New Online Bodega coming soon!
Under Construction... New update and online Bodega coming soon! Meanwhile, check out our Beta Bodega Colaition official record labels: Arepaz and Botanica del Jibaro.

23 Apr 2007 by Beta Bodega Coalition

June 20, 2006:
USA-Numerous federal and local law enforcement agencies have bypassed subpoenas and warrants designed to protect civil liberties and gathered Americans' personal telephone records from private-sector data brokers. These brokers, many of whom advertise aggressively on the Internet, have gotten into customer accounts online, tricked phone companies into revealing information and even acknowledged that their practices violate laws. The law enforcement agencies include offices in the Homeland Security Department and Justice Department — including the FBI and U.S. Marshal's Service — and municipal police departments in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia and Utah. Experts believe hundreds of other departments frequently use such services.

20 Jun 2006 by Beta Bodega Coalition

May 1, 2006:
Bolivia-President Evo Morales ordered soldiers to immediately occupy Bolivia's natural gas fields Monday and threatened to evict foreign companies unless they sign new contracts within six months giving Bolivia majority control over the entire chain of production. Morales said soldiers and engineers with Bolivia's state-owned oil company would be sent to installations operated by foreign petroleum companies. "The time has come, the awaited day, a historic day in which Bolivia retakes absolute control of our natural resources," Morales said in a speech from the San Alberto petroleum field in southern Bolivia to decree what he called a nationalization of the natural gas industry. The field is operated by Brazil's Petroleo Brasileiro SA in association with the Spanish-Argentine Repsol YPF SA and France's Total SA. Bolivia has South America's second largest natural gas reserves after Venezuela, and all foreign companies must turn over most production control to Bolivia's cash-strapped state-owned oil company, Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales Bolivianos, Morales said. USA-Immigrants made their point Monday: Without them, Americans would pay higher prices and a lot of work wouldn't get done. As nationwide demonstrations thinned the work force in schools and businesses from meat-packing plants to construction sites to behind the counter at diners, economists said there can be no dispute within the context of the contentious immigration issue that the group wields significant clout in the U.S. economy.

01 May 2006 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Botanica All-Stars: Portugal/Spain 2005
Yeah, better late than never! We finally are getting around to updating this site, thanks for the patience. Here are some scenes from October 2005 in Europe with Botanica All-Stars: La Mano Fria, Seven Star, DJ Killer, Soarse Spoken, Seth P. Brundel and Solo-man Spectrum. The event was held at the Auditório de Serralves on October 15, 2005. In the stage area there was the hip hop performance with the MCs, plus DJ Killer and La Mano Fria on the turntables. The backdrop was a special video prepared by La Mano Fria with 5 segments, each segment representing the issues in the country of origins of the other 5 members. For example, Soarse Spoken is from Colombia therfore the video was based on protesting Plan Colombia which is the American 1.6 billion military aid package used to inflame the an over0 year old civil war in that country. In the next room, the large walls were decorated with 10 giant posters, 5 paintings, more video installations and collaboration of clothing with DJ Killer. We also got to hit up the Vigo crew in Spain and rock a show there the day before Porto (October 14, 2005). Soarse Spoken wasn't present as due to complications with immigration at the airport. Anyway shouts to Cain, Arkestra, B Flecha and the Vigo crew. More photo out takes on the way and you can see more photos here and here.

04 Apr 2006 by Beta Bodega Coalition

March 23, 2006:
Ecuador-Ecuadorian Army clears roadblocks but protests continue.Ecuadorian security forces began removing roadblocks placed by indigenous groups protesting against talks for a free trade agreement with United States. The Army moved in to restore order after the administration of President Alfredo Palacio declared the state of emergency in five central provinces, including Quito, the capital. This is the fourth time in over a month the government orders extreme measures which include a curfew and limits public meetings. Indigenous organizations have been blocking the country’s main roads to protest the deal fearing that it will damage their peoples’ economy, culture and way of life. "The president took this decision after exhausting all other options for dialogue," said Interior Minister Felipe Vega who suggested that protestors collect signatures to force a referendum on the free trade pact, instead of blocking roads. But Gilberto Talahua, one of the leaders of the main indigenous groups said protests will continue until discussions on the deal “are frozen”. The roadblocks have causes increasing food and fuel shortages in some of the country’s central provinces and even Quito but a military spokesman said that some of the main roads have already been cleared, “and business should soon return to normal, as ordered by the President”. A final round of talks about the free trade agreement is scheduled to begin today in Washington March 23, with a deal expected to be concluded in early April.

23 Mar 2006 by Beta Bodega Coalition

November 25, 2005:
Chile-Former Chilean dictator Gen. Augusto Pinochet was indicted on human rights charges Thursday and placed under house arrest, hours after he made bail on unrelated corruption charges filed only a day earlier. In a widely expected decision, Judge Victor Montiglio charged Pinochet in connection with the kidnapping and disappearance of six dissidents in the early years of his 1973-90 dictatorship, his office said. 3,190 people were killed for political reasons during his regime, not counting many accounts of torture and other human rights violations. More than 1,000 others remain unaccounted for after being arrested and tens of thousands fled their homeland. The new indictment involves the disappearance of six dissidents arrested by Pinochet's security services in late 1974. They were among 119 people, some of whose bodies were later found in Argentina, who disappeared in a case known as Operation Colombo. In July 1976, two magazines, in Argentina and Brasil, published the names of 119 chilean leftists' opponents, claiming they had been killed in internal fights. Those two magazines would disappear after this lone and only issue. The other operation was known as "The Caravan of Death", which involved military and police operations to kidnap, torture and murder opponents of the Pinochet dictatorship. Along with Operation Condor, these were the many secret terrorist campaigns supported by the US and CIA, in their fear that Latin American's would adopt nationalist, socialist and communist ideals for their own country. Pinochet is being investigated for having about $8 million in a secret account in the Riggs bank in the United States.

24 Nov 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

November 15, 2005:
Chile-Alberto Fujimori, the ex-Presiedent of Peru, had enjoyed a safe haven in Tokyo for five years, as a fugitive, until Sunday when he flew unannounced to Chile as part of his bid to return to power in Peru, which has a warrant out for his arrest. He flew to Chile in a private plane and was arrested within hours. Chile is reviewing an arrest warrant from Peru, which wants to try him on charges of state-ordered killings and corruption during his decade in power. Among the 21 charges: trafficking arms to Colombian guerrillas, sanctioning torture, illegal wiretapping, authorizing death squads and mismanaging money.

15 Nov 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Beta Bodega Coalition Updates
Beta Bodega Coalition is back online with the usual news updates and photos of actions across the globe. We been away for a month due to the last hurricane which hit Miami and knocked out power and phone lines for a while plus the usual hard schedule of shows that included shows in Portugal, Spain and Japan. Thanks to our fans for the patients, support and emails. We're still alive. For the last couple months we've had Soarse Spoken in Colombia, DJ Manuvers in Europe, 6 members of Botanica All-Stars also in Europe and Otto "El Santo" Von Schirach in Japan along with La Mano Fria and V8 aka Iran Maiden from Megadebt. Photos for all that coming soon, so stay tuned...

