Comments:
Unfortunately Robbie, guest books are an open invitation for people to express their opinions, pro or con. I have to admit I did find it very humorous to see how quickly you removed each of my postings. I will also give you kudos for finally leaving my post in your guestbook. For your information, I happen to be a very big fan of many of the bands that were on the Posh Boy label. I guess I'm an Agent Orange fan; I liked their first album. I’m much more a fan of bands like F-Word!, The Crowd, TSOL, Tender Fury and UXA, if you must know. It's a damned shame that many (okay, most) of the early punk band get very little credit and very little money. Look at 2002’s Inland Invasion. TSOL, The Adolescents, Circle Jerks, and G.B.H were relegated to the small stage. These bands were instrumental in the development of most of the newer bands performing on the main stage. Yet, they are treated as a sideshow. My opinion of the Simpletones is simply that Robbie, my opinion. The post was not meant as an attack on Ken but as sarcastic commentary. I saw the Simpletones play a few times and I happen to believe they were not on the same level as, let’s say, the Crowd or the Weirdos. Nor were they as influential. Once again Robbie; it’s my opinion. In all forms of music (not just punk) I find it a shame that people can position themselves to get the lion’s share of the money or, worse yet, full control of someone else’s art. Robbie, I don’t fault for trying to make a profit off the bands you signed to the Posh Boy label. I just hate reading or seeing an interview where bands state how hard it is for them to get what little money they are owed. Cheers, Ratfink

Comments:
Hey Ken Simpletone or should I say Ken Kissasstone! Look Ken, everyone knows Robbie took advantage of all the bands on the Posh Boy label. Robbie has many faults but in his day he was a very shrewd businessman. I take back my last statement because now that I think about it, how shrewd does someone need to be to take advantage of teenagers. I can also believe Robbie owed club owners after the Simpletones played. But to lump the Simpletones in with the other acts on the Posh Boy label is a stretch. Ken, I hope you have a good time running all the way to the bank with your $10 royalty check.

Robbie Fields replies :

The above message was posted around a dozen times to the guestbook and each time I'd delete it, Ratfink would re-post.

I don't know where Ratfink gets off attacking Kendall Behnke aka Ken Simpletone. If Kendall were to write something negative, I'd let it stand, too. But for you to call him names is unwarranted and downright nasty.

The rest of your message is a bunch of baloney, too.

You somehow believe the Simpletones are not on the same level as your beloved bands ... let me guess, you're an Agent Orange fan.

Incredibly more of the Simpletones songs have been covered by other groups than even Agent Orange. The Vandals almost always close their show with "I Have A Date", Glue Gun recorded "Rock 'n Roll Star" for Fearless, other groups have covered "California" and "Don't Bother Me". And guess what? Kendall has never made a dime from those other recordings ... because he is not listed as the composer of any of those songs. He understands that and obviously is not bitter about it and has gone on with his life.

The Simpletones and F-Word! were the only groups I managed and as the manager I was having to make up the groups' financial deficits. Later, as a label head, I was accustomed to advancing groups like Agent Orange money so that they could tour. "Taking advantage of" is a 2 way street and I'd say certain groups took unfair advantage of me ... but that's the nature of the business. But until I started getting these teenagers on the radio, nobody else was prepared to take them seriously ... and for the first 2 years from 1978 until 1980, there was not much success. But in late 1980 with the Adolescents' success, groups flocked to work with me and other labels waited for me to produce these groups first hits before signing them. And with one heavily promoted recording - Amoeba - from the Adolescents and NO publishing rights, who took advantage of whom in that situation, Ratfink?

Kendall is damn proud of having been part of a historic group whose recordings have had real impact and he knows how glad I was to know him and work with him 25 years ago. So please don't piss on our parade with your ignorant, second hand rant.

And by the way, the shrewd guys are those that got into merch.

Comments:
Comments: All, Over the years, I have seen quite a few posts on here, about how Posh 'Ripped-off' so many bands. I am sure, many will disagree, but for the record there really was no money to ... 'Rip-off'. In fact, it was generally the other way around. It was not unusual for Posh to owe the club(s) money after we (The Simpletones) and others, had finished our set and ruined the stage. Typically, the club owners came after Posh. The most we ever did to pitch in, was hang around and help clean up. Posh was, and still is, a pioneer. It would be hard to say, what kind of exposure any scene would have gotten if not for Posh. If that not enough, I also recieved another royalty check today. 20+ years later and he is still thinking about, and more importantly, sharing what little money there is to go around. Kudos to Posh. I am glad to know him, and be associated with him.

Comments:
Welcome to the new Posh Boy Guestbook! Our last one went down in mid January 2004 and has not resurfaced. All messages posted over the last 3 years have vanished into the ether until the guestpage.com server comes back to life.