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SAN FRANCISCO -- The Cubby Creatures deny reports that their latest full-length CD,
After the Deprogramming, released on Rodent Records, was produced at an Oakland sweatshop.
Brian Weaver, bassist of the band, says that the reports are grossly exaggerated rumors started
by a few CD-assembly-party attendees "who were really just joking about the situation."
According to Weaver, the Cubbies threw an assembly party so that people would help them put the
CD packaging together, since they are doing the packaging themselves, which is proving to be
very time consuming. "It's a real DIY situation," Weaver explained, "so we thought we'd throw
a party and buy a bunch of beer and pizza and ask people over to help us out. It was laid back
and casual so I don't know how that could be considered sweatshop-like conditions. I mean, I
guess it was kinda warm in there, but the worst that happened was people got some glue on their
fingers." Though Weaver claims the assembly environment at Cubby Creatures' front man Bill Fisher’s house, where the party took place, was not sweatshop-like, an attendee of the gathering, who wishes to remain anonymous, reported that she "was only able to eat one small piece of pizza, was never offered a beer, and was scolded," apparently for the way she glued a CD tray onto the thick paper base of the CD package. Jason Gonzales, Cubby Creatures percussionist, considers the accusations that the CD was produced in an Oakland sweatshop absurd. He even goes so far to say "those allegations…were made by people who are UN-Cubby, by people who hate us." When asked who would hate the Cubby Creatures, Weaver responded, "the Cult of Yuddle and their followers. They've hated us for awhile and are always trying to sabotage and subvert our artistic ambitions and creations." Cult-of-Yuddle-embellished rumors or not, the sweatshop reports have apparently affected sales, only one CD having been sold so far, according to Antonette Goroch of Rodent Records. Weaver says, however, that that's not unusual. "We never sell any CDs anyway. I mean, sometimes at shows we do, but really we give most of them away." When asked if the Cubby Creatures were worried about the effect the sweatshop reports would have on their image, Gonzales replied, "That would be what those people want, isn't it? I'm sure that the liberal media is watering at the mouth to get their hands on a story like this. They never report on the positive aspects of the record -- how it is a genuine 'do-it-yourself' album, how it encourages creativity. But I can attest that the process of completing the album was in strict adherence to the employment codes for the State of California.” It has yet to be seen if anyone will attempt to sue the Cubby Creatures. Weaver says he would be very surprised if anyone did, "seeing that they wouldn't have a case." The After the Deprogramming CD is available at Aquarius Records and Amoeba Music in Berkeley and San Francisco, and obtainable online through Rodent Records' Web site. |