Black Lips single released by label over “allegations” against band member

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Italian label Wild Honey released a 7-inch Black Lips single, slated for release last month, due to “certain allegations” against a member of the group.

The single containing a cover of “Colt 44” by Fred Cole and “Alone and Forsaken” by Hank Williams was due to arrive on October 22 before the group’s European tour, but was never released.

In a statement to Pitchfork, Wild Honey said shortly after announcing the 7 inch, he was alerted to “certain allegations” which “had been made against a member of the group.”

“Out of respect for everyone involved, our staff, colleagues and artists have signed on to our label, we have decided to withdraw the release,” the label continued.

“It is not a decision that we have taken lightly, but we believe it is the right thing to do under the circumstances… We condemn all forms of abusive behavior and all forms of discrimination.”

Wild Honey did not name the Black Lips member he was referring to or the nature of the allegations. However, according to Pitchfork, artist Doug Tuttle, who released a song on Wild Honey earlier this year, criticized the label last month on social media for planning to release Black Lips’ music, and demanded that his single is withdrawn from the label.

He allegedly referred to a January Los Angeles Times article about the alleged culture of sexual misconduct linked to California garage rock label Burger Records, which reissued several Black Lips albums on tape.

In the LA Times article, a woman named Emily Langland claimed that Black Lips guitarist Cole Alexander texted her “sexually inappropriate” when she was 17 and Alexander was 29, and had sex when she was 18 and he was 30.

Alexander declined to comment to The Times, but issued a statement to Pitchfork about Wild Honey’s comments, saying “the allegations are just not true and we have no further comment.”

Pitchfork also reported that Black Lips was no longer signed with Vice Records, their long-time house, after releasing several albums through the label between 2007 and 2020. The group has reportedly still signed with Fire Records.

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