Anyone aware of the punk scene knows about the problems that go down when Victory Records gets involved. The latest to join the "Victory Records Sucks" parade? New Jersey ska band Streetlight Manifesto (but I guess you guessed that from the title).
Streetlight Manifesto has posted on their website a call to arms, a boycott of their merch and music. According to Streetlight:
Victory has a long-time reputation of pocketing all of the proceeds from a band’s music and merch, with shady accounting and generally bully-ish behavior.
This is not news to most, seeing as bands, such as A Day To Remember and Hawthorne Heights, have filed very public lawsuits against the record company throught the years since the label was founded in 1989.
Streetlight Manifesto does have an advantage over earlier bands seeing as how they have other options for their fans:
If you want to support Streetlight, our music and our ability to tour and continue to release music, please make all SM related purchases from our own webstore, The RISC Store (www.riscstore.com), or come out to a show and buy a shirt or cd from us directly. In regards to getting the music we make, you can buy directly from us, or, alternately, we’re sure you can find a way to get the tunes onto your computer that may not be, ahem, traditional…
Streetlight Manifesto has announced that they will be releasing an album this summer, however the actual release is still yet to be determined with the ongoing disagreement with Victory Records.
It's unfortunate to see the punk scene have drama like this, the small tight knit community should be working together to bring awesome music to the population not fighting with itself over shitty contracts (I feel the same way about the NHL, less contract issues more games but that's neither here not there).
I don't want to point fingers and blame Victory for all these problems, I mean they do draw up these contracts. BUT if you know multiple bands are having problems with the record, WHY DO YOU SIGN WITH THEM?! I know you're desperate to get big, but come on! Think this through just a little bit! But I digress (again).
This could be the single most punk thing I've seen happen in months. Actively telling fans to boycott their music and merch? So awesome! I'm sure Link's head is spinning as he reads this news.
Check out their whole statement on their website here. And make sure you leave comments or drop us all a tweet @_CaitMonster, @3DLink, or @UpThePucks