East Bay Ray & Neurosis Speaks Out On Biafra

Discussion
1

Just had this sent to my facebook message account???

(We’ve been asked to send this from East Bay Ray)

“The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie – deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic. Belief in myths allows the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.” - JFK

Unfortunately the Dead Kennedys’ Facebook page has recently been invaded by a small group of Jello Biafra followers (and fake accounts) posting false information about Klaus Flouride, D. H. Peligro and myself. Needless to say, it feels really awful when people spread lies about you. So to let folks know what actually happened, here again is what our lead singer did to us.

Jello Biafra is a very talented person, we collaborated on great music together and he is exceptionally outspoken, but talent and outspokenness do not indicate character. To put it simply, he betrayed Klaus, D. H. and myself, and what Dead Kennedys stand for-- behind our backs he stole song writing credit and skimmed royalties from us, not the other way around.

When his selfishness was ultimately proven, Biafra used his position and charisma to spread lies and malicious myths about us to cover up and distract from his own betrayal of us and Dead Kennedys. And we still hear those lies being thoughtlessly spread by people who have no first hand knowledge of the situation. The experience was one of the worst things for Klaus, D. H. and I to have to go through. And it was devastating to learn that the ideals that Biafra spoke of meant nothing to him, they’re just there for his image, he only looks out for himself.

So now that the band Neurosis finally has the rights back to their record which was on Alternative Tentacles, “Enemy of the Sun,” they can speak out about how Biafra stole from them just like he stole from East Bay Ray, Klaus Flouride and D. H. Peligro.

Fortunately, Dead Kennedys music is larger than any one personality and we hope that our music and basic message lives on - don’t be a lemming, think for yourself. Onward.

excerpt of interview:
Scott Kelly of Neurosis: The Hellbound Interview
By Justin M. Norton

Question: For those who haven’t seen the new reissue [of “Enemy of the Sun”], how is the album different from the last remastering done in 1999?

Answer: It’s not a whole lot different. The tracks are all the same. The packaging is different. It’s’ just the first time Neurosis has been able to claim the album. It’s always been out there. We just wanted to take the initial pressing back from Alternative Tentacles and stop the bleeding. Now we’ve established this label, painstakingly put things together. The label is viable on some level and definitely the place to find our music. As we get back the rights to our records we’ll re-release more.

Question: What happened with AT?

Answer: Alternative Tentacles ripped us off. That’s the simple version. They cooked the books and we called them on it. They accused us of all sorts of things and being greedy. And it was only about $3000!

It was basically an honor thing. There was no honor there. I don’t know what to say about it except that I was proud to be on the label when they approached us to do us records. We held them in high regard and it couldn’t be further from that now.

Question: Label head Jello Biafra (former singer of the Dead Kennedys) also lost a lawsuit filed by his former band mates essentially claiming he’d been withholding royalties on the back catalog.

Answer: They won in court because they were correct. If he would rip us off for a small amount of money then he’d go after them for huge amount of money. When is the last time he had to punch a clock or worry about rent? He doesn’t. Who lives in a house on the hill? He does. I live in a trailer in the woods. I have a day job and always have. What he did to his fellow band mates is all there in black and white.

http://www.hellbound.ca/2010/09/scott-kelly-of-neurosis-the-hellbound-interview/

2

Jello should’ve given Al some tips on how to run a label.
Love both of the guys, but that’s fucking wrong…

3

I’ve been a huge Jello fan for much of my life (seriously, I used to have a friggin’ mini-museum in my room even), but I’m not so emotionally invested as to turn a blind eye to his shenanigans.

I thought it was cool when the DK’s (minus Jello, of course) started touring again, and it was hilarious how many people just wigged out about that and would leave vehement messages on boards about how they’re a bunch of posers, blah blah blah. They just wanted to play some songs . . . the songs that THEY had a major part in. These songs were performed by 75% of the original band.

When Decay Music was formed it was a four-way equal share collective. Jello, who is all about fighting for equality and championing the oppressed, etc, shouldn’t have agreed to set up the music rights in such a manner if he didn’t want to put his money where his mouth was.

I’m glad to see that Neurosis is now speaking out also. I’ll be curious to see if other bands start opening their mouths.

4

I don’t care to gossip about Jello Biafra. I suspect he’s an irritating person to talk to.

But Neurosis’ “Enemy Of The Sun” is a cool record.

5

East bay ray and those other 2 DKs are fucking liars!! There are enough articles/ interviews floating around with east bay ray and klause flouride that have both of them speaking out of both sides of their mouths. In the same interviews no less. So I give a fart’s worth of stock into those jackasses words.

Jello was the one that found the mistake and paid the other DKs. They had no idea. Jello ultimately lost the suit in court for “failure to promote” not fraud as so many are led to believe.

The reason people were pissed about the other DKs touring was not because they were toruing but because they were using Jello’s voice in the advertisements, and then no jello at the concert. let’s face it, Jello is that band!

As far as equal shares, I believe union laws (the Musician’s guild) say that jello gets more because he wrote the lyrics. Lyracists always get a bigger take

I don’t know enough about the Neurosis situation to even know what their complaint is.

I think the other DK jackasses are using this nuerosis situation to lend credibility to their own bullshit.

