History Creator / AlternativeTentacles

!!Alternative Tentacles performers, past and present, with Wiki/TVTropes pages:

[=*=]UK only

Alternative Tentacles has suffered some devastating blows over the years. In 1985, Jello Biafra was sued for "distributing harmful matter to minors" -- namely, the Creator/HRGiger piece "Penis Landscape", originally included as a poster with the Dead Kennedys' album ''Music/{{Frankenchrist}}''. Biafra was not convicted, although it was a PyrrhicVictory since the legal battle nearly bankrupted the label and contributed to the band's breakup. In 2003, Biafra's former bandmates, who sued him over claims of unpaid royalties, were awarded the rights to the Dead Kennedys catalog. Despite these tribulations, AT survived and has continued releasing records ever since.

-->--'''The label's [[MilestoneCelebration 40th anniversary]] slogan'''

Alternative Tentacles has suffered some devastating blows over the years. In 1985, Jello Biafra was sued for "distributing harmful matter to minors" -- namely, the Creator/HRGiger piece "Penis Landscape", originally included as a poster with the Dead Kennedys' album ''Music/{{Frankenchrist}}''. Biafra was not convicted, although it it was a PyrrhicVictory since the legal battle nearly bankrupted the label and contributed to the band's breakup. In 2003, Biafra's former bandmates, who sued him over claims of unpaid royalties, were awarded the rights to the Dead Kennedys catalog. Despite these tribulations, AT survived and has continued releasing records ever since.

Besides Biafra's output, the label's music roster has included artists such as Alice Donut, The Dicks, Half Japanese, Music/LeftoverCrack, Music/{{Neurosis}}, Music/{{Nomeansno}}, Music/PansyDivision, Tribe 8, Music/WesleyWillis, and solo releases by Dot Wiggin of Music/TheShaggs and Michael Gira and Jarboe of Music/{{Swans}}, among others. Alternative Tentacles has also partnered with leftist/anarchist book publisher AK Press to release spoken word talks by political commentators such as Mubia Abu-Jamal, Judi Bari, Noam Chomsky, Ward Churchill, Christian Parenti, Greg Palast, Howard Zinn, and Biafra himself. AT has also done some DVD releases of Biafra-related films, including ''Film/TerminalCityRicochet'', ''The Widower'', and the {{Documentary}} ''924 Gilman St.: Lets Talk About Tact and Timing...''.

Originally, AT was created as an outlet for the DK's own music; its first release was the original version of "California Über Alles". However, it soon began signing like-minded punk and {{Hardcore}} bands such as Music/ButtholeSurfers, Music/{{DOA}}, and Music/{{TSOL}}; , and it also released the compilations ''Let Them Eat Jellybeans'' and (in cooperation with ''Maximum Rock & Roll'' magazine) ''Not So Quiet On the Western Front'', which helped obscure punk and {{Hardcore}} bands get a wider audience. Alternative Tentacles also opened a British branch to release underground US bands like Music/BadBrains, Music/BlackFlag, Music/{{Flipper}}, Music/HuskerDu and Music/{{MDC}} in Europe; AT-UK also licensed the ''Film/{{Eraserhead}}'' soundtrack.

Alternative Tentacles Records, a company created by Music/JelloBiafra and East Bay Ray of Music/DeadKennedys (although Biafra has long since taken over sole ownership), is one of America's oldest surviving independent labels; it's been in business since the late [[TheSeventies 1970s]] and has issued over 500 records. Although most often associated with PunkRock, it releases various genres of underground music, as well as a lot of spoken word.

Besides Biafra's output, the label's music roster has included artists such as Alice Donut, The Dicks, Half Japanese, Music/LeftoverCrack, Music/{{Neurosis}}, Music/NoMeansNo, Music/PansyDivision, Tribe 8, Music/WesleyWillis, and solo releases by Dot Wiggin of Music/TheShaggs and Michael Gira and Jarboe of Music/{{Swans}}, among others. Alternative Tentacles has also partnered with leftist/anarchist book publisher AK Press to release spoken word talks by political commentators such as Mubia Abu-Jamal, Judi Bari, Noam Chomsky, Ward Churchill, Christian Parenti, Greg Palast, Howard Zinn, and Biafra himself. AT has also done some DVD releases of Biafra-related films, including ''Film/TerminalCityRicochet'', ''The Widower'', and the {{Documentary}} ''924 Gilman St.: Lets Talk About Tact and Timing...''.

