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Quote by Jello Biafra

“Growing up in a family that listened to almost nothing but classical music had its effects, as well. "California Über Alles," the first Dead Kennedys single, was inspired musically more by Japanese Kabuki than anything else.”

Quote by Jello Biafra

Author

Jello Biafra is a renowned American singer, best known for his role as the lead vocalist for the punk rock band Dead Kennedys. He is recognized for his radical lyrics and anti-establishment stance, which have had a profound impact on the punk rock movement. more

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“In many ways, I have no idea what would have become of me if punk hadn't happened, because the '70s turned out to be so stale, and so boring, and so backward compared to what had come just before. We were too young to have fully experienced the '60s and the fervor of the anti-war movement.”

Ifs Way Ideas War Young Happened Movement Boring No Idea Anti War Punk Stale Fervor So Boring Anti War Movement

Author:Jello Biafra

“I saw the Ramones, early on at a country-rock palace in Denver. They were opening for some record-company band, so the local music establishment, and I emphasize the word "establishment," was there in force, and the handful of us who knew the Ramones were up in front. And half the fun was, you know, not only were the Ramones the most powerful band I had ever seen at that point, but they made it look so simple - that anyone could do it, hell, even I could do it. This is what I should be doing.”

“I got out of that immediately was that now, all of a sudden, rock music had become a spectator sport, that corporate labels and their bands were the new establishment, and punk was there to fight them the way the activist hippies must have fought what the establishment must have been ten years before. And it was interesting to see the reactions in different parts of the country.”

Way Years Has Beens Different Country Fighting Sports Interesting Rocks Band Ten Reactions Labels Corporate Activist Establishment Punk Spectators Hippie Rock Music

Author:Jello Biafra

“In San Francisco, most of the older activists, especially at Berkeley, were very hostile towards punks. The music, certainly, wasn't nice and mellow for them, and neither was our look or our attitude. While in Vancouver, the two most important early punk bands, D.O.A. and the Subhumans, were both managed by former yippie activists, who saw this as a logical extension of what they were already doing.”

Looks Two Important Attitude Saws Nice Band Former Logical Activist Punk Extensions Hostile San Francisco Mellow Vancouver Berkeley

Author:Jello Biafra

“A lot of the best acting training I had was in junior high and high school. We had very demanding directors and did real plays. You put our plays up against any theater troupe of any age, and they usually did pretty damn well.”

Wells Real Play Age School Acting Directors Training High School Theater Damn Juniors Junior High Best Acting Troupe

Author:Jello Biafra

“From the beginning, there was so much pressure in the early San Francisco punk scene for everyone to be different than everyone else, to flaunt your intelligence and insights instead of every band sounding alike, like what plagues punk music in particular today.”

Different Today Particular Scene Band Pressure Insight Punk Plague San Francisco Punk Music

Author:Jello Biafra

“Method acting has had a major influence both in writing through the eyes of other people, and seeing through the eyes of other people, trying to address different ideas in a way that would go beyond preaching to the choir.”

People Way Writing Trying Ideas Different Eye Acting Seeing Influence Majors Method Addresses Preaching Choir Through The Eyes Different Ideas Method Acting Preaching To The Choir

Author:Jello Biafra

“Looking back, I didn't realize until years later what a huge influence Red Skelton was in my stage demeanor with the band. I mean, I always liked things that were funny, and later I realized that having a sly sense of humor was a way to get attention and even respect in school.”

Way Years Mean School Realizing Attention Influence Stage Huge Band Red I Realized Sense Of Humor Looking Back Sly Demeanor

Author:Jello Biafra

“I was the kid in the class who was looking for the angles to question things or make wise-ass remarks, not knowing enough to be afraid of being myself or showing intelligence. But I wasn't the only kid like that in my classes because of where I grew up. I'm really thankful I grew up in a town where there were a lot of other mutant kids. I'm from Boulder, Colorado, which went through a lot of dramatic changes when I was growing up.”

Enough Kids Class Growing Up Knowing Wise Growing Grew Grew Up Towns Ass Dramatic Not Knowing Angle Remarks Colorado Being Myself Boulders Mutants Dramatic Change Wise Ass

Author:Jello Biafra

“When my sixth grade teacher opened the class with subtle praise for the guardsmen shooting four people to death at Kent State, I'd given up arguing with her by that point. But I was very riled up inside and vowed that I would never forget that.”

People States Given Forget Class Teacher Four Praise Arguing Shooting Grades Subtle Never Forget Given Up Sixth Grade Kent

Author:Jello Biafra