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LONDON — Stiff Records' six-week dispute with Island, which led to the independent company's entire catalog vanishing from retailers' shelves, has been resolved.
Stiff directors Jake Riviera and Dave Robinson have renegotiated a three-year pressing and distribution contract with Island, which means that the albums Damned Damned Damned, A Bunch Of Stiffs, and Nick Lowe's Bowi EP are again available.
Under the previous agreement, negotiated in March, Island handled press and promotion. Now Stiff is to look after this side of the operation itself.
The dispute — the cause of which remains a mystery — was finally resolved after Riviera, Robinson, and Island managing director Tim Clark flew to New York for talks with Island chief Chris Blackwell.
Commented Tim Clark: "We are happy to have come to a new agreement with Stiff. They thought the original idea was too restrictive, but our new arrangement allows Stiff more autonomy and the freedom to promote in their own inimitable style."
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