No More Cocoons

by Jello Biafra

Genres: Punk, Politics

Audio CD

First published February 1, 1999

About the author

Jello Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band the Dead Kennedys. After his time with the band concluded, he became a political activist and took over the influential record label, Alternative Tentacles, which was founded by him and East Bay Ray. He continued as a musician in numerous collaborations and as a spoken word artist. Politically, he is a member of the Green Party and actively supports progressive political causes. He is a self-proclaimed anarchist who advocates civil disobedience and pranksterism in the name of political change. Biafra is known to use absurdist media tactics in the tradition of the Yippies to highlight issues of civil rights, social justice, and anti-corporatism.

His stage name is a combination of the brand name Jell-O and the name of the short lived country of Biafra which attempted to secede from Nigeria in 1966. After four years of fighting and horrific starvation in Biafra, Nigeria regained control of the nascent Biafran state. Jello Biafra created his name as an ironic combination of a nutritionally poor mass-produced food product and mass starvation. He said he likes how two ideas clash in people's minds.

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good friend suggested the spoken word works of JB - so far I have not been disappointed; cutting commentary that really hits home. JB does not care who he offends; because he is tired of being offended! I think it is very important to listen to different perspectives - and JB has a very unique perspective that will make you think!

[Lloyd Kerns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps this was his first release, but not the first I've heard from him; which allows me to say. "Jello's done it again!"

[Roland · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a teen, I listened to Jello's spoken word albums religiously. This one is probably the best of the lot. It's a great peak into what was going on when Jello and his band were being sued for selling "harmful matter." It's funny as hell at parts, and even though his reading the lyrics to "The Stars and Stripes of Corruption" is pointless, it's still damn good.