New album from Jello Biafra

Fri 9th Oct, 2009 in International News

After twenty years worth of spoken word albums, countless musical collaborations and one infamous run to become the Green Party’s Presidential candidate, punk luminary Jello Biafra is back where he belongs – at the helm of a new band Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine.

Reportedly garnering inspiration from The Stooges’ gig on Iggy Pop’s 60th Birthday in San Francisco, Biafra decided to start a new band in honour of his turning 50. The band he eventually pulled together for this milestone features an enviable line-up of punk rock hardliners, including Ralph Spight and Kimo Ball ( Freak Accident ) on guitar, Jon Weiss (Sharkbait and Horsey ) on skins and Billy Gould ( Faith No More ) on bass.

After months of rehearsals and the occasional gig the band has finally spat out their debut album, The Audacity of Hype. The LP, which was produced by Biafra, swings wildly between rapid-fire punk anthems reminiscent of late DK’s and a much heavier, industrial flavoured punk. It also sees Biafra explore typically controversial lyrical territory – addressing everything from his disgust at the – œyupification’ of his beloved hometown of San Fran in Dot Com Monte Carlo to his determination not to get washed away in the golden promises of the Obama Administration in I Wont’ Give Up.