On the night of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Les Claypool of PRIMUS and Eugene Hütz of GOGOL BORDELLO began collaborating on a joint release to rally support for the Ukrainian people. Released today via Rolling Stone and irreverently titled "Zelensky: The Man With The Iron Balls", the track also features Stewart Copeland, Sean Lennon, Billy Strings and Sergey Ryabtsev. Proceeds from the sale of the single will be donated to Nova Ukraine, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine.
"As soon as Russian aggression broke out, Les and I connected to address the catastrophe ASAP," recalls Hütz, a Ukrainian native. "We jumped on creating affirmative music that calls for unity and pays respect to the real doers in Ukrainian defense — such as President Zelensky, who demonstrated previously unheard-of stamina and heroism."
"The night of the invasion, I was dining with close friends of mine from Poland who were hosting their family visiting the U.S. from their town, which is 50 kilometers from the Ukraine border," Claypool adds. "Needless to say, they were stressed and concerned about what was happening in their homeland. After a few vodka shots of solidarity, I started texting with my buddy Eugene from GOGOL BORDELLO to get his perspective and insight. In that vodka-laced dialogue, we started mutually praising Zelensky for his surprisingly epic display of courage. 'Zelensky has balls of steel!' we agreed. It was then that we decided that some freaky, 'East meets West' art needed to be thrown that way."
"After a couple weeks of file trading with Sean Lennon, Stewart Copeland, Eugene Hütz and Sergey Ryabtsev, a visit to my studio by my buddy Billy Strings, as well as some enthusiastic rhythmic claps from local supporters of Ukraine, we now have a recording to help rally support for a bullied country and a David vs. Goliath-type man who stood up for their liberty, freedom and homeland."
