JELLO BIAFRA AND THE GUANTANAMO SCHOOL OF MEDICINE are releasing two versions of their new song “SHOCK-U-PY!” as a pay-what-you-want digital download. The two versions are an acoustic sing-a-long mix and a heavier rock-a-long mix. The two song mixes are available right now on Jello’s bandcamp page.
Biafra explains: “Better late than never, here’s our tribute inspired by the Occupy movement. Not just ‘occupy’ - SHOCK-YOU-PY! - since my favorite kind of resistance can have theater, pranks and other creative sabotage - non-violent, of course!”
The SHOCK-U-PY! EP (virus 446 - vinyl, CD EP and digital) hits in early fall, followed by the long-awaited new JB/GSM full-length, White People and the Damage Done (virus 450 - vinyl, CD and digital.) “Vinyl and CDs will take a few weeks so we’re posting “SHOCK-U-PY!” online now - in two forms. “There’s the “sing-a-long mix” from the EP- semi-acoustic and ready made (for the most part) for singing at street protests. Or if you want the usual “rip your head off” approach, there’s the “rock-a-long mix” with the guitars way louder. So, hey - now you have freedom of choice: two mixes, pay or don’t pay, you decide. Please help us out if you can. I’m way in debt trying to finish the album. Benefit compilations for Occupy can just take it, it’s right there!”
The SHOCK-U-PY! EP will also include the non-album song “Barackstar O’Bummer” plus a remix of “We Occupy” another song for the uprising Jello guested on with D.O.A. “We both go way back in the direct action side of things so I’m honored Joe asked me to sing on this.”
“Occupy may be out of the corporate news machine right now but that hardly means that it’s gone away and it won’t go away until the problems go away. To me it’s a reigniting of the anti-corporate ‘spirit of Seattle’ but this time it’s bigger because times are more severe.
The album White People and the Damage Done will include the title track, “Brown Lipstick Parade” (about guess what?), “Werewolves Of Wall Street,” “Road Rage,” “Mid-East Peace Process,” “Crapture” (about the upside to being “left behind” as naked bigots fly heavenward), a ramped-up revival of “Burgers Of Wrath” from JELLO BIAFRA AND MOJO NIXON’s Prairie Home Invasion album and more. “’Burgers Of Wrath’ is probably the best song I’ll ever write about unemployment and homelessness and works well as both a punk song and an americana song. I’ve been wanting to play it again for a long time.”