Announcing the 25th Anniversary of Felons and Revolutionaries
By Edsel Dope
After spending the first half of 2024 on the road with their friends in Static-X and Sevendust, New York City electro metal heads Dope are finishing the year with the announcement of the 25th Anniversary vinyl reissue of their breakthrough debut album, Felons and Revolutionaries. This release marks the first time the album has ever been available on vinyl. Originally released on September 14 1999 via Epic Records, the album would launch the career of mastermind Edsel Dope through the release of singles such as “Pig Society,” “Everything Sucks” and “Sick.” The track “Debonair” would go on to be featured in films such as the original ‘The Fast and the Furious,’ ‘Run All Night’ and ‘Scream 3.’ “Debonair” was also used by Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) superstar Rhino as his entrance music.
The original release of Felons and Revolutionaries featured the band’s cover of the N.W.A. classic “Fuck Tha Police” which was absent from certain pressings and deliberately omitted from early packaging by the band’s record label. Dope would later record an unforgettable version of Dead Or Alive’s 1985 hit, “You Spin Me Round (Like A Record).” That version would bring the band their first hit single at Active Rock radio and was added to the reprint of the album in 2000. The song continues to be a staple of the band’s live shows to this day.
The 25th Anniversary version of Felons and Revolutionaries – scheduled for release on December 6 – features newly updated and re-imagined artwork. The vinyl will also include all the tracks from the debut as well as the band’s covers from the original CD release. The album will be available in various configurations including a limited edition Orange Vinyl Pressing – autographed by founding members Edsel & Simon Dope, along with the band’s original drummer Preston Nash & bassist Acey Slade. New merch also available including Dope Police Tape, Hats, Flags, Posters, Stickers, Hoodies and Shirts. Get them all exclusively right here.
“I can’t believe that it’s been 25 years since Dope hit the international scene,” says Edsel Dope. “This ultra noisy, punk rock album is where it all started for us and I’m so excited to see it finally released in this nasty orange Vinyl format. I am eternally grateful to all the fans & friends that have come along for the ride.”
The tracklisting for Felons and Revolutionaries is:
1) Pig Society
2) Debonaire
3) Everything Sucks
4) Sick
5) Kimberly’s Ghost
6) Spine For You
7) One Fix
8) Fuck Tha Police
9) Intervention
10) America The Pitiful
11) Shit Life
12) Wake Up
13) I Am Nothing
14) You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)
Dope has been recently announced as the replacement for Coal Chamber at Aftershock Festival on Saturday, October 12th. The band will be performing on the Shockwave Stage at 2:45PM. More information can be found at: https://aftershockfestival.com.
DOPE (25th Anniversary edition 1999 Band Photo)
Left to right: Preston Nash – Edsel Dope – Simon Dope – Acey Slade
Dope have spent the last 25 years delivering their uncompromising message to the masses. Through their six previous studio albums, the band has never pulled punches with their music or their message. The band made a name for themselves around New York City and eventually signed with Epic Records for their debut. The sophomore album Life spawned the track “Die MF Die” – with over 200 million combined digital streams - has become a staple in basic training and garnered the band a dedicated military following from that introduction. The band has also found mainstream success through their inclusion in various movie soundtracks and wrestling integrations specifically with the WWE. At a time when music trends changed, Dope continued to maintain their relevance with their audience through direct fan correspondence. This relationship garners Dope approximately 1.5 million monthly listeners, puts them in the top 1% of all streaming artists and a dedicated following that most people are unaware of to this day. As the band gets ready to launch in to the next 25 years of their career with Blood Money Part Zer0, the world needs the brutal honesty that Edsel and Dope have come to be known for.
