L7 Release Official Statement On Pledge Music Fiasco | Iconic Flying V Guitar “Golden Ticket” Giveaway | “Holding Pattern” Video
L7 Release Official Statement On Pledge Music Fiasco“The only time we will speak of this again will be in a courtroom.” Make Financial Commitment To Honor Pledge Record Mailings
With Support From Joan Jett & Blackheart Records Special GOLDEN TICKET Giveaway of Donita Sparks’ Iconic Gibson Flying V Guitar Release “Holding Pattern” Video
Click Image Above To Watch “Holding Pattern” Video
L7’s legendary career has been fueled by their incredible fans for more than two decades. The American grunge-punk icons’ creative reunion was initially ignited by an outpouring of encouragement and support on social media when the band hinted at the idea of a documentary in early 2015. Thrilled to give back directly to their fans, the band set out to fund their first album in 20 years, Scatter The Rats, with the now defunct Pledge Music. Today, the band has shared their official statement about the fiasco and offer a huge thanks to their fans’ support and patience as well as to Blackheart Recordsfor stepping in to make it all possible.
“To give a brief summary for those not familiar with the Pledge Music scam, in a nutshell, the funds that many bands and their supporters raised through the crowdfunding platform were absconded by the company with zero accountability and unreturned legal appeals. Their site is no longer live and they are filing for bankruptcy protection in the U.K. As bad as it is, the band nonetheless has made the financial decision to honor our fans who pre-ordered the album through Pledge Music, and which they have yet to receive. Thanks to Joan Jett and Blackheart Records, L7 was able to manufacture and ship what would have been utterly impossible without their support. Pledge Music has held over twenty thousand dollars in shipping costs alone that we have no access to and will likely never see. However, L7 has made the financial commitment to honor these mailings.”
The band declares “From the Borough of Brooklyn to the shores of Peru, every Pledger who paid for the record please take note, the music is on its way!” In addition to mailing the records to backers, the band has announced a special “Willy Wonka” style giveaway! With the help from Blackheart Records andGibson Guitars one backer will find a GOLDEN TICKET in their record/cd sleeve to receive Donita’s iconic Gibson Flying V guitar, signed and played on stage during the Scatter the Rats Tour! The band also shares the new “Holding Pattern” video today (directed by Rob Sheridan), stating: “Although our song “Holding Pattern” is not about this lousy experience with Pledge Music, we believe that we can all relate to its inspiration of being caught in a disheartening loop of stagnation in one way or another.” L7 have released Scatter The Rats, their blistering 1st new album in 20 years on Blackheart Records. Armed with lyrical daggers, rib-rattling chops, the record has been positively received from fans and critics alike. It has had accolades from The New York Times, NPR Weekend Edition, Rolling Stone,Pitchfork, DAZED, Los Angeles Times, Alternative Press, Revolver, Forbes,Kerrang!, Flaunt, Modern Drummer and many more.
“On Scatter the Rats, L7 return as a bloodthirsty gang (just check theL7-branded motorcycle club leather jackets they wear on the cover) andlive up to their legacy.” – Rolling Stone“it proves that a few years haven’t dampened this band’s ferocity andattitude.” – LA Weekly“shows the seasoned rockers at their most confident, fun, and pissed offas ever.” – Revolver Magazine“Good news” – The New York Times “Playlist”“a high-octane composition that falls in line with the best of L7’s ’90s heyday.”– Consequence of Sound“The members of L7 clearly haven’t lost any of their snarling grunge spirit inthe two decades since they last put out a new record, and the lead single“Burn Baby” would sound right at home on their 1992 breakout album Bricks Are Heavy.” – Paste Magazine“They sound as vibrant as ever with a potent blend of grunge, metal and garage-rock, combining scuzzy guitars, pounding rhythms, catchy song hooks, deadpan vocals and catchy song hooks.” – KEXP
Formed in 1985, L7 first began as a collaboration between Donita Sparks andSuzi Gardner. Later adding Jennifer Finch and Dee Plakas to the lineup, L7 released their self-titled debut in 1988, followed by 1990’s Smell the Magicand 1992’s Bricks Are Heavy, a Billboard 200 hit whose lead single “Pretend We’re Dead” reached the top 10 on the Alternative Songs chart. In the meantime, L7 founded Rock for Choice and organized the abortion-rights nonprofit’s inaugural, history-making concert (a 1991 event also featuring Nirvana and Hole). With Hungry for Stink arriving in 1994, the band joined that summer’s Lollapalooza tour, later releasing 1997’s The Beauty Process: Triple Platinum and 1999’s Slap-Happy. Announcing an indefinite hiatus in 2001, L7 returned for extensive touring in 2015, then put out a pair of back-to-back singles: 2017’s “Dispatch from Mar-a-Lago” and 2018’s “I Came Back to Bitch.” In addition, 2016 saw the release of L7: Pretend We’re Dead, a feature-length documentary on L7 by Blue Hats Creative.