July 10, 1997

TULSA, Okla.(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE) via Individual Inc. The
Tulsa County District Attorney's Office has declined to prosecute
Vinnie Dombroski, lead singer for the rock group Sponge, who was
arrested on Sunday, July 6 for violating the state's obscene
language law.
According to a police report, Dombroski used an allegedly obscene
word ("F") 11 times during the group's outdoor performance. Tulsa
Police officers were waiting to arrest Vinnie as he left the stage at the
R.O.A.R tour festival at River Parks Amphitheater.

The state law he was arrested for violating originated in 1910 and
makes it a misdemeanor to "utter or speak any obscene or lascivious
language in the presence of females, or in the presence of children under 12
years of age."

While being booked at the police station, Vinnie signed autographs
and photos for the Tulsa police department and released later that
evening after posting bail equaling $5,566.00, which will now be returned.

Although last night's venue in Oklahoma City also had profanity
stipulations, Sponge went on to perform their usual energetic set.
As police looked on, Vinnie did not abstain from using profanities
nor from performing his anticensorship song, "Silence is Their Drug," yet
no arrests were made. Oklahoma City Police Sgt. Nate Tarver said "We
decided that if it is just a matter of uttering that word, we
would not do
anything. However, if it was used in conjunction with an act
intended to
provoke a riot, then we would step in.

When asked for a statement about his arrest, Vinnie had this to
say:

"I don't yell `fire' in a crowded theater, I don't yell
profanities at fellow
citizens on the street. When I perform I feel I am in a forum that
respects
my freedom to say what I want. If someone is offended by me they
are
free to go. When there is a breakdown in the respect for freedom
in the
arts then people are put in jail for silly reasons. If a Sponge
show is not
your cup of tea there are plenty of roads to Disneyland."

CONTACT: Columbia Records | Lisa BuenaventuraLashley,
310/4492507 | Renee Pfefer, 212/8334424

[Copyright 1997, Business Wire]