In case you don't know, in 1997, an employee at Alternative Tentacles Records discovered that Dead Kennedys had been underpaid $76,000 in royalties over a 10-year period. When leader singer (and head of Alternative Records), Jello Biafra, was told this at a label meeting, he said, do not tell the band. Biafra then attempted to use the band's own royalties as a bargaining chip to get the other band members to sign all their rights to his label worldwide forever.

Later, someone at the label informed the band that these were royalties they had already earned. When confronted, Biafra refused to compensate the band without a court order. Left with no choice, the band members' business partnership, Decay Music, voted to cut ties with Alternative Tentacles and to have Biafra recognize majority vote and to pay back royalties.

The band then went to court to regain control of their back catalog and eventually won the court case of Dead Kennedys v. Jello Biafra. The band then re-released their back catalog on Manifesto Records along with a live compliation album, Mutiny On the Bay.

Biafra has recently appealed the rulling, citing his influence on the band and supposed duties as main songwriter.

My question is, how do you feel about this?

Is there a 'most obscure poll' contest? If so, we may have a winner. For the record, I picked the "I respect Jello, but feel the legal action was neccessary." option.

Holiday in Cambodia, baby!

Not a lot of people were talking about Dead Kennedys, so I thought I would start a poll.

Without knowing much of the true facts of the case (just the "he said / she said" parts of it), I'd say that the band is probably in the right.

Biafra is a nutjob. Anyone listening to his spoken word material can tell that the man does not have his head grounded in reality anymore, and just loves to make up conspiracy theories for everything.

You forgot the "anyone who calls himself Jello Biafra deserves to be drug out in the street and shot" option.

Any respect I may have had for Jello went out with this. He should've just given them the money.

I still like some of their old records (yes, records--I have them on vinyl).

I have tasted the hypocracy and it was delicious. Jello is a thief.

I completely agree wiht Ginwen and Hiro11, however I will keep my Holiday in Cambodia, Frankenchrist and the awesome colaboration that is Lard.