Punk Icon Jello Biafra Hospitalized After Hemorrhagic Stroke

Jello Biafra, the iconic vocalist of the Dead Kennedys and a long-standing figure in punk rock, is currently hospitalized following a hemorrhagic stroke. The incident, caused by high blood pressure, occurred this past Saturday, March 7th.

The 67-year-old musician shared the news via Instagram on his record label, Alternative Tentacles.

> “I hopped out of my bed because I needed to pee, and my left leg just collapsed under me and I fell to the floor. I couldn’t even break the fall with my left arm because it wasn’t working either. I tried to hop back up again, and I couldn’t. I realized I had ‘fallen and I can’t get up!’ It was this point I thought, ‘Oh shit, I’m having a stroke!’ I still have a lot of great stuff in me, but right now I gotta lotta of rehabbing to do.”

Currently, Biafra is in stable condition. Alternative Tentacles has pledged to provide updates as they become available.

While Biafra is best known for his role as co-founder and lead singer of the Dead Kennedys from their inception in 1978 to their split in 1986, his career encompasses much more. He explored electropunk with Witch Trials, joined forces with members of Ministry to form the band Lard, and collaborated with groups like D.O.A. and Nomeansno. His most recent album, Tea Party Revenge Porn, was released in 2020 with Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine.

When the Dead Kennedys reunited in 2001, Biafra declined offers to rejoin, a decision he maintains to this day. A lawsuit in 1998 saw the band accuse Biafra of withholding royalties, ultimately leading to him paying the outstanding royalties and punitive damages. He also relinquished rights to a significant portion of the Dead Kennedys' back catalog, enabling the remaining members to reissue their past albums, including their debut, Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables, in 2022. That same year, the Dead Kennedys’ longtime drummer D.H. Peligro passed away.

Punk Icon Jello Biafra Hospitalized After Hemorrhagic Stroke

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