
It is an absolute must that I post this website here. This would probably not usually fit my normal criteria, but this has many reasons for being an exception. This is one of the longest-running independent music labels in the world. It features punk rock, hardcore, spoken word, and so much more!
The main reason that I must post this website here is that Jello Biafra, the founder of the label, was one of the main inspirations for this website. It is important to note that the name for this website came from the name of one of his spoken word pieces, "Wake Up And Smell The Noise." Through his music, activism, and spoken word albums, he brought it home to me that if I feel as passionately as I do on so many issues that I should no longer be silent, but speak out and get as loud as I can about it. For the last 20+ years, he's been saying those oh-so-important words, "Don't hate the media, become the media." It's the work of those who did become the media and those who became, as Ghandi put it "the change" they wanted to see in the world, that I am really trying to support with this website.
To this website I owe a debt of gratitude, if nothing else, for the inspiration for this website. At the Alternative Tentacles page you can hear many samples of his spoken word and musical works for free, as well as the work of many other artists who've had releases on the label including Howard Zinn, Nomeansno, Greg Palast, Pansy Division, Noam Chomsky, Wesley Willis, and Mumia Abu-Jamal.