"As far as the music industry goes," says former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic, "I quit." Writing on the Web site of his current band, Eyes Adrift, Novoselic announced last week that he's fed up with the business and disbanding the project.

"While Eyes Adrift is an artistic success, the commercial side is anything but successful," Novoselic says. The band, which also includes Meat Puppets principal Curt Kirkwood and former Sublime drummer Bud Gaugh, formed in 2002 and released their debut last September, a frustrating experience for Novoselic. "After the release of the album the dynamic changed. Being on an independent label created many challenges for us . . . there was very little money for promotion. Our tour was in the red. My lot in life is that every band I've ever been in just falls apart."

"I can't read the magazines, listen to the radio or watch music television without feeling like I've just come in from outer space," Novoselic continues. "I just don't get it and I probably never did."

What instead? Novoselic, the president and founder of the Joint Artists and Music Promotions Political Action Committee (a first amendment advocacy group), plans to dedicate himself to more to political causes. "I'm relatively young," the thirty-eight-year-old writes, "and I want to follow my compulsions. I have big plans for 2004. Next year will be a pivotal year politically for every one of us in the USA and for myself, even more so. I see some real opportunities to make change. If you've been following my politics, you know that I will continue to work for inclusion, fairness and freedom."

AUGUSTIN SEDGEWICK
(August 5, 2003)