Green Jelly

On Friday, May 2, Bill Manspeaker, the frontman of Green Jello returned to Buffalo to celebrate his birthday at Nietzsche's. Rowdy concert goers filled the small venue, impatiently waiting as they moshed through four opening acts: Cruix of Tournament, Abandoned Trains, Bastard Bastard Bastard, and Living Brain Dead. Around one in the morning fans erupted with shouts of “Green Jello sucks” and “Happy Birthday Bill” as Bill Manspeaker strutted into the venue. 

Green Jello, the self-proclaimed world's worst band, and their Halloween inflatables were too big for the stage, and spilled out into the crowd. Immersing the fans in a one-of-a-kind punk show experience filled with pool noodles, puppet masks, mosh pits and complete darkness. 

Green Jello is a comedy punk rock band that formed in 1981 but didn’t rise to fame until 1993 with the release of, “The Three Little Pigs” from their album Cereal Killer Soundtrack. The album included Danny Carey on the drums and Reverend James Keenan as the voice of the Three Little Pigs who shortly after started their own band Tool. Unfortunately, as their fame grew the owner of the Jell-O trademark decided to sue Green Jello for infringement and won. Green Jello then became Green Jelly and had to re-release their albums with the new name. 

Today they are still officially Green Jelly but you can find flyers, merch and the like with the Green Jello logo. His album Cereal Killer Soundtrack is back on Billboard, making it to number six directly under Weird Al.

Utter chaos erupted in the venue as the crowd adorned puppet masks made into characters from the band’s music and other popular icons like: the three little pigs, the big bad wolf, the Cow God, Rambo, Toucan Sam, and Spong Bob to name a few. The participating puppet mask wearers were encouraged to be a part of the show, then the lights went out and the entire room erupted into a violent mosh pit. Pool noodles were tossed into the crowd and Bill urged everyone to wave them into the air and hit the band with them. 

Green Jello tours nationally and can be found at small venues and private parties where Bill brings the puppet punk show to your house, boat or location of choice. Bill has a core band that travels to all the shows but has different band members all over the globe. Performing in shows that are local to them and sell merch to help pay for their travels, making Green Jelly / Jello the world’s largest worst band ever. 

For more information: Green Jelly

Words and photos: Bethany Couture