If jello is wrong I won’t continue to defend him but he needs defending against the other DKs cause those dudes straight up lied.
Late,
grmpysmrf

6

Grumpy’s gay for Jello.

7

Grumpy’s gay for Jello.

Totes.

He’s almost as gay for Jello as Voidhead is for Marilyn Manson and 17yr old groupies.

8

Grumpy’s gay for Jello.

They are both annoyingly outspoken communist ultra liberals.

The difference being that Jello has actually done cool things.

9

[reply]Grumpy’s gay for Jello.

They are both annoyingly outspoken communist ultra liberals.

The difference being that Jello has actually done cool things.[/reply]
Except that he’s annoying [rolleyes]

Yeah I like some jello.
Late,
grmpysmrf

10

Jello was really radical in the 80’s, pissing off all kinds of people and getting under the skin of politicians and celebrities and such. I don’t care if anyone agreed with his politics, it was awesome regardless because he was totally PUNK and took action where he saw fit, regardless of how silly it may have been.

Back in the 80’s it was fun. He had a sense of humor and there was a mischievous bent to all his stuff, whether in art or activism.

Then somewhere around the mid-90’s he stopped being funny. And he stopped being fun. And he stopped being relevant.

Running for mayor and vaccuuming the leaves on Diane Fienstein’s porch gave way to 3 hour diatribes about evil corporations and censorship . . . again, and again, and again.

I think there was a bit of a turning point after he got beat up by those punks at Gilman back in 92 or 93. His musical output came to a stop and he just seemed to become bitter and self-important. He started buying into all the asskissers that followed on his every word.

It just became tedious and dull.

I don’t know all the details of the cases with him and his former bandmates or any other labelmates, but I do know that the Jello of 2010 is not as fun as the Jello of the 80’s (or late 70’s).

He. Is. BORING!!!

11

The difference being that Jello has actually done cool things.

Uh-oh!

12

but I do know that the Jello of 2010 is not as fun as the Jello of the 80’s (or late 70’s).

He. Is. BORING!!!

For sure. Although the GSOM Is a damn good album probably his best since jello with D.O.A.

His last several spoken words have been absolute snoozefests. I think your right gunnar, that beating he took I think was the turning point. Though that happenend in late 94 early 95 though. Beyond the valley of the gift police was his last good spoken word. Which came out in 94.
Late,
grmpysmrf

13

I’ll find the dates in just a moment, but “Gift Police” came out after the beating, I’m sure (though it’s possible that much of it was done before the incident).

I barely got through one listen, but I’m pretty sure that he talked about the incident on that album. I might be thinking of “Evolution”, which I couldn’t even get through once.

Anyway . . . . off to the interwebs for some fact checkin’.

14

Genesis P Orridge was the same.

On the one hand, here he was, preaching about the evils of society and how the masses are brainwashed into being clones and having no identity, and then there he is brainwashing his followers to hand over their worldly possessions and go out and beg for money for him.

That was back when he was running that Psychic Tv cult, the one that had the authorities so hot under the collar.

He was just in it for the money and the personal glory of being worshipped.

And then there’s Al…

15

I’ll find the dates in just a moment, but “Gift Police” came out after the beating, I’m sure (though it’s possible that much of it was done before the incident).

I barely got through one listen, but I’m pretty sure that he talked about the incident on that album. I might be thinking of “Evolution”, which I couldn’t even get through once.

Anyway . . . . off to the interwebs for some fact checkin’.

He didn’t talk about the beating at all until way later I had to find out from zine he got beat. Evolution is certainly the beginning of the end for jello. His rants against NASA and cassini really turned me off. that’s all I really remember from that release. The title is super catchy though.

Become the media had some decent bits.
And that’s pretty much it. In the grip of official treason is horrific as well as machine gun. Treason being the worst.
Late,
grmpysmrf

16

OK, I just checked details. Although the album came out AFTER the incident it had been fully recorded before the incident.

The album was finished recording on April 22, 1994 and he got beat up on May 7, 1994.

I found this quote while searching . . . . .

“It my well have destroyed my chances of performing music live in the way I want to,” Biafra told Rolling Stone, “If I can’t get the knee to come back, I don’t just want to stand there and bore everyone to death.”

17

He jumped around quite a bit for a 50 year old man for gsom when we saw him play.
Late,
grmpysmrf

18

He jumped around quite a bit for a 50 year old man for gsom when we saw him play.
Late,
grmpysmrf

When did you see GSOM? Did they play down here? I don’t follow as close anymore but I was hoping to catch one of those gigs.

And yes, he’s moving pretty good again. I like his energy. Even fat and bald he is still quite the showman and a great front man.

19

When did you see GSOM? Did they play down here? I don’t follow as close anymore but I was hoping to catch one of those gigs.

Back in Nov of '09. They played the El Rey in LA. I posted about the show after we got back. Just search for guatanamo.

20

[reply]When did you see GSOM? Did they play down here? I don’t follow as close anymore but I was hoping to catch one of those gigs.

Back in Nov of '09. They played the El Rey in LA. I posted about the show after we got back. Just search for guatanamo.[/reply]

Crap. I kind of remember that being scheduled. I’m pretty sure I was on travel at the time.