* Music/NoMeansNo

Originally, AT was created as an outlet for the DK's own music; its first release was the original version of "California Über Alles". However, it soon began signing like-minded punk and {{Hardcore}} bands such as Music/ButtholeSurfers, Music/{{DOA}}, and Music/{{TSOL}}; , and it also released the compilations ''Let Them Eat Jellybeans'' and (in cooperation with ''Maximum Rock & Roll'' magazine) ''Not So Quiet On the Western Front'', which helped obscure punk and {{Hardcore}} bands get a wider audience. Alternative Tentacles also opened a British branch to release underground US bands like Music/BlackFlag, Music/{{Flipper}}, Music/HuskerDu and Music/{{MDC}} in Europe; AT-UK also licensed the ''Film/{{Eraserhead}}'' soundtrack.

Years after the Dead Kennedys broke up, Alternative Tentacles suffered a potentially devastating blow; in 1998 Jello Biafra's bandmates, claiming unpaid royalties, successfully sued him for the rights to the DK catalog. However, AT survived and has continued releasing records ever since. Besides Biafra's output, the label's music roster has included artists such as Alice Donut, The Dicks, Half Japanese, Music/LeftoverCrack, Music/{{Neurosis}}, Music/NoMeansNo, Music/PansyDivision, Tribe 8, Music/WesleyWillis, and solo releases by Dot Wiggin of Music/TheShaggs and Michael Gira and Jarboe of Music/{{Swans}}, among others. Alternative Tentacles has also partnered with leftist/anarchist book publisher AK Press to release spoken word talks by political commentators such as Mubia Abu-Jamal, Judi Bari, Noam Chomsky, Ward Churchill, Christian Parenti, Greg Palast, Howard Zinn, and Biafra himself. AT has also done some DVD releases of Biafra-related films, including ''Film/TerminalCityRicochet'', ''The Widower'', and the {{Documentary}} ''924 Gilman St.: Lets Talk About Tact and Timing...''.

Years after the Dead Kennedys broke up, Alternative Tentacles suffered a potentially devastating blow; in 1998 Jello Biafra's bandmates, claiming unpaid royalties, successfully sued him for the rights to the DK catalog. However, AT survived and has continued releasing records ever since. Besides Biafra's output, the label's music roster has included artists such as Alice Donut, The Dicks, Half Japanese, Music/{{Neurosis}}, Music/NoMeansNo, Music/PansyDivision, Tribe 8, and Music/WesleyWillis, among others. Alternative Tentacles has also partnered with leftist/anarchist book publisher AK Press to release spoken word talks by political commentators such as Mubia Abu-Jamal, Judi Bari, Noam Chomsky, Ward Churchill, Christian Parenti, Greg Palast, Howard Zinn, and Biafra himself. AT has also done some DVD releases of Biafra-related films, including ''Film/TerminalCityRicochet'', ''The Widower'', and the {{Documentary}} ''924 Gilman St.: Lets Talk About Tact and Timing...''.

Years after the Dead Kennedys broke up, Alternative Tentacles suffered a potentially devastating blow; in 1998 Jello Biafra's bandmates, claiming unpaid royalties, successfully sued him for the rights to the DK catalog. However, AT survived and has continued releasing records ever since. Besides Biafra's output, the label's music roster has included artists such as Alice Donut, The Dicks, Half Japanese, Music/{{Neurosis}}, Music/NoMeansNo, Music/PansyDivision, Tribe 8, and Music/WesleyWillis, among others. Alternative Tentacles has also partnered with leftist/anarchist book publisher AK Press to release spoken word talks by political commentators such as Mubia Abu-Jamal, Judi Bari, Noam Chomsky, Ward Churchill, Christian Parenti, Greg Palast, Howard Zinn, and Biafra himself.

Originally, AT was created as an outlet for the DK's own music; its first release was the original version of "California Über Alles". However, it soon began signing like-minded punk and {{Hardcore}} bands such as Music/ButtholeSurfers, Music/{{DOA}} and Music/{{TSOL}}; , and it also released the compilations ''Let Them Eat Jellybeans'' and (in cooperation with ''Maximum Rock & Roll'' magazine) ''Not So Quiet On the Western Front'', which helped obscure punk and {{Hardcore}} bands get a wider audience. Alternative Tentacles also opened a British branch to release underground US bands like Music/BlackFlag, Music/{{Flipper}} and Music/HuskerDu in Europe; AT-UK also licensed the ''Film/{{Eraserhead}}'' soundtrack.