10 Nov 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

October 5, 2005:
Colombia-At least five policemen have been killed during a rebel attack on a remote village in the north-west of Colombia, officials say. A police chief, Luis Ruiz, said the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) launched the attack. Eight officers were reported injured, while three were still missing. Initially about 40 police officers were reported missing, though most of those later turned up, saying they had fled into the jungle during the attack.

05 Oct 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

September 20, 2005:
Colombia-Hundreds of indigenous demonstrators pushing for land rights in southwest Colombia clashed with government troops, leaving at least a dozen Indians and seven police officers wounded. Colombia-Seven people were killed in three attacks in central Colombia during a failed attempt by right-wing paramilitary fighters to kill a man who also avoided an attempt on his life two months ago. The attacks by the outlawed Self-Defense Forces of Casanare, or ACC, took place Saturday night on three ranches in Restrepo county, 75 kilometers (45 miles) southeast of Bogota.

20 Sep 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

September 16, 2005:
USA-A soldier stationed in Colombia as part of the U.S. "war on drugs" was sentenced to six years in prison Thursday after pleading guilty in a scheme to smuggle cocaine into the United States using military planes.

16 Sep 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

September 12, 2005:
Havana-Robert Mugabe, the Zimbabwean president, whose country has come close to expulsion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), began a visit to Cuba attacking the financial institution for not helping developing nations. Mugabe was to meet with Fidel Castro, the Cuban president today. Castro's country has not been a member of the IMF since 1961. "We have never been friends of the IMF and we shall never be friends of the IMF," Mugabe said on arrival in Cuba on Saturday. "The IMF is never of real assistance to developing countries. It is wielded by the big powers. It is the big powers which dictate what it should do," Mugabe told reporters.

12 Sep 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Solo-man Spectrum
Here's someone that has some words for Barbara Bush and the rest of the clan. From Beta Bodega Coalition's hip hop label, Botanica del Jibaro, MC Solo-man Sprectrum, drops a rugged 4 track gem (+ 3 instrumentals) entitled "Popcorn in Heaven". It also doesn't hurt when you have production of some of Miami's finest producers such as Climber and Plex watching your back. Tired of nerd rap and psuedo intellectual/political college rappers from the suburbs? Yeah, so is Solo-man, coming straight from the streets of dirty dade county aka Miami to be heard live and uncensored. Well written street scriptures to rip into 2006 with, forget 2005. This record is available in Europe now and in the US and Japan this fall so don't sleep. And if you're in Portugal or Spain in October, look out for Solo-man to be all up in area with the rest of the Botanica All-Stars. Here's a preview, if you didn't already pick this one up. A1. Popcorn In Heaven A2. Camp Pain A3. Camp Pain [instrumental] B1. Poisonous Paragraphs (feat. Serum) B2. Understand B3. Poisonous Paragraphs [instrumental] B4. Understand [instrumental]

06 Sep 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

September 6, 2005:
USA-"What I'm hearing, which is sort of scary, is they (meaning poor people, many being black) all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality," Barbara Bush said during a radio interview. "And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them."

06 Sep 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

September 2, 2005:
USA-Hundreds of National Guardsmen hardened on the battlefield in Iraq have landed in New Orleans "They have M-16'ss and they're locked and loaded...." . "These troops know how to shoot and kill, and they are more than willing to do so, and I expect they will.", said Gov. Kathleen Blanco. Raymond Whitfield, 51, watched a National Guard truck drive by the convention center, but like most other official vehicles, it did not stop. "The National Guard just drives around and around. I know the police, the National Guard, they got generators, so they can sleep and eat," he said.

02 Sep 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Studio Voice magazine front cover
"Nihon-go text only" magazine Studio Voice (Japan) selected to use La Mano Fria's artwork for the front cover of their September 2005 issue. This issue is dedicated to record label design, mostly record/cd jackets. A 2 page interview with La Mano Fria is inside, along with features on other graphic artists such as Chris Cunningham, Kid Acne, etc. In the interview La mano Fria sites his influences for his covers. Inspirations growing up, ranges from 80's punk rock and soul music covers to OSPAAAL Cuban posters. And of course a variety of music ranging from Latin folk to hip hop and experimental electronic. Thats not all, there's a 2 full page spread by La Mano Fria also on the inside of his design work. Studio Voice Website. :Top 3 Record Jackets contest: And since one of the questions asked to La Mano Fria was "What are your top record jackets of all time", we decided to extend the question to our fans and friends/enemies to answer that same question. Send your 3 top record jackets of all time picks to Top 3 Record Jackets contest. We'll give away free merchandise to anyone that picks at least 1 of the same jackets that La Mano Fria picks. Contest ends Septmeber 8th so good luck.

31 Aug 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

August 31, 2005:
US-An ex-CIA operative denied that he tried to assassinate Cuban president Fidel Castro as he fought on Tuesday for U.S. asylum and against extradition to Venezuela, where he escaped from jail 20 years ago. Luis Posada Carriles, a self-described anti-Castro "freedom fighter" accused in the 1976 bombing of a Cuban airliner that killed 73 people, surfaced in Miami early this year after a 1985 jail break in Venezuela. The appearance of the 77-year-old Cuban brought extradition demands from Venezuela, where he was a naturalized citizen, and from his homeland of Cuba. U.S. government lawyers say a record of violent acts makes him ineligible for asylum. Posada admitted in testimony to using a Salvadoran passport with a false name to enter Panama in 2000 shortly before he and others were arrested for purportedly plotting to assassinate Castro. But he denied involvement in any plot against Castro. Posada also denied he had arranged a 1997 series of Havana hotel and restaurant explosions. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his ally Castro say Posada is a terrorist and accuse Washington of protecting him because of his past with U.S. intelligence agencies.

31 Aug 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Straight Up No Chaser gallery
"Nihon-go text only" review and gallery on the Straight No Chaser (Japan) website featuring La Mano Fria's artwork. Gallery contains various Beta Bodega Coalition jacket covers from cds and vinyl releases on the Botanica del Jibaro as well as the now inactive labels, Beta Bodega and Rice & Beans. Hit the slide show and you can see some images of shows in NYC at the Knitting Factory back in 2000 and shows in Amsterdam in 2001, etc. Check it out. La Mano Fria Gallery

30 Aug 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

August 30, 2005:
Guatemala-A ceremony was held by the government of Guatemala in which they apologized officially for the kidnapping and killing of 11 student leaders of the University of San Carlos in 1989, Guatemala City. The 11 victims were members of a student organization dedicated to helping victims of Guatemala's 1960-1996 civil war.

30 Aug 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Jet Set records interview
"Nihon-go text only" interview on Jet Set records website. From a dinner talk La Mano Fria had with their staff when he was in Kobe, Japan. They talked about music, design, politics and ofcourse food, check it out. La Mano Fria Interview

29 Aug 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

August 25, 2005:
Venezuela-President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela hit back vigorously at calls by an ally of President George Bush for his assassination by offering for the first time to help poor U.S. communities by selling them gasoline directly to eliminate middle men, at a time of soaring fuel prices.

