Kindercore people get ANGRY

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Ooh, the passion:


11/25/03

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KINDERCORE RECORDS FOUNDERS FILE SUIT AGAINST THE TELEGRAPH COMPANY,
I.D.E.A. INC.

Kindercore Records founders Daniel Geller and Ryan Lewis today filed a
lawsuit against I.D.E.A. (International Development of Entertainment
Alliances), also known as The Telegraph Company, Kindercore General Manager
Jerod Gunsberg and I.D.E.A. CEO Stanley Hartman for breach of contract,
slander, libel, and a host of other infractions. (Supreme County of The
State of New York, County of New York Index No. 03603716)

A strategic partnership formed in 2001 between the Kindercore label and
Telegraph was intended to strengthen the label's administration and further
the aesthetic and ideals that Geller and Lewis had established. The
partnership quickly devolved over the 18 months that the relationship
existed, culminating in the recent announcement that Kindercore was folding.

Geller states, "We were as surprised as anyone on November 12th to learn
that Kindercore would be closing. We were also surprised on November 14th
to find out the label was not closed and would now be run by Stan Harman who
had previously stated to us that he wanted nothing to do with the creative
side of running a record label".

In the beginning, Geller and Lewis expected that their partnership with
Telegraph would allow them to continue guiding the artistic direction of
Kindercore while also allowing more time for them to work on their own
music. Geller and Lewis perform in bands on the Kindercore label - I Am The
World Trade Center and The Agenda respectively.


Lewis says, "We're artists at heart and have always been about the music.
We saw this partnership as a chance to keep the label going in the same
artistic direction that we had established and to also uphold our
commitments to our artists."

Instead, after the agreements were signed, Geller and Lewis began to see
their roles at the label rapidly diminish, a situation that came to a head
when Kindercore signed two bands that Geller and Lewis had passed on (in one
case) and had never even heard (in the other). Compounding this lack of
control over their own company, Geller and Lewis' own bands were then
dropped from the label, a curious move considering that I Am The World Trade
Center is the second biggest selling act on Kindercore.

"Since being in bands on the roster was essentially the last real connection
we had with the label we started, we had no other choice but to await
further news on the future of Kindercore", Geller says. "At this point, we'
re very concerned for the bands that are still associated with Kindercore."

Lewis elaborates, stating that he and Geller are doing "everything we can to
bring a quick resolution to this situation. Bringing this legal action was
the last thing we wanted to do, but we felt it was the only thing we could
do to help the friends and artists who had faith in us when we entered into
this arrangement with Telegraph."

Quinn Heraty, of the law firm Heraty Hall, is representing the plaintiffs. A
legal fund has been established to help offset the costs associated with
furthering this action. Please visit www.heratyhall.com/kindercore for more
information on how to contribute.

Legal inquiries can be directed to Quinn Heraty at Heraty Hall.
212-979-3728 | kindercore@heratyhall.com | www.heratyhall.com

Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 18:25 (twenty-one years ago)

ooh I have some particularly juicy gossip re: olivia tremor control and kindercore I could spill here but won't.

cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 18:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Instead you'll share it elsewhere and we thank you.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 18:29 (twenty-one years ago)

dan and ryan are nice guys though

cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 18:30 (twenty-one years ago)

amy's a bit, um, testy though

cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 18:30 (twenty-one years ago)

oh, I was wondering if Kindercore was still going just a few days ago.

jel -- (jel), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 18:31 (twenty-one years ago)

lesson #1 in running a record label -- be very very very careful concerning who you make alliance with -- otherwise, prepare to be fucked over.

jack cole (jackcole), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 18:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Lesson #2 - running a record label is not all that fun.

Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 18:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, I'm really glad to hear that they're not going without putting up a fight.

Elyn (elynbeth), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 19:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Fanatic Promotion SPAMed me with this email -- wtf? What the hell do I care about Kindercore's legal woes?

Mark (MarkR), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 19:18 (twenty-one years ago)

In the beginning, Geller and Lewis expected that their partnership with Telegraph would allow them to continue guiding the artistic direction of Kindercore while also allowing more time for them to work on their own music.

lesson #3 - this is a sad story, but how naive can you be? you can not sell your company (or take on a partner) *and* maintain control (which is what i take them to mean when they say "continue guiding the artistic direction"). it doesn't work that way in any business in any field. the buyer gets control and the seller loses control. that is, in its entirety, what the buyer is buying. he may choose to exercise it passively or actively, but either way he gets it.

fact checking cuz, Tuesday, 25 November 2003 19:19 (twenty-one years ago)

they got kindercore confused with child's view, mark

fiddo centington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 19:20 (twenty-one years ago)

(not that you care much about them anymore, either)

fiddo centington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 19:20 (twenty-one years ago)

fiddo hit the nail on the proverbial head. SMACK!

jack cole (jackcole), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 19:22 (twenty-one years ago)

seriously, i'm no fan of kindercore (i couldn't even name a record they released), but jesus, will indie labels never learn that it's a bad idea to enter into partnerships with, uh, organizations where people can be designated things like "c.e.o."?

fiddo centington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 19:24 (twenty-one years ago)

unless you have a band on your label big enough to be stocked in borders, no one associated with your label needs a title.

fiddo centington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 19:24 (twenty-one years ago)

hasnt kindercore been on the fade out for years anyway after hitching its wagon to E6? i mean, im no fan of kindercore (or E6, for that matter) -- but the label was pretty much a one trick pony.

jack cole (jackcole), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 19:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Kindercore. Just the name makes me shudder.

