Dead Time for Democracy

Jello Biafra Speaks Up

by Alison Meeder

It’s not every day you get to interview a punk rock legend.
Thus, when I found out I would get to speak with Jello
Biafra — former frontman for the Dead Kennedys — my wires were a
bit crossed. The arrangement was made to preview this Sunday’s
politically bent spoken word appearance at UCSB and I should’ve
been focused on questions about the California political climate,
the upcoming elections, and methods of getting progressive-minded
individuals politically active. Unfortunately, my thought process
was dominated by one thought alone: I would be speaking with a punk
rock legend while he was actually at home, sitting in his living
room. What, I kept wondering, does that living room look like?
Visions of anarchy-patterned slip covers and chandeliers made
entirely from safety pins danced through my mind; intelligent
inquiries about Governor Schwarzenegger and the future of the Green
Party were promptly pushed back.

Fortunately, when I did speak with
Biafra, he needed no prodding to expound on California politics and
his own ambitions to hold office. In one form or another, Biafra
has been a political figurehead for nearly 30 years and the man
knows how to state his agenda. He first gained public attention in
1979 as the vocalist for the groundbreaking Bay Area punk band the
Dead Kennedys. Known for anthems such as “California Über Alles”
and “Holiday in Cambodia,” the Dead Kennedys delivered their
message with a manic ferocity. Like it or not, most political
educators come across more than a little dry, and raising awareness
for current events in an entertaining manner is truly a challenge.
With the Dead Kennedys, however, the word “dry” was never an
option. Live performances often resembled riots and Biafra went to
extreme lengths for shock value, even once performing fully nude
for a crowd of 3,000.