26 Aug 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Jibaro Times Japan Tour extras
La Mano Fria and Epstein dug up some of their images from the latest tour in Japan, Jibaro Times Japan Tour 2005. Exclusive type bonus footage divided into 2 sections, our infamous food section and random footage. Peep the photos and bookmark our site so you don't miss on the many updates to come. Jibaro Times trying to eat: Oh, but wait. We can't forget the La Cha Cha Hall of Fame. "Cha cha", a termed used by our freind Seth P. Brundel at many dinner times on tour to describe food thats not hot. Here's the grand prize winner. Jibaro Times random shots:

26 Aug 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Jibaro Times Exhibition and Tour
Epstein aka Boom & Birds landed in Tokyo on Friday. By cutting his afro, he avoided chains and an orange jumpsuit and arrived just in time to play at La Mano Fria's first exhibition in Japan, held at Uplink Factory in Shibuya. Five more cities, followed as the Beta Bodega Coalition support and members continues to grow. Beta Bodega Coalition member(s): La Mano Fria (Arepaz \| Botanica del Jibaro) Epstein (Botanica del Jibaro) Boom & Birds (Arepaz) 8/5 - (Friday) [Tokyo] at Uplink Factory 8/6 - (Saturday) [Sapporo] at Fusionix 8/7 - (Sunday) [Tomakomai] at Club Focus 8/8 - (Monday) [Sapporo] at Ghetto (Guests) 8/12 - (Friday) [Niigata] at Shiondo 8/13 - (Saturday) [Niigata] at Foodelic (Guests) 8/13 - (Satuday) [Kiryu] at Block 8/14 - (Sunday) [Numazu] at Gaia 8/16 - (Tuesday) [Tokyo] (closing at Uplink) Thanks to everyone who came out and supported, look out for the next BBC action coming soon to Europe and Japan for the fall 2005. Aug 5 - Tokyo (La Mano Fria Report Exhibition) Aug 6 - Sapporo Aug 7 - Tomakomai Aug 8 - Sapporo (guest appearance) Aug 12 - Niigata Aug 13 - Niigata (guest appearance) Aug 13 - Kiryu Aug 14 - Numazu Aug 16 - Tokyo (closing)

08 Aug 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Warszawa Might
This was the 1 year moving anniversary of the record shop Warszawa. The shop moved from Kichijoji to Shibuya last summer. The event was held at Module in Shibuya [Tokyo]. The even featured Shiro the Goodman, Joseph Nothing, Tosh from Climber, La Mano Fria, Bikiniline, Ramon from the infamous Ortega crew and some European guy. Anyway these are some the scenes.

24 Jul 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Jahbitat
BBC's new label Arepaz forthcoming artists, Jahbitat drifted away from the Barcelona homebase and hit up Vigo on the Atlantic coast of Espańa. Check the sites and soon you'll be able to pick up the sounds. For more information hit up the artist section at Arepaz.

19 Jul 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Killer vs. La Mano Fria
La Mano Fria has been busy working on a few things. One being a collaboration with Osaka clothing brand, Killer. Killer has been around since the 90's in Osaka. Available only at the underground shop, Loser. If you can't visit Osaka, you can contact Killer and place your order. La Mano Fria dropped a few designs based on the idea of a killer, which can taken various ways from an MC killing the mic to a cop killing an unarmed civilian. Life and death are all around, the designs La Mano Fria choose were images and the idea of the "killer(s)" the government creates to control and advance their cause, some how they aren't quite called killers by the corporate news media. But we'll have to disagree. These designs are based on one of the various terror organizations financed by the US and CIA known as the Contras, used to attack the Sandinista government in the 80's in Nicaragua. Anyway spread the word, support Killer and Osaka's underground. You can check a couple more pics here.

15 Jul 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

July 3, 2005:
Colombia-Colombia's largest Marxist guerrilla group killed at least 25 soldiers over the weekend in the bloodiest fighting since the hardline president Alvaro Uribe took office three years ago. Fighting broke out in southwestern Putumayo state when up to 300 rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, Farc, ambushed an army convoy during an attack targeting nearby oil wells, said General Carlos Lemus, inspector general of the army. Panama-The strikes affecting the public health, public education and construction industries as well as a number of smaller private sector enterprises continued and the government was ratcheting up the violence in the dispute over changes to the Social Security Fund at the same time that it was calling for a "national dialogue" about the crisis which excludes the strikers. Border police brought into the city for anti-riot duty opened fire on striking doctors, nurses and medical secretaries with rubber bullets in front of the Arnulfo Arias Hospital Complex when some of the protesters attempted to block the Transistmica. In an ensuing sweep five persons were arrested, including two members of the leftist Thought and Transformative Action (PAT) student group who were taken away for walking down a sidewalk carrying their group's banners. On the same day the developers of the Conado del Rey construction project brought in strikebreakers under police protection, sparking a brawl between SUNTRACS members and their would-be replacements that left one worker injured and prevented further work at the site. Simultaneously in San Miguelito, protesters and riot police fought a pitched battle at the overpass where the Tranisitmica and Tumba Muerto cross, while in the capital the opposition legislative caucuses criticized the Torrijos administration for attempting to hold talks to resolve the crisis without including the strikers.

03 Jul 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Arepa 2 Tour
The Arepa 2 official tour is about to get underway though out select locations within Japan to promote Beta Bodega Coalition's latest book release. The tour will feature Arepa and Beta Bodega Coalition graphic designer, La Mano Fria engaging the crowd in a 1 hour DJ set aswell as declassified visuals. As you might remember, last book release for Bandeja Paisa was at Loser in Osaka. This time we return to Loser but also hit up 2 more cities, keep it locked and tuned here for updates and images. June 29 - Arepa 2 pre-tour party in Tokyo [Nakano] July 1 - Otoya in Kobe July 2 - Loser in Osaka July 6 - D'core in Osaka July 17 - Fourth Floor in Tokyo

24 Jun 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

June 24, 2005:
Colombia-Congress passed a bill granting reduced punishments to right-wing death squads who disarm, a key step in President Alvaro Uribe's strategy to wind down Colombia's decades-long conflict. Opponents said it will let killers off the hook, killers that traditionally have been trained by the Colombian army or CIA agents and are known to be involved in drug trafficing. Chile-Former CIA-backed, dictator Gen. Augusto Pinochet was released from hospital Wednesday after a mild stroke that left him unconscious for about 30 minutes, his spokesman said. Peru-The Peruvian government on Wednesday condemned as "scandalous" a Supreme Court decision to drop allegations that former President Alberto Fujimori's party forged 1 million signatures to register for 2000 elections. The Supreme Court's decision "is unfortunate. There has been convincing proof. This is a scandal that should be unacceptable," vice president David Waisman told CPN radio. The court's closure of the case on Wednesday followed a ruling issued in October 2000, a month before Fujimori was ousted at the height of a government corruption scandal, which absolved the party of wrongdoing. Several of the judges who issued that ruling are now on trial for corruption, said Ronald Gamarra, a former state attorney investigating corruption in the Fujimori years. "It's a deplorable message," he added. Fujimori was fired by Congress and fled to Japan after it was revealed how his top aide, spy chief Vladimiro Montesinos, had bribed judges, media bosses, politicians and military generals to toe the Fujimori line.

