(Port Washington, NY) March 28, 2005 – KOCH Entertainment Distribution, the leading independent distributor of music and video, is pleased to announce that it has signed an exclusive U.S. distribution deal with Cooking Vinyl USA LLC, effective April 1, 2005. This marks the UK-based company’s first venture in the US as a stand-alone independent label. Under this agreement, KOCH will distribute the label’s full North American catalog including select worldwide titles. The label is currently selecting a location for its offices in the New York metropolitan area.

Headed by its newly appointed CEO Jeremy Morrison, Cooking Vinyl USA will work closely with its existing family of US-based artists and continue in the company’s tradition of searching for and developing an eclectic roster of up-and-coming artists. Forthcoming releases in 2005 include an exciting lineup of titles by Killing Joke, Echo & The Bunnymen, Richard Thompson, Hayseed Dixie and The Church, amongst others.

Cooking Vinyl UK is headed by its Managing Director Martin Goldschmidt who has been instrumental in making the label one of Europe’s most influential independent record companies. Founded in 1986, the label established itself with releases by Michelle Shocked, Cowboy Junkies, and Sweet Honey in the Rock. Today Cooking Vinyl has assembled an eclectic high-profile roster which includes Ryan Adams, Hanson, Frank Black, Janis Ian, Camper Van Beethoven and Billy Bragg.

"I am very pleased to be partnering with KOCH for the launch of our new label," says Jeremy Morrison, CEO of Cooking Vinyl USA LLC. "I look forward to working and continuing my relationship with Michael Rosenberg and all my friends and colleagues at KOCH Entertainment Distribution."

"We look forward to a very successful relationship with Cooking Vinyl," says Michael Rosenberg, President of KOCH Entertainment Distribution. "It’s a pleasure to have the opportunity to work with Jeremy again and to be a part of this exciting new venture. We have a tremendous respect and admiration for what Martin Goldschmidt has accomplished with Cooking Vinyl and expect a bright future for the new U.S. label."

Cooking Vinyl USA LLC is a label dedicated to releasing the finest music in the world. Its history reflects a willingness to release music of all genres and none, and the label has forged a unique identity and independence in an industry of increasing musical conformity and conservatism. The eclectic nature of Cooking Vinyl's roster is testament to the label's open mindedness and its mission to seek out the best music, regardless of genre. Whether cutting edge or traditional, guitars or samplers, homegrown or from the other side of the world, Cooking Vinyl encompasses all this and more and as a result, has become one of the leading independent record companies. For more information, go to www.cookingvinyl.com or e-mail jeremy@cookingvinyl.com

KOCH Entertainment Distribution is the leading and fastest-growing independent music and video company in the U.S. and its 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 2003/2004. For more information, go to www.kochent.com.

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