By Phyllis Pollack
Offering an alternative to Irish rockers U2, punk rocker Jello Biafra made his Los Angeles debut last night with his new band Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine at the El Rey Theater in Hollywood.
His current tour dates support the release of his new album The Audacity Of Hype. During the show, Biafra injected his unique brand of political humor, reminding the audience of serious issues plaguing the nation. In addition to his own band, the concert also featured two of the bands on his Alternative Tentacles label, M.I.A. and Triclops!, which uses an exclamation mark in their name, to distinguish them from other bands using the same name.
Triclops opened the show, delivering a unique blend of acid, psychedelic prog punk, fusing Sixties period San Francisco rock and punk, as well as other styles. Fleshies’ vocalist Johnny used the stage and the mosh pit as a personal playground for his impish antics that included backwards somersaults. The band, which was formed four years ago, passed the Clorox test, along with band mates Christian Beaulieu, Phil Becker and Larry Boothroyd. The band was seamless, a continuous flow of high energy, blacklight inspired music, never pausing between songs, except for the last number. Like Merry Pranksters, Triclops lit up the venue with their repertoire. The band is representative of the fine quality of punk that Biafra has managed to bring forth with his label for three decades. Triclops will be releasing a second album early next year.
The second act was M.I.A., which might seem rather unlikely. The Eighties hardcore punk band has seen more than its share of storms. The band originally signed with Biafra in 1984, releasing Murder In A Foreign Place that same year. Alternative Tentacle’s 2001 release of M.I.A.’s Lost Boys is still part of the label’s active catalogue. Seven years after its release, the band’s vocalist Mike Conley suffered an accidental death. The band came together for a memorial gig, and recently reformed. At last night's concert, M.I.A. bashed their way through songs including the angst-ridden “Reality Is Killing Me.” Original band member Paul Schwartz, who returned to the band, told Examiner.com that he has many fond memories of sharing “hotel rooms and long talks with Biafra,” adding, “I have so much respect for him. For him to remember us after twenty, twenty-five years, and want to us to be part of this is an honor.”
Jello Biafra has long been an expert at the fine art of agitation. On stage, he wore a bathrobe, which he soon removed, exposing a shirt with red and white stripes and white stars on blue background. Biafra would eventually remove that, donning a t-shirt emblazoned with the words, “I support Iraq veterans against the war.” The crowd clearly loved him. When Biafra ripped into “Clean As A Thistle” from his new album, he sang about hypocritical politicians who publicly extol family values, while living a far different lifestyle. Biafra made political statements between songs, at times inserting humor, but all very serious in their messages. At one point, he announced that if the government had not given money to the banks to bail them out, and if it had instead given the money to people to help them pay off their homes, the banks would still be in business. He referred to the current state of economics as a form of “feudalism.” With this, the band broke into the song “New Feudalism.”
Biafra also addressed the health insurance crisis before performing “Electronic Plantation.” He would later talk about the Bush Administration, saying, "Torture is never all right."
When the band broke into “California Uber Alles,” it was clear the song has become more relevant than ever. “It still feels like it’s 2004,” said Biafra of the problems in California, referring to politicians including Governor Arnold Schwartzenneger. The song “Panic Land,” with its grinding rhythm, was clearly a crowd favorite of the large audience that was extremely diverse in terms of race and age, which seemed to range between ages fourteen and sixty-five.
Biafra talked about private companies that profit from the prison system when introducing the song “Three Strikes.”
Guantanamo School of Medicine’s players, drummer Ralph Spight, drummer John Weiss, bassist Ron Nichols, who replaced Billy Gould, guitarist Kimo Ball were musically flawless as they contributed to the performance. Anthems like "Gentrification," “Kill The Poor” and “Holiday In Cambodia” were perfect musical accoutrements.
Alternative Tentacles will sponsor its three-night 30th Anniversary Incest-A-Thon with Jello Biafra and Guantanamo School of Medicine, Citizen Fish, M.I.A., and more in San Francisco at the American Music Hall November 5 through November 7.
For more information:
http://www.alternativetentacles.com
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Below, see a video of the band performing:
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