Prior to releasing their full-length debut Answer That and Stay Fashionable, AFI delivered a trio of 7-inch EPs through Key Lime Pie Records in the early '90s, all three of which command hefty sums on sites such as Discogs. Now, the band claim to have never been notified about plans to reissue their earliest work.
In a statement through their Facebook page, AFI revealed reissues of EPs Dork/Stick Around, Behind the Times and Eddie Picnic's All Wet were planned by former bassist Geoff Kresge. The band allege that Kresge, who left the group in 1996, has "taken it upon himself to assume control of the shared Key Lime Pie label and release these records without notifying or consulting us."
"We had always loved the fact that these releases were special limited edition items, pieces of history that we wanted to keep rare," they wrote in a statement, citing that original pressings of each EP were made in the hundreds. "Geoff has begun accepting pre-orders of the Dork EP and is including on it an unreleased song which he wrote no part of, without getting permission from the co-owners and songwriters."
The reissued trio of EPs are available through Atom Age Industries for $15 USD a piece. The band went on to note that "Geoff has never paid anyone in the band, including [former guitarist Mark Stopholese], their share of the proceeds of these sales, despite our repeated requests that he do the right thing and pay our shares."
AFI continued: "While we do feel for what we can only assume is Geoff's financial need, it simply is not fair for one person — a person who left the band willingly in 1996 — to benefit to the exclusion of the other owners of these recordings and writers of the songs. As fans, of course, we support your right to buy as you please, but we wanted you to know that we do not support these sales."
Find the band's complete statement below.
In a statement through their Facebook page, AFI revealed reissues of EPs Dork/Stick Around, Behind the Times and Eddie Picnic's All Wet were planned by former bassist Geoff Kresge. The band allege that Kresge, who left the group in 1996, has "taken it upon himself to assume control of the shared Key Lime Pie label and release these records without notifying or consulting us."
"We had always loved the fact that these releases were special limited edition items, pieces of history that we wanted to keep rare," they wrote in a statement, citing that original pressings of each EP were made in the hundreds. "Geoff has begun accepting pre-orders of the Dork EP and is including on it an unreleased song which he wrote no part of, without getting permission from the co-owners and songwriters."
The reissued trio of EPs are available through Atom Age Industries for $15 USD a piece. The band went on to note that "Geoff has never paid anyone in the band, including [former guitarist Mark Stopholese], their share of the proceeds of these sales, despite our repeated requests that he do the right thing and pay our shares."
AFI continued: "While we do feel for what we can only assume is Geoff's financial need, it simply is not fair for one person — a person who left the band willingly in 1996 — to benefit to the exclusion of the other owners of these recordings and writers of the songs. As fans, of course, we support your right to buy as you please, but we wanted you to know that we do not support these sales."
Find the band's complete statement below.