ESG "Sickened" by Record Store Day Exclusive's Artwork

BY Gregory AdamsPublished Apr 20, 2015

While plenty of vinyl junkies came out of this weekend's Record Store Day event feeling good about grabbing some exclusive loot, South Bronx post-punk outfit ESG report they're feeling "sickened" over the artwork used for their RSD release, The Moody EP.

The band's Renee Scroggins took to Facebook yesterday (April 19) to chew out Fire Records over their Record Store Day release of The Moody EP, a new 12-inch that compiles tracks like "Moody" and the oft-sampled "UFO."

As you'll see up above, the release also features artwork from John Foster inspired by the band's self-titled 12-inch from 1981, which had also been used for the A South Bronx Story compilation in 2000. Though it takes a similar, swirly approach, Scroggins has taken issue with the new artwork, calling it "insulting" to the band's legacy.

"We do not support in any way this piece of garbage/rubbish," Scroggins wrote. "It looks as if someone took the classics ESG artwork and puked it on a canvas, after being as sickened as I am about this release! This is no how admiration or a respectful tribute to the band's legacy. Do not support this travesty and blatant disrespect of ESG!"

Fire Records defended itself following Scroggins' scathing critique, with the label's James Nicholls noting he had believed ESG had signed off on the art. Apparently there was a bit of a mix-up on that front, which he says he's apologized for, but he also points out that a similar approach was taken on releases like 2010's Dance to the Best of ESG. He also revealed that the reason why Foster reinterpreted the source material is because, while the label has the rights to the tunes, they don't have the license to reproduce the original art.

"Fire purchased the rights to do this for a very large sum," Nicholls said over Facebook. "This new version of the EP was actually in Time Out's, NME's, Mixmag's RSD Picks but Renee doesn't like the artwork, which I actually thought she had approved (a mistake I apologized about 999 times for). Bit of a mess really, but John did design the other reissues that she was fine with, and which have, like this EP, been well received."

It's further suggested the current snafu was instigated after an incident at a ESG gig in London, with Nicholls explaining, "I offered to do merch for her at the London show, and give her the entire proceeds to sales of this record on the night, and she took that as treading on her turf, which I totally understand now....and she has made that point very strongly indeed."

Thanks to FACT for the tip.

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