Real Conversations 1: Jello Biafra introduction

Real conversations 1
Jello Biafra excerpt


Billy Childish intro
Lawrence Ferlinghetti intro
Henry Rollins intro

An excerpt from Real conversations 1

Introduction to Jello Biafra

Jello Biafra was the lead singer/songwriter of the early San Francisco punk band Dead Kennedys. Unlike most punk musicians, he was one of the first to go up against the music industry itself, forming Alternative Tentacles Records over 20 years ago. He remains musically active today in groups such as Lard.

Become the Media In 1986 his Frankenchrist trial (the first record in history charged with obscenity) forced him into international limelight as a gadfly speaking out on censorship and First-Amendment violations. Thus began his career as a spoken-word firebrand. Biafra has a way of penetrating political and corporate media smokescreens to spotlight the real issues festering beneath. His radical insights inform a dozen music albums and six spoken-word albums on the Alternative Tentacles label, which is currently under legal attack. It seems he has paid dearly for sticking to his original anti-corporate vision, ethics, and principles of the band.

Jello Biafra's newest recordings include Become the Media (a 3-CD set) and The No WTO Combo, available from www.alternativetentacles.com or PO Box 419092, SF, CA 94141-9092 USA (send $1 for catalog). This is also the contact address for the Alternative Tentacles Legal Defense Fund; contributions are needed to help ensure the independent punk label's survival.

This interview began after a Tomata Du Plenty painting show/reading at Vesuvio's in North Beach, San Francisco. A second interview took place by phone from Biafra's hometown.
BECOME THE MEDIA 3-CD set (Alternative Tentacles 1996 USA)


Introductions to:
Henry Rollins
Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Billy Childish

Real conversations 1 main page
Jello Biafra excerpt