24 Jun 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Botanica del Jibaro
Botanica del Jibaro command station is up and running. Go have a look at our news section which is updated weekly with features and sections from our crew. Site is a collaboration between La Mano Fria and the ill programming of the Barcelona gangster Don Carlos at Gamebombing. Also keep it tuned here at this site for all other Beta Bodega Coalition news.

21 Jun 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Pandemon vol. 2
La Mano Fria was asked to guest DJ at the second installment of Pandemon alongside Ramon (Warszawa), Miho (Haze), Takano and Big J (Po). Also there was live performaces by Utabi and Orga from Vibrant recordings. The crime scene was Fourth Floor in Kichijoji (Tokyo), June 11 2005. Keep it tunes to this site and arepaz.com as La Mano Fria plots his Arepa 2 Book release tour throughout Japan.

12 Jun 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Botanica del Jibaro Japan Tour 2005 [Infiltrate 7.5]
Once again Beta Bodega Coalition goes airborne to transmit the virus known as Infiltrate. This time landing in our BBC/RL66 Tokyo headquarters to survey and plot the mission. Special guest and Miami veteran, Supersoul, was brought along to man the bass cannons while Stres from Antennae delivers the lyrical assault. Also gaurding the right and left flanks is DJ Tosh from Climber and La Mano Fria dropping the boom bap bombs. Photos from all the dates and even some extra footage have been added below. So peep it. Thanks to all the promoters and fans that came out to support. Beta Bodega Coalition members: DJ Tosh from Climber (Botanica del Jibaro) La Mano Fria (Arepaz \| Botanica del Jibaro) Stres from Antennae (Botanica del Jibaro) Supersoul (Metatronix) Diamond Ice (Metatronix) 5/27 (Fri) [Tokyo] at Module 5/28 (Sat) [Osaka] at Sansui 5/29 (Sun) [Okinawa] at Club Mnd 6/1 (Wed) [Tokyo] Instore live 6pm at HMV (Shibuya) 6/3 (Fri) [Yamagata] at Sandinista 6/4 (Sat) [Tsuruoka] at Cube 6/5 (Sun) [Tokyo] Instore live 6pm at We Nod (Ebisu) 6/5 (Sun) [Tokyo] Instore live 9pm at Stylus (Shibuya) Random tour shots

22 May 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Arepaz
The following record labels have been officially deactivated by Beta Bodega Coalition. BETA BODEGA [operated 1999-2005] RICE AND BEANS [operated 2000-2005] RISE AND DEFEAT [operated 2004-2005] We'd like to thank all the supporters and operatives throughout the years that have supported our labels worldwide. Too many people and places to mention. We ask you continue giving support to our hip hop imprint, Botanica del Jibaro, which continues to grow with each release. And also we now announce the new Beta Bodega Coalition label: Arepaz. If you have our highly limited book project, Bandeja Paisa then you already own Arepaz's first release. The cd that the book comes with is AREPA001. Arepaz is not only home to the Arepaz label but also to Rice and Beans, which will return to its original function of back in 1996, when it was first founded by Beta Bodega members La Mano Fria and The Lord SP. Rice and Beans, the t-shirt line. These "Third World Power" inspired shirts were exclusively sold at Bobbito's legendary Footwork shop in NYC. And laid the ground works for the labels later in Miami. All this at our new site which is full of information as we currently update it daily. AREPAZ AREPAZ.COM By the way, this site: BETABODEGA.COM continues to and will always be our official site for all general Beta Bodega Coalition affairs, posts and information. As it undergoes changes, it will continue to be updated with news and images as always. Also get ready in June for the long awaited launching of the BOTANICADELJIBARO.COM site.

07 May 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

May 7, 2005:
Colombia-Colombian police have arrested two American soldiers for suspected arms trafficking in the second scandal to hit the U.S. military here in just over a month. The two unidentified US soldiers were found with 32,000 rounds of 9-mm ammunition in a condominium in the central Colombian town of Carmen de Apicala. Police said they suspected the two stole the ammunition, suitable for pistols or submachine guns, from the Colombian army and planned to sell it to illegal far-right paramilitary death squads. These death squads long having ties with the Colombian Army. Five American soldiers were arrested in the United States in late March on suspicion of trying to smuggle hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of Colombian cocaine into the United States on a U.S. military aircraft. Venezuela-Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez lashed out at President George W. Bush, calling him Mr. Danger and saying wars from Iraq to Colombia show the U.S. government is a menace to the world. Chavez paused during a televised speech Friday to read aloud Bush's comments to reporters at the White House a day earlier, when he said Venezuela's plans to buy 100,000 assault rifles from Russia raise concerns the guns could fall into the hands of Colombian rebels. "The rifles are defensive weapons," Chavez said, adding Kalashnikovs are nothing to the array of weapons wielded by U.S. forces, such as "transatlantic missiles." "If I were buying one of those devices, with which we press a button to travel, arrive at the White House, then they could worry," he said. "They have thousands of those devices." Chavez, an ally of Cuban President Fidel Castro, has accused the United States of plotting behind the scenes to overthrow him. Venezuela is a major supplier of U.S. oil but Chavez has said he would halt shipments if the Americans try to attack Venezuela. "We do have reasons to be worried, Mr. Danger, about the U.S. arms buildup, about U.S. threats, about the presence of U.S. soldiers in Colombia," Chavez said. He accused the U.S. government of having "an interest in having war in Colombia" and providing large amounts of weapons."That's a reality, as it was in Central America, as it was in the Middle East. Who armed Saddam Hussein? Who gave Saddam Hussein weapons, ammunition, military technology? The U.S. government," said Chavez, a fierce critic of the U.S. war in Iraq. "Who armed Osama bin Laden, and gave al-Qaida the great power it has? The United States," he said, apparently referring to U.S. support for Afghan forces in their war against Soviet troops in the 1980s.Chavez said he wouldn't be surprised if the United States were supplying guns to Colombian guerrillas, their paramilitary enemies and the Colombian army at the same time "to justify their Plan Patriot and at the same time establish military bases in Colombia." "It's the perfect excuse for them to have a military presence in Colombia, and from there to threaten Venezuela and threaten any other country that begins changes they don't like," Chavez said."The Lords of War, you can call them." Chavez said he hopes the United States will "leave me in peace so that I can work."

