30 Apr 2007

'Too Drunk to Fuck' star says vote Green in local elections

Jello Biafra backs Greens in local elections
Local elections are the starting point to make changes in the government, Biafra said. He encouraged people to vote and stated, "I'd rather vote for something I want and not get it than vote for something I don't want and get it."

Biafra encouraged a maximum wage for everyone, talked about squatters' rights and the need for dialogue between differing ideologies.

"Don't argue, communicate," Biafra said. " You're planting seeds."

He drove home the point to the audience that they were responsible for creating change and reminded them that they have helped to create a turnaround in the perception of the war in Iraq faster than was done with the Vietnam War.



Jello Biafra, former leader singer of the Dead Kennedys, is on tour, promoting green politics. I love Jello, I watched one of those punk politics DVDs a month or two ago with lots of interview footage (a Don Letts special), jello is a geniune cultural seer, with much wisdom.

I mean listen to this:
Biafra held nothing back from the audience as he cried out, "Oh my god, why isn't Dick Cheney in jail?" referring to the vice president's military and personal actions.

Biafra reiterated a point by Maria Armoudian, radio host on KPFK 90.7 and commissioner for the city of Los Angeles, who introduced him, in stating, "Don't hate the media; become the media."

Biafra encouraged everyone to not buy commercial products and to support local businesses, as he stated that was one of the ways they could make a difference.

He yelled about the greed for oil and called people who drive SUVs "Hummerheads." In regards to chain corporations, he stated, "I haven't eaten at McDonald's in 30 years. I have yet to give one penny of my money to Wal-Mart - EVER!"


'Too Drunk to Fuck' also known on Radio One as 'a record by the Dead Kennedys' is one of the tracks in his discography, here is what the wiki oracle says (wonder what it says on conservapedia).

"Too Drunk to Fuck" was the fourth single by the Dead Kennedys. The record was released in May 1981 on Cherry Red Records with "The Prey" as the b-side. Both songs from this single are available on the rarities album Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death (1987).

The single reached Number 36 in the UK Singles Chart, although it was not stocked in some record shops because of its provocative title. It was the first UK Top 40 single to include the word "fuck" in its title. Not surprisingly, it was banned from Radio 1 airplay and Top of the Pops by the BBC. When it reached the Top 40, presenter Tony Blackburn referred to it simply as "a record by the Dead Kennedys".


You can listen here


He ran against Ralph Nader and my friend Joel Kovel for the Green Party Presidential nomination in 2000.

He took 'biafra' from the troubled region on Nigeria, starved in war during the 1960s and 'jello' from the generic food title.

'Holiday in Cambodia' is the iconic track.

Neat, neat, neat....whenever David Cameron talks green think of jello biafra,

whenever 'realos' say we have to cut the commitments and go 'new green' think of jello biafra.

Wish he was in the Green Party of England and Wales, but Green Party west side has some real stars....and no leader!

Perhaps we could draft Don Letts...any one out there got his email or mobile and I will ask him....

Here is Jello's latest speech.

Is that an Earth First! t shirt I see...

Here is the wiki take on this 1979 run for mayor of SF

In the fall of 1979, Biafra ran for mayor of San Francisco as a prank, using the Jello ad campaign catchphrase, "There's always room for Jello", as his campaign slogan. Having entered the race before creating a campaign platform, Biafra later wrote his platform on a napkin while attending a Pere Ubu concert. As he campaigned, Biafra wore campaign t-shirts from his opponent Quentin Kopp's previous campaign and at one point vacuumed leaves off the front lawn of another opponent, current U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, to mock her publicity stunt of sweeping streets in downtown San Francisco for a few hours. Supporters committed equally odd actions; two well known signs held by supporters said "If he doesn't win I'll kill myself" and "What if he does win?" His platform included unconventional points such as forcing businessmen to wear clown suits within city limits and a citywide ban on cars (although the latter point was not considered abnormal by many voters at the time, as the city was suffering from serious pollution problems).[4] Biafra has expressed irritation that these parts of his platform attained such notoriety, preferring instead to be remembered for serious proposals such as legalizing squatting in vacant, tax-delinquent buildings and requiring police officers to keep their jobs by running for election voted on by the people of the neighborhoods they patrol.[6] During a TV interview (reproduced on The Early Years home video and DVD), he had this to say to those who thought less of him running for mayor: “For those of them who have seen my candidacy as a publicity stunt or a joke, they should keep in mind that it is no more of a joke, and no less of a joke than anyone else they care to name.”[7] He finished fourth out of a field of ten, receiving 3.5% of the vote (6,591 votes); the election ended in a runoff that did not involve him (Feinstein was declared the winner). In reaction to his campaign (and that of Sister Boom-Boom, a drag queen who also ran for mayor and handily won the third place spot above Biafra), San Francisco passed a resolution stating that no candidate could run under any name other than their given name.[8]

2 comments:

tim said...

Jello is a hell of a guy. A friend of mine gave me his recent CD set ('In the Grip of Official Treason') for my birthday. In keeping with the tradition of his spoken word albums, it's really informative while at the same time being completely hilarious.

Cheers.

Anonymous said...

Dick Cheney should be in jail!Thats for sure! And i love Jello Biafra ever since the first time i heard the anthem at my youth age! And i was kinda surprise he is one the warrior fighting for the earth, i am proud to become one of his fans.

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