Punk’s not dead! Not if Alternative Tentacles can help it

By Bridget Holt 

Music Journalist 

Formed in 1979 by spoken word artist, musician, and undisputed punk legend, Jello Biafra– most notably recognized for his work as the frontman of acts such as Dead Kennedys’, Lard, and Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine–  San Francisco’s Alternative Tentacles has been a household name in the punk community for over 45 years, having released material from Black Flag to Wesley Willis, to even Nardwuar the Human Serviette. The label holds a special place in alternative music history, growing into one of the largest underground labels today and keeping the punk spirit alive through its oath to authenticity, artistic freedom, and its core DIY values. 

While Alternative Tentacles was originally conceived as an avenue for the Dead Kennedys to release their music independently, with the label’s first release being the classic Kennedys’ track, California Über Alles, they would soon draw the attention of other groups that wanted the same kind of freedom. In 1981 the label would put out their first non-Dead Kennedys’-related release, Let Them Eat Jellybeans!, which was a compilation record consisting of singles from numerous North American hardcore punk artists such as Bad Brains, The Feederz, and Subhumans. Due to the success of the record, single and full-length releases by Flipper, D.O.A, and Black Flag were all under their belt by ‘82. 

Throughout the early to mid-eighties, as Alternative Tentacles proceeded to make a name for themselves in the U.S., and throughout parts of Europe, the label was also dealing with some behind-the-scenes conflict– that conflict being an obscenity trial. While other Dead Kennedys fans will probably know what I’m referencing, I won’t be getting into it now – but the gist of it is Biafra, and subsequently, the Alternative Tentacles label being charged with obscenity in 1987 due to the original album cover of Dead Kennedys’ third studio album, Frankenchrist. While the trial costs did in part play a role in the eventual disassembling of the band, it also made Alternative Tentacles the first record label to ever be put on trial for such a matter; underlining it all with the label’s ethos: free speech, and getting punk music into the hands of as many people as possible. And Jello was – is always – going to fight for it. 

The label has put out countless records, with some of the most recognized and critically acclaimed punk bands in their repertoire. Of course, with the multitude of Jello Biafra projects he’s released over the years (which are worth your time) but also with some of the classic hard and fast punk bands like Bad Brains, Hüsker Dü, Brujeria, and The Dicks all having released material through the label. Alternative Tentacles has also released a lot of lesser-known, worthwhile cuts, with some of my personal favorites being Pachinko’s discography (not to be confused with Panchiko), Mojo Nixon, The Mentally Ill, and the haunting work of Jarboe. For whatever you might like, the label has released all kinds of different genres and styles of music for you to dig into, and much of it is pretty good stuff.  

Alternative Tentacles continues to pour fuel on the undistinguishable fire that is punk-rock. Most recently with the release of “Bad Indian” by the Dead Pioneers on 7-inch vinyl, and of course, the re-release of Blubber Blunder by Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine, which, in true Biafra spirit, is fast, in your face, and unforgivingly politically charged. AT has also signed The Darts, who are an all-girl punk band based in Pheonix, Arizona; the group being one to watch with the success of their most recent record, Boomerang, which has no shortage of catchy riffs and spooky frills. If you happen to be in a band yourself, you can even send a demo to the Alternative Tentacles P.O. box for Biafra to listen to himself, and perhaps, even release it. But only if he likes it.