Baked Bean Teeth (Baked Bean Teeth), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 19:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh yeah, I received this via the (also) Athens-based Fanatic promo. Curious about the Olivia Tremor Control gossip...

Kate Silver (Kate Silver), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 20:24 (twenty-one years ago)

When it comes to distribution of precious product, tis always better to do it yourself. (Big labels are gasping their last anyway, with the cheaper overhead of using the internet to sell product. Can only think of UMG and BMG, at the mo....unless I'm missing others.)

Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 20:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Kindercore people get ANGRY

*stamp* *stamp* *stamp* *stamp*

*pout*

teeny (teeny), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 21:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Kindercore had some revitalization of late. I know of one band who's out a record deal because of this whole thing that would've really changed how the label was perceived when their album came out next spring. Dan was really focusing on getting some different sounds into the mix.

Xii (Xii), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 21:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Angry? Colicky, maybe

nate detritus (natedetritus), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 21:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Kindercore had some revitalization of late

this is true. i don't really think they released anything worthwhile at all til the last couple of years. i'm most upset for Melbourne band Gersey, who were hoping to relocate to the US on the back of their Kindercore deal.

the surface noise (electricsound), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 23:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I likes me some Gersey. Too bad -- both their Trifekta albums are v. solid.

Baked Bean Teeth (Baked Bean Teeth), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 00:29 (twenty-one years ago)

they get a lot of stick for being 'boring' in their hometown but i rate their first album very very highly (and the second one is good too)

the surface noise (electricsound), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 00:39 (twenty-one years ago)

oh kindercore. it was one of my favorite labels! sucks for gersey and palomar - whose new album that was, i guess supposed to be released in 2004, is really nice.

phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 00:56 (twenty-one years ago)

it sucks because i liked the idea that indie labels like Kindercore were modeling a new possibility for businesses. It's a bit of a gynocentric (woman-centered) thing, i guess -- the idea that businessed didn't have to be all cut-throat and could work together. an alternative economy might have a better chance of working if it was supportive of other alternative businesses.

mandinina (mandinina), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 01:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I likes me some Gersey. Too bad -- both their Trifekta albums are v. solid.

They're OK, I vastly prefer the other band Matt Davis is in: Gaslight Radio

Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 01:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Geller states, "We were as surprised as anyone on November 12th to learn
that Kindercore would be closing. We were also surprised on November 14th
to find out the label was not closed and would now be run by Stan Harman who
had previously stated to us that he wanted nothing to do with the creative
side of running a record label".

So, uh, ARE they closing down, or what? If so, what should I grab off of Emusic* while I still can?

*Yeah, even after all of my whining about the new management, I'm still a subscriber. I suck.

Christine 'Green Leafy Dragon' Indigo (cindigo), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 02:33 (twenty-one years ago)

They're shutting down for new releases. Back catalog will remain in print.

Xii (Xii), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 02:36 (twenty-one years ago)

When I read about the shutting down on Pitchfork last week or whenever I was convinced the whole thing was a big joke. The Telegraph Company CEO and such. I mean, I thought the label was folding and blaming it on "the Man" for laughs.

scott m (mcd), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 02:56 (twenty-one years ago)

No they are for uh, real.

http://www.thetelegraphcompany.com/

(sorry lazy)

V

Venus Glow (1411), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 03:46 (twenty-one years ago)

outside of of montreal the label was mostly a disaster.

keith m (keithmcl), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 04:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Kindercore?!?!?!?!? I was expecting this to be a thread about ravey records made using free toys from crappy chocolate eggs!!!!!! Talk about disappointment!!!!

Old Fart!!! (oldfart_sd), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 10:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Ryan & Dan are REALLY fucking good guys, who spent a lot of their own money and all their freetime to try and create a label they could be proud of.
in retrospect, yes, they got into bed with the wrong partners. but they didn't do it out of greed, they did it because they honestly thought it would be the best thing for their label's future.

regardless of what one's own thoughts on the label or its output, its still terrible that good folks who're going it for all the right reasons get fucked over like this.

and, as for the 'Olivia Tremor Control gossip'... well, doesn't that sort of thing depend on which half of OTC you talk to?
there's too many weird egomaniac freaks in that Elephant6 'community'. they act all indie-rock and "ooh, look at us, there's 14 of us in the band. we're a collective", then as soon as there's a sniff of some money it's all "well, actually, i'm the songwriter. you 13 guys never contributed anything".

ian johno (ian johno), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 13:47 (twenty-one years ago)

....too many weird egomaniac freaks in that Elephant6 'community'

If only.


V

V (1411), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 16:36 (twenty-one years ago)

it's bad karma for releasing their kincaid records.

keith m (keithmcl), Thursday, 27 November 2003 04:54 (twenty-one years ago)

three years pass...

so they're existing again...

Kindercore, the influential underground boutique record label has been reborn as an independent media label–its new roster expanded to include bands, comic book artists, analysts, premier t-shirt designers, and humorists from Athens, GA and beyond.

Garrett Martin, Monday, 2 July 2007 21:34 (eighteen years ago)


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