK’s albums. The only albums he left were the “Nazi Punks, Fuck Off!” singles. Now Ray won’t tell Jello what has been done with the albums.   I imagine this must be heartbreaking for Jello to see his life’s work stolen out from under him and sold to the highest bidder,  to have the name of the band he worked so hard in tarnished. It’s just a matter of time before we will here the sounds of “Holiday in Cambodia” or “Police Truck” in a fuckin Gap ad. Have you ever played Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater? There’s a censored version of “Police Truck” in the game. Who knows what’s next?  

The mounting legal fees are taking their toll on Jello and Alternative Tentacles, which may soon be forced to shutdown. Jello has avoided going to his fans for help as long as he could. Now under crushing debt he has created the “Alternative Tentacles Legal Defense Fund”. Fans can send in whatever they can spare to help pay all the mounting legal fees so Jello can hopefully stop his former band mates from dragging the good name of the Dead Kennedys through the mud any further. This fund is much like the “no more censorship fund” for the Frankenchrist trial. Jello has stated that the money will only go towards legal fees, not to pay his personal debts. This issue saddens me greatly; I admire the work of Jello and the other Dead Kennedys. If it wasn’t for East Bay Ray, I may never have picked up a guitar. So if you see fit to join the fight and help Jello preserve the Dead Kennedys good name I’ve included some links below for you to learn more about the situation and contribute. 

For more information on this issue go to WWW.ALTERNATIVETENETACLES.COM also if you want to contribute to the fund you can send it to:

AT LEGAL DEFENSE FUND
P. O.  BOX 419092
San Francisco, CA 94141

Agree or Disagree? 

Fan Speak:

end