07 May 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

May 1, 2005:
May Day! The day of the worker. Cuba-Cuban officials used a May Day gathering of hundreds of thousands on Sunday to demand the United States expel a Cuban-born militant accused of blowing up a civilian jetliner, comparing attacks on Cuba to those on Sept. 11, 2001, in U. S. cities. In Havana, Pedro Ross, head of Cuba's communist labor unions, accused President Bush of a "complicit silence" in the case of Luis Posada Carriles, who is seeking asylum in the United States. As Cubans gathered in the Plaza of the Revolution at an annual May Day rally, Ross demanded the immediate arrest of Posada and his extradition to Venezuela, where he faces trial on charges of helping blow up a Cuban jetliner in 1976, killing 73 people. Posada denies involvement. Posada and three associates were imprisoned in Panama in an alleged plot in 2000 to murder Fidel Castro at a conference in Panama. They were pardoned last year by outgoing President Mireya Moscoso and Posada has not been seen publicly since then. Cuban officials say he was involved in many other attacks. He has acknowledged planning bombings of Cuban hotels, one of which killed Italian tourist Fabio di Celmo. Drawing parallels between attacks on Cuba and those on the United States, organizers included brief speeches by di Celmo's father Giustino as well as a man whose fiancee was killed in the Sept. 11 attacks. Di Celmo complained that a man who killed his son "walks free on the streets of one of the largest cities in the United States." Germany- In Germany, more than 500,000 trade union activists hit the streets across the country on Sunday to demand more jobs and a roll-back of Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's tough new labor market reforms. Irate workers pelted eggs at the leader of Schroeder's Social Democrats, Franz Muentefering, in the western city of Duisburg, while labor leaders demanded government action to check corporate power. "It is a sheer mockery that companies can send factories abroad and write it off on their German taxes," German Trade Union Federation leader Michael Sommer said. "If that is in line with EU guidelines than they must be changed," he said, calling for uniform tax and subsidy policies across the 25-nation bloc. France-French workers marched in a string of May Day demonstrations, with their divisions over the EU constitution overshadowing their common concerns about jobs, salaries and a cancelled bank holiday. Russia-In Russia, tens of thousands of people from across the political spectrum flooded onto the streets for May Day as the nation marked the Soviet-era Labor holiday which coincides this year with Orthodox Easter. Some 20,000 trade unionists marched in Moscow demanding the minimum wage be raised. In St. Petersburg, demonstrators of the city's liberal Coalition of Citizens' Protest scuffled with police who arrested five members as they tried to enter Palace Square. Turkey-Turkish riot police detained at least 47 people who rallied in a venue despite an official ban to mark May Day in the country's biggest city Istanbul. Eastern Europe-Meanwhile former and latter-day communists in Ukraine, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic came out in force to blast the impact of free wheeling capitalism on their countries. Austria-Tens of thousands of protestors turned out in Vienna to assail Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel's economic policies and demand his resignation. Social Democrat leader Alfred Gusenbauer accused the government of "aggravating social inequality and unemployment". Switzerland-Some 4,000 demonstrators marched through the Swiss financial capital Zurich and called for the defense of public services and a fairer distribution of wealth.

01 May 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

April 26, 2005:
Cuba-Raising Wages and Welfare for May Day. Castro has announced that Cuba’s minimum wage will more than double from the equivalent of US $4.10 (Ł2.13) on May 1, benefiting an estimated 1.6 million workers, the BBC reports. On the same day, welfare payments will also go up for Cuba’s single mothers, widows and disabled. Venezuela-Venezuela is ending military operations and exchanges with the United States, President Hugo Chavez said on Sunday, and he ordered out U.S. instructors he said were trying to foment unrest in the barracks against him. The end of the military cooperation marked a further downgrading of ties between Venezuela, the world's No. 5 oil exporter and its main oil customer, the United States. Warning of a possible U.S. invasion of Venezuela, Chavez said a female U.S. naval officer and some American journalists were temporarily detained in recent separate incidents for photographing a Venezuelan army base and an oil refinery. USA-Wrapping up his investigation into Saddam Hussein's purported arsenal, the CIA's top weapons hunter in Iraq said his search for weapons of mass destruction "has been exhausted" without finding any. Nor did he find any evidence that such weapons were shipped officially from Iraq to Syria to be hidden before the U.S. invaded.

26 Apr 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Infiltrate 7.0
Thanks for you patience as our site gets remodeled and as we get ready to launch 2 new sites next month. We are busy at the headquarters in Miami getting ready to head overseas once again now that infiltrate 7.0 has infected. Below are some scenes from the show which was held at the same time in 2 different locations within a block of each other. Thanks to Sweat Reocrds, Tree of Zion, Orange Press, Envision Graphics and all the supporters that came out. Japan get ready for infection, as Infiltrate spreads to the entire chain of islands at the end of May, from Yamgata to Okinawa! Infiltrate 7.5 will involve Miami labels Botanica del Jibaro, Arepaz and Metatronix, featuring artists/djs: Stres from Antennae, Supersoul, DJ Tosh from Climber and La Mano Fria. Keep it locked here for more information.

21 Apr 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

April 21, 2005:
Peru-Peru all but abandoned its efforts to persuade the Japanese government to extradite fugative Alberto Fujimori, the former Peruvian president, to Lima, where he is accused of ordering the murder of civilians and of other crimes. Denise Ledgard, legal attaché of the Peruvian embassy in Tokyo and the person in charge of Peru's extradition request, said she was returning to Lima. There are no immediate plans to replace her.

21 Apr 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

April 4, 2005:
Colombia- Five U.S Army soldiers are under investigation for allegedly trying to smuggle 32 pounds of cocaine out of Colombia aboard a U.S. military aircraft, American officials. The soldiers were detained as a result of the investigation, said Lt. Col. Eduardo Villavicencio, a spokesman for the U.S. military's Southern Command in Florida. Up to 800 U.S. troops are permitted in Colombia, according to U.S. law, to train Colombian armed forces and to provide logistical support. Up to 600 Americans are also permitted in the country as U.S. government contractors.

04 Apr 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Bandeja Paisa Release Party
Bandeja Paisa's only official book release party was held January 3 in the city of Osaka, Japan. The location was the underground clothing/record shop called Loser in the Namba area. On hand was La Mano Fria along with Osaka crew: Akira, Juggem, Katsuki, Hara, Killer, Kamachi, Asai and many more. Thanks to all the heads that came out, get the book while you can because it's limited and close to being sold out! Special thanks and respect to Loser crew: Akira and Mayumi aka Killer! Also special thanks to Ove-naxx & Ohira, Kamachi & Sachicka, Katsuki, Yusuke, all the Osaka heads that supported! For more information about "Loser" shop and "Killer" clothing brand: LOSER We begin our jounrney in a foot a snow in Tokyo on the road to Osaka...

12 Jan 2005 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Bandeja Paisa
Finally it's here. Beta Bodega Coalition proudly presents Bandeja Paisa. A 64-page book and cd set, highly limited, hand numbered and silk screened. Brought to you by Beta Bodega's new publishing arm: Mano Fria Press along with allies, Orange Press. The book features La Mano Fria, Stres, DJ Infamous, Soarse Spoken, Prefuse 73, DJ Rupture, Jack Splash from Plantlife, Climber, Supersoul and many more. If you are in Japan, Bandeja Paisa is available now in shops such as Warszawa, Stylus, We Nod, Guinness, Cisco, Tower, HMV, etc. Mano Fria Press branch office has been working have been working weeks to make it happen so support a bit of Beta Bodega Coalition history, and have even released 4 limited t-shirt designs for the hardcore BBC collector. For those that aren't Colombian, the book's name is inspired by a Colombian dish known as a Bandeja Paisa, a variety platter which is pictured below. The round and flat corn pancake on the side is know as an "arepa". The cd known as Arepa contains over 12 songs hand picked by La Mano Fria himself. No filler, only the illest cuts from his various labels all on one dish. After you find the book, stay tuned to Arepa, you'll be hearing alot more of it... Speaking of Bandeja Paisa's and eating, lets go back to the Japan Botanica del Jibaro tour and lets see what was on the menu...

