KOCH To Distribute Hopeless/Sub City Records

(Port Washington, New York) - - April 15, 2003 - - KOCH Entertainment Distribution, the leading independent distributor of music, video and DVD, announced today that it has signed a distribution deal with punk rock buzz labels Hopeless Records and Sub City Records. In this agreement, KOCH will distribute the complete Hopeless/Sub City music and DVD catalog and all forthcoming releases.

Based in Van Nuys, California, Hopeless Records has continued to grow in the independent music business and has sold over 2 million records since its inception in 1993. The fourth installment of its "Hopelessly Devoted to You" compilation series, released in June 2002, appeared on the Billboard Top 200 two weeks in a row peaking at #181. Hopeless charitable imprint Sub City Records has donated over $250,000 to non-profit organizations since its creation in 1999 and Thrice’s "Illusion of Safety", released on Sub City in February 2002, has scanned over 50,000 units to date.

The Hopeless Records/Sub City catalog offers CDs, LPs and DVDs containing full-length albums from current buzz bands as well as classic gems that include Thrice, The Weakerthans, Avenged Sevenfold, Against All Authority, Atom and His Package, Mustard Plug, Stairwell, Common Rider, The Queers, Samiam, Dillinger Four, Fifteen, 88 Fingers Louie, Turbonegro Tribute, Punk Side Story, the Cinema Beer CD/VHS/DVD series, the Hopelessly Devoted compilation series, the Plea For Peace/Take Action compilation series and many more. Current releases via KOCH Entertainment Distribution include Atom and His Package "Attention! Blah Blah Blah" (HR666-CD/LP) and Stairwell "The Sounds of Change" (HR667-CD). Upcoming releases will include Cinema Beer Buddy (HR668-CD/DVD/VHS) and Cinema Board Buddy (HR669-DVD) in stores on July 8, 2003.

"We at Hopeless/Sub City are extremely excited to be teaming up with KOCH

Entertainment," says Louis Posen, Founder and President of Hopeless/Sub City Records. "Our company philosophy and style is to provide a proactive, provocative cultural experience, going beyond traditional CD sales, to the benefit of our artists and fans of our labels. We look forward to working with like-minded, independent companies, such as KOCH, on new creative ways to empower and partner with people in and outside of our scene," he adds.

Michael Rosenberg, President of KOCH Entertainment Distribution adds, "Since its founding in 1993, Hopeless/Sub City has demonstrated its ability to discover and nurture talent in the punk rock genre and beyond. We have a tremendous respect for what they have accomplished and we look forward to working with them. Hopeless/Sub City makes a great addition to our burgeoning roster of rock and punk rock."

KOCH Entertainment is the leading and fastest-growing independent music and video company in the U.S. KOCH's operations encompass record and video labels and distribution companies in the U.S. and Canada. KOCH Entertainment is the market leader among independents in both the U.S. and Canada and its record labels had the largest number of Billboard charting albums among independents in 2002.

Contact information:                                                
For more information on KOCH please contact James Scileppi (516) 484-1000 Ext. 243 or email james.scileppi@kochent.com