A bonobo is an ape and our closest living relative. They are well
known for their bisexual, affectionate play and for living in a freely
sexual society. For The Bonobos, a punk band out of St. Louis,
Missouri, this is not just a clever title, it is a moral imperative.
The Bonobos remind us with songs that humans belong to the class of
great apes and are not so different from our distant cousins in our
animal instincts.. Its not all roses and blow jobs, though. These guys
want the laws to protect their right to a free and freely sexual
society. With songs like "Coat Hanger Days" and "Welcome to Our
World", The Bonobos attack the growing religious conservatism in our
country. They make no apologies, as their leftist approach to opposing
uptight white men and all they stand for is nothing short of militant.
Bobo, the founder and ideological torchbearer of the band speaks
directly to the politics of this country. His lyrics expose the
religious right and strict conservative moral agendas of lawmakers as
impeding upon your social right to be yourself. The Bonobos sing about
the great divide between rich and poor in songs such as "Divided We
Fall" and "Class". As much as any punk band in the early 80's,
they speak to a generation of outspoken angry working people, but their
real talent lies in bringing together all of the elements of good rock
and roll music. With horns, a viola, keyboards, bass guitar, drums,
and guitars, they create a unique blend of classic sounds.
While they take their music very seriously, they are quite hedonistic
in their knack for turning a punk show into a party. Their animated
live shows have encouraged a small but faithful following in St. Louis
that includes many friends and also their family, since family is what
The Bonobos are. With the exception of Robo, they are all related.
While Mofo was still growing up, Bobo talked politics with his nephew
Loco and eventually they started putting music to some songs. Mofo,
taught himself drums and joined the band when he was sixteen. Jojo, a
cousin, was playing guitar and steel guitar in a band called Trailhead
and when he moved back to St. Louis in 2003, added his talents to lead
guitar, and piano. Robo rented the next door unit from the studio and
started turning her classically trained skills on the viola into heady
ballads such as "Mayday".
The band has spent most of the last two years playing around St.Louis.
They have shared the stage with a wide array of local and national
talent. These include St. Louis' own The Vultures, Core Project, Dub
Kitchen and The Frozen Food Section, and LA punk band BANGsugarBANG.
Playing shows changed the Bonobos from a group of politically minded
composers in a basement studio, to true performers with a show that
excites. Their music met the challenge of a live show with a uniqueness
and audacity rare in today's punk bands. "We are much closer to
Little Richard than we are to Minor Threat." says Bobo. "We plan to
breathe some life into punk music and as one fan put it, 'slam some
heart back in tha' kids apathetic bodies.'"
Under their own record label, Great Ape Productions, The Bonobos are
producing an album that includes nearly every song they've ever
played live They may not be prolific, but they've worked hard at
creating only quality music and message. The orchestration in
"Mayday" is out-and-out epic, with its moody punk chords and
strange angry viola in the background. Their lyrics are downright
offensive to most, hilarious to the rest, none moreso than "Ronald
Reagan Rot in Hell," which was written just following Reagan's
death in 2005 while the media could talk about nothing but his legacy.
There is place in politics for a band like The Bonobos and with the
release of their debut album, this band deserves recognition for hard
hitting truth and some of the most unique rock and roll of today.
--Bryan