23 Dec 2004 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Botanica del Jibaro Japan Tour
Declassified scenes from Japan. Stay tuned for many more. Date: Saturday December 11 Location: Fukuoka Presented by: Oil-Works crew Agents: Olive and Poppy Oil Line up: Epstein, Boom & Birds, DJ Tosh from Climber, El Nino, Olive Oil, Mantis, Zorzi, Kyom, Paki-G, Kakuno, Mori, Cryn, Poppy Oil, La Mano Fria. Date: Wednesday December 15 Location: Osaka Presented by: Imagined Records Agents: Kamachi and Imagined Records crew Line up: Epstein, Boom & Birds, DJ Tosh from Climber, Kamachi, Hiroaki Asai, Kihira Naoki, CxMxT, DJ Hara, La Mano Fria. Date: Thursday December 16 Locaton: Tokyo Presented by: Warszawa Records Agents: Chamoro, Ramon and Warszawa mafia Line up: Epstein, Boom & Birds, DJ Tosh from Climber, Ramon, NessIll, La Mano Fria. Saturday December 18: HMV instore in Shibuya Random tour shots Stay tuned. Transmission ended...

17 Dec 2004 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Fall 2004 Botanica del Jibaro
Just in time for the fuck-Columbus Day festivities, Colombian-born Soarse Spoken serves up the Miami heat on the mic in this his first debut on Botanica. This release, "Dark Side of the Sun", also features Climber, Manuvers and several other Miami street soldiers. Revisit the summertime in Barcelona and the Sonar stage that was left on fire. Rumor has it he'll be back in Spain for the Hipnotik fetsival at the end of the of the month. but for those can't make it out cop the 12" release instead. Here's what the heads in Manchester, UK had to say. [BDJ011] Soarse Spoken: Dark Side of the Sun. 12" "After conquering Sonar in fine ghetto style, Botanica Del Jibaro (hip hop wing of the Beta Bodega Coalition) return with another incredibly good, incredibly deep hip hop debut from another unearthed talent - Soarse Spoken. Soarse arrives with a dual background in mic battles and poetry slams, set to crushing effect with organic layered instrumentation and crushing beats that take you deep into the kind of hip hop territory this label is fast monopolising. The A-side lands just right for the dying embers of summer, multicoloured rich strings and a delicate but never tentative piano sets off the invocation "summertime jazz plays / blaze up the last jay /.../pass me the mic / music this afternoon had the courtesy to ask me to write". Awesome stuff. Manuvers shows up on the remix tip, echoing the ultimate vibes of lonnie liston smith's Astral Travels, allowing those big warm bass pads to ease on through - while 'Shadows' ends the summer side, with the looming threat of hurricane charlie fresh in our minds, big fat keys coming on like storm clouds. 'Censorship showcase' drops some classic, tasty west-coast hammond, with the listener's involvement fully required - eliciting the recognition that "we're spying on what Mr. Mohammed does / whatever cataclysm isn't comin as soon as they promised us / its hard to trust a muf*a when he doesn't look honest, cuz". 'Resistance' rocks a defiant line: "this is not a love ballad" and new recruit Punch3nello flows true over a Les Mccann inflected boogie piano, tricky rimshots and resounding bass - incredibly GOOD stuff. Killer." - www.boomkat.com Keep it locked for Epstein, the Ecuadorean afro kid hiding out in Atlanta dropping "Puńal", 6 tracks on wax and a cd of rusty machete instrumentals. Actually cd will drop early thoughout Japan courtesy of RL66 in a few weeks. Antennae's latest 12" entitled "Water", straight Miami tidal wave steez to submerge the sleeping sheep that were missed by the hurricane. Aswell as album early next year and more wax from Climber. Bandeja Paisa? La Mano Fria? BBC book? Keep it locked.

09 Oct 2004 by Beta Bodega Coalition

October 9, 2004:
USA-About 200 Native Americans and supporters were arrested on Saturday for standing in the path of a Columbus Day parade in downtown Denver that commemorates the Italian explorer they blame for the genocide of indigenous peoples. Carrying signs that read: "Columbus: America's first terrorist" and "We were here first," about 300 opponents of the parade stood in its path. Police stopped the parade a block before it reached the protesters and told them to move. About 200 refused and were arrested. In 1907, Colorado became the first U.S. state to make Oct. 12 a holiday, the reason American Indians have campaigned in Denver for 15 years to change the name of the holiday. The holiday has been changed to the second Monday in October. "We're here to protest a few racists who continue to honor Columbus," said Russell Means, a longtime American Indian activist. The Indians want parade organizers to drop Columbus' name and have said their actions were not anti-Italian. Parade organizers said the Oct. 12 anniversary of Columbus' landing in the New World in 1492 was the occasion for a recognized holiday, with government offices, courts and schools closed. "As long as it is on the calendar, we will celebrate this day along with every other state," George Vendegnia, one of the parade organizers, said.

