• Title: VIOLENT FEMMES DROPPED BY INTERSCOPE
• Author: MTV News Staff
• Publication: MTV News
• Date: 04/07/1998

Seminal alternative punksters the Violent Femmes have been dropped by their label, Interscope Records. The break comes at a rather inopportune moment for the band, which was slated to release its seventh album, “Freak Magnet,” on May 19.

A representative for Interscope could only comment that the label would not be releasing the new record, while a source at the band’s management company said that the split with Interscope — which came last week — was an “amicable parting” and denied that the label had rejected the album.

“The Femmes haven’t released a record in four years,” the management source said, “so we don’t think that a delay will have much of an impact overall.” The group’s last album, “New Times,” was released by Elektra in 1994.

The Femmes are currently said to be shopping “Magnet” around, and hope to have the album out “in the near future.” The source also said that the interruption in the release schedule wouldn’t affect the band’s current tour.

Since you won’t be able to hear the Femmes on record for a while, you may want to catch them live instead. Other dates for the band’s spring tour:

4/7 – Louisville, KY @ Knights Hall
4/9 – Johnstown, PA @ University of Pittsburgh
4/16 – Stevens Point, WI @ University of Wisconsin
4/17 – Marquette, MI @ Northern Michigan University
4/18 – Winona, MN @ Winona State University
4/19 – Fargo, ND @ Civic Memorial Auditorium
4/21 – Peoria, IL @ Madison Theatre
4/24 – Charlotte, NC @ Central Cityfest
5/2 – Salisbury, MD @ Salisbury State University
5/3 – Atlanta, GA @ Music Midtown Festival
5/15 – Burlington, WI @ Chocolate Festival