Viv Albertine, guitarist of punk pioneers The Slits has claimed that the band never received royalties for their 1979 debut album Cut. Albertine called out Island Records in a series of tweets asking the label to write off “The Slits’ paltry 40 year debt to celebrate 40 years of punk so we can receive royalties at last,” also reaching out to Rough Trade for their help.
Dear @RoughTrade – the rotters @islandrecords still not paying #theslits any royalties for #cut after nearly 40 years – can you help us?
— Viv Albertine (@viv_albertine) May 30, 2016
Released in 1979, Cut was a defining album in the punk punk cannon and paved the way for the Riot Grrrl movement of the 90s. The album was re-released by Island Records in 1990 and 2000. The record is due to have another reissue by Island Records, this time on purple vinyl from The Vinyl Factory, which The Slits allegedly “still don’t get a penny for”.
Credits
Text Lula Ososki