09 Oct 2004 by Beta Bodega Coalition

BBC Summer 2004 releases
[BDJ001/RL66-003] Various Artists: Jibaro Times - Chapter 1 (Infiltrate) CD (Japan only release! The infamous and mysterious first release from Botanica del Jibaro, gets a sonic make-over with new tracks and artwork. This release represents a starting point. Before Beta Bodega (1999) and Botanica del Jibaro (2001) the labels and the Coalition itself, there was Infiltrate 1.0. Not just the subversive event against the annual Winter Music Conference but the idea, as La Mano Fria, born of Colombian and Costa Rican parents, puts it, "Infiltrate is not occasional, it's a way of life". The Infiltrate concept has been part of founder and label owner, La Mano Fria's philosophy as long as he can remember. Cutting through the nonsense of fashion activists and self-righteous posers, he has worked hard and quietly for years taking his case via events, label, and design to a worldwide audience with the support of many Coalition members. The goal being to plant seeds which have already served as inspiration and harvested various artists, designers and labels to follow in his foot steps. This system which enslaves the world has rules and structures, how then can we ride these rules and build networks off the backs of their structures, then reversing the one-sided cycle of exploitation to achieve balance and ultimately collapse an oppressive system. Never fearing the system, rather using it against itself is what Infiltrate means. Released only in Japan for the simple reason that the Japanese ultra-consumer and capitalist engine is the perfect place for the underground to rise up and throw a giant wrench in the system. Besides a full essay in both english and japanese, this release showcase's a handful of artists that have participated in Infiltrates of the past and present. Artists ranging from Chilean implants such as Climber and Manuvers, to Brookyln's Yesh aka Yeshua da poED, who for those that don't know is of Colombian descent. Over and hour long compilation hand picked by La Mano Fria. And design by "guess who"? And why is it Chapter 1? Because Infiltrate will be the first Chapter in BDJ000, which will be Beta Bodega Coalition's first full publication in print. Coming in this winter. Upload the virus!) [BDJ018] Antennae: I Disappear 7" (This supplement to the Silent ep dives even deeper into the realm of where pure thought replaces vision. Much like on the "In my room" track of the Antennae 12”, it delivers an anthem for those that just don't see things the way we are "supposed to" see things. Tones, drums and words that see straight through the lies only to fade out into the horizon. On the flip, we insisted on turning off the hypnotic frequencies of Manuvers and Induce to offer Stres' word served raw on a platter to display to unimaginative and famined MC's what a full course meal of nouns, verbs and metaphors in a parallel universe would taste like. Miami's group to look out for. Highly limited, designed and hand packaged by La Mano Fria.) [RB016] Various Artists: Infiltrate 6.0 12" (Rice and Beans conducted its most ambitious and expansive series of events yet in the Infiltrate series summer 2004. Originally conceived as an internal invasion and repossession of the Miami Winter Music Conference, conducted entirely by florida's artists and labels, this year saw the posse of labels go outernational, touring the shows in the uk, spain, holland, germany, france, switzerland, all culminating in a headline showcase performance at Sonar 2004 in Barcelona, where the stage quite literally caught fire. Previous Infiltrate volumes have always reinforced the varied but mutual vision of this exciting cross section of labels, and here they represent in fine styles once again. All surveillance has been declassified. Force.fed announces the imminent mutation of the subversive Rise & Defeat series into a label entity in its own right, peeling off from its Rice & Beans mothership in increasingly corruscating salvoes on the doomed bush administration and political hipocrisies in general. Merck's Lackluster offers a developing melodic image of the abstract and often non-specific approach of these labels, while Hamijama, sometimes known as Jake Mandell, brings matters right back to the kernel of the Beta Bodega Coalition, proves there's no real substitute for a straight ahead, electronic bass banger. Beginning gradually, this just rolls like an absolute beast. Diamond ice's music for Metatronix has always swaggered with a unique melding of classic miami bass and isolated electronic influences, forget your weak willed timabaland productions -this is the true sonic cutting edge. Offering the lyrical counterpoint to these soundscapes, Induce and Seven star wreak havoc on a hardcore joint from the heart of the excellent Counterflow. Its left to the youngest label in these surroundings, hometapes, to offer some sprightly funk from ROM, original home of the Boom & Birds project, and Manuvers to round out with a mournful, bluesy guitar instro, ending on a suitably sombre and beautiful note. Infiltrate continues to offer the only real alternative to corporate trash.) [RB014] Boom & Birds: Confetti CD (Beta Bodega Coalition's sub division turned heads at their Sonar showcase with Boom & Birds: an acoustica / hip hop / inverted folk hybrid that startles with its originality and summertime breeze. Roberto Carlos Lange, 1 half of the ROM project on Counterflow Recordings, fills the fatbacked rhythms with melodic elements, processed guitars and intricate shimmers, aided and abetted by Adam Heathcott. This release dealing inspired by Roberto's like as a child of Ecuadorean immigrants growing up in South Florida. "Sometimes too lucky" maintains this connection to 'real' instruments - a lonesome guitar rides a rich bed of vibes, like an after hours jam led by the Compass point All Stars. "Serpent Regular" opens with a Sun Ra-ish moment, then again the stringed instruments come into focus, offering a reflective, cannily poised composition, a song. 'Yellow Kite' has to be the highlight here, like a long lost Tom Tom Club dub, out and out balearic heaven. Flip to the cd for a couple of bonus tracks - "Help me out now" looping a breathy vocal, over a languid, relaxed beat - like a much funkier version of the early Tortoise sides. "Hostas" ends with a suitably hushed tone: a Beach Boys inspired vocal, and music laying somewhere between early Mouse On Mars and the High Llamas. Designed by La Mano Fria from Beta Bodega Coalition, hand packaged containing cd, card and confetti.) [RB012] Boom & Birds: Confetti 12" (Vinyl version with 5 selected tracks from the cd. Includes a bonus Climber remix.) [BDJ019] Climber: Downtown Loop CD/LP (The newest and most interesting project to come out from the Botanica camp. Climber is comprised of 2 producers, Shift and DJ Tosh. Shift (Mind Shift) was a key member in the now disbanded Deaf to the General Public group from here in Miami. Shift is Chilean, his family leaving South America to escape the turmoil created by the US and CIA backed regime of Pinochet which took over in the early 70’s. DJ Tosh is Japanese yet grew up in Santiago, Chile and then made his way to the U.S. Besides producing, he is a DJ and an avid vinyl collector and vendor (you might have bought that rare Bossa Nova record from him on E-bay!) Shift returning to Chile met Tosh in school, where their mutual love for re cords and music, especially hip hop, grew into the foundation of the group today. Downtown Loop makes references to the many different downtowns which these 2 have inhabited (Miami, Santiago, Seattle, Yokohama/Tokyo) and how life in the city is a series of repetitions day in and day out. The whole album shows daily life in the city. In Climber’s own words, "within a day a lot of things can happen, up and downs. If you notice, the album goes back and forth with uptempo and downtempo tracks. The word "loop" implies that same things will reoccur the next day, and the day after as well." Samples are taken from anything from local Miami musicians to old South American vinyl and molded into lush and soulful compositions. From beginning to end, a high quality release for those that truly love instrumental hip hop and just music in general. We even dare say a classic, one of those cds that get put on repeat to loop over and over again. Artwork by La Mano Fria. [BDJ019/RL66-002] Climber: Downtown Loop CD (Japan only release of Downtown Loop by BBC operatives at RL66. This version has all 13 tracks, plus a Japan bonus track featuring vocals of Bern Biz.) This being the Beta Bodega Coalition summer 2004 assault of releases, which we will close with Soarse Spoken's debut 12" entitled, "Dark Side of the Sun", those in Barcelona and at Sonar already got a taste of that. That drops in early August. And keep it locked here as we're about to close the year off with a bang. Forthcoming releases from Megadebt, Epstein (another project from Roberto Lange), Jahbitat (BBC's new secret weapon from Barcelona), Climber and Antennae, just to name a few! Ok so where to get any of these releases...? Well if you are in North, South, Central America or the Caribbean you can now order from Beta Bodega Coalition members directly. Phonoforum is here and ready to handle orders from our loyal fans, shops and distributers. Many rare, imported and exclusive items from BBC labels, Merck, Counterflow, Metatronix, Narita, Mass Transit, etc., will only be found through Phonoforum. Want to go direct and support? PHONOFORUM PHONOFORUM.COM The site you see is temporary, the death star will be fully operational by the end of the summer. Remember this is only for the Americas, sorry we don't ship to Europe or Japan. For our supporters in those parts of the world, why not try.... BBC-UK-EUROPE? BAKED-GOODS BAKED-GOODS.COM BBC-FRANCE? CHICA-CHIC CHICA-CHIC.COM BBC-JAPAN ONLY CD RELEASES? RL66 RL66.COM

24 Jul 2004 by Beta Bodega Coalition

July 23, 2004:
Nicaragua-The Sandinista Front celebrated the 25th anniversary of its 1979 rise to power, this week. Mexico-A Mexican prosecutor has brought criminal charges against former President Luis Echeverria for a 1971 attack on student protesters that killed at least 25 people, government sources said on Friday. Echeverria, 82, of the once-dominant Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, is the first former president in Mexico's modern history to face indictment. Echeverria's lawyer, Juan Velasquez, said a criminal court judge would receive the charges Friday and decide whether to issue an arrest order within 24 hours. The former president had been widely expected to be charged in the June 10, 1971, attack by a paramilitary band on student protesters in Mexico City. Hundreds of Mexicans died or disappeared at the hands of security forces under PRI rule from the late 1960s to the early 1980s in a US backed Cold War-era campaign against leftists. President Vicente Fox ousted the PRI in 2000 elections, ending the party's 71-year rule and pledging to punish its past crimes. Brazil-Brazilian authorities are investigating a report that international security consultant Kroll Inc. spied on a top presidential adviser as part of its probe into a corporate dispute between two telecommunications companies, officials said.

23 Jul 2004 by Beta Bodega Coalition

July 6, 2004:
Cuba-Cuba's parliament speaker Ricardo Alarcon on Thursday criticized what he said was a U.S. plan for a "free Cuba." Speaking at a general meeting of Cuba's National Assembly attended by President Fidel Castro, Alarcon said that under such a plan Cubans would lose their property and key social benefits. The United States wants to "convert our country into an American territory, and subject our people to slavery," said Alarcon, the president of the assembly. The assessment came in the wake of a new U.S. policies to restrict travel and other types of economic activity, moves aimed at pushing out Castro and squeezing the island's economy. Several others of the hundreds of legislators attending the meeting spoke out against the U.S. measures before condemning them in a resolution. Providing his vision of a U.S. plan, Alarcon said all sectors of the economy would be privatized and subsidies and price controls affecting goods and services would be abolished. "This would be a return to capitalism in its most brutal form, under the yoke of a foreign power," said Alarcon. UK-British Prime Minister Tony Blair, in a significant change of stance, said he now accepted that weapons of mass destruction might never be found in Iraq. "I have to accept that we haven't found them, that we may not find them," said Blair during a question-and-answer exchange with senior members of the British parliament. "We don't know what has happened to them," Blair added Tuesday. "They could have been removed. They could have been hidden. They could have been destroyed." Guyana-Two people were charged Friday in the murder of a man whose accusations prompted an investigation into alleged government-sponsored death squads and who had planned to testify against one of their relatives.Debra Douglas and Delon Reynolds are accused in the killing of George Bacchus, 51, who was shot in his bed on June 24. Bacchus had been scheduled to testify in the trial of Douglas' common-law husband, one of two men accused in the killing of Bacchus's brother. Bacchus, who was buried Thursday. had gone on national television earlier this year alleging that a government-sponsored hit squad in this South American country had been formed to hunt down criminals, and that his brother was killed in a drive-by shooting meant for him. Bacchus claimed to have worked as an informant for the alleged death squad, which human rights groups and opposition leaders have blamed for at least 40 extrajudicial killings and dozens of kidnappings in Guyana in the past two years.

06 Jul 2004 by Beta Bodega Coalition

June 28, 2004:
USA-Two aerial drones were assigned to Arizona border patrol on Friday in an unprecedented drive to secure a 350-mile stretch of the U.S.-Mexican border that has become the most popular and deadliest corridor for illegal immigrants. The two unmanned and unarmed aerial vehicles, piloted remotely, can fly up to 90 mph, detect movement 15 miles away and can transmit live pictures day and night of vast stretches of desert and grasslands traversed by more than 1,000 undocumented immigrants a day. Border patrol officials at an Arizona news conference said the two drones were the first to be deployed on the U.S. border. The Israeli-made drones are part of a Department of Homeland Security initiative to arrest immigrants, many of whom die in their bid to seek a "higher standard of living in the United States".

29 Jun 2004 by Beta Bodega Coalition

BBC Tour Info Command Station
As BBC hits Europe in various waves, please keep checking this section for news and updates. We've broken down each tour into it's own section so be sure you scroll all the way down to get all the information you need. We are starting in France and Spain then thoughout June making our way to UK, Holland, Germany and Switzerland, once our other support troops land. As everyday passes and if we can get internet access, we'll document our progress and give a brief update on shows. Thanks for your support and hope to catch all of you out on the streets of your city.

23 May 2004 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Megadebt [World Tour]
[Watch us Take Over the World - World Tour] They prayed it wouldn't happen but it has. Megadebt is here. Are you ready to rock? Fuck you then. Heres the dates. Keep it locked here for more info. June 17 \| 9pm [Sónar 2004] Megadebt \| Force.fed \| Iran Maiden La Mano Fria \| La Muerta Blanca Boom & Birds \| V8 Sónar Village: Barcelona, Spain *update* Megadebt set fire to the Sónar Village. The Sónar sound crew who tried to cut the set off had to answer to about 1000 screaming metal heads. The clean up crews worst nightmare too. More Sónar pictures will be added to the Sónar section below. June 19 \| 10pm [Repeat Repeat] Megadebt \| Force.fed \| Iran Maiden La Mano Fria\| La Muerta Blanca Earl Bass \| Stealth Golden Gate: Berlin, Germany *update* Nice underground venue, literally. Under subway tracks. But once the show got started the only thing that could be heard was the crazy train called Megadebt over heating up the amp. Thanks to the whole Repeat Repeat crew, West Berlin and ofcourse Thaddi at De:Bug. June 20 \| 10pm [MFOC/America Offline] Megadebt \| Force.fed \| Iran Maiden La Mano Fria\| La Muerta Blanca Superdefekt \| Rüftata110 \| Leekon Golden Pudel: Hamburg, Germany *update* Golden Pudel, the MFOC crew, Leekon and Turkish lentil soup. Much respect. BBC Hamburg crew in effect! June 23 \| 10pm [Megadebt] Megadebt \| Force.fed \| Iran Maiden La Mano Fria \| La Muerta Blanca Occii: Amsterdam, Holland *update* Holland beat some other team 3-0 in the Euro Cup and apparently Holland gets small hurricane-like storms in the middle of summer. Beware of the pizza in the Red Light District. Peace to Reed the Ill Seed, the Occii crew, Distortion Records and all that supported. June 24 \| 10pm [Worm] Megadebt \| Force.fed \| Iran Maiden La Mano Fria \| La Muerta Blanca Phako \| Frank Bretscheider Peter Duimelinks \| O.S.T. Nighttownbasement: Rotterdam, Holland *update* Shouts to O.S.T, Frank, Peter, Sascha from Worm, Hans from V2, our main man in Holland Remco "El Pirata Blanco", Martin and the rest of the Clone crew. Apologies for the condition the toilet was left in. It was that pizza. June 25 \| 10pm [Megadebt] Megadebt \| Force.fed \| Iran Maiden La Mano Fria \| La Muerta Blanca Bogen 13: Zürich, Switzerland *update* Ended the tour with a bang and 4 lost bags including La Muerte Blanca's guitar. Beware of Helvetic Airlines. Thanks to Cio and the Special Materialz crew and that guy that saw us at Sónar, Berlin and then came to see us in Zürich. That show was dedicated to you. June 26 \| 10pm [Megadebt] Megadebt \| Force.fed \| Iran Maiden La Mano Fria \| La Muerta Blanca TBA: Barcelona, Spain *update* Cancelled due to no venue wanting us after hearing about the havoc caused at Sónar. Banned from Barcelona, but we'll be back when shit cools off.

11 May 2004 by Beta Bodega Coalition

Sónar 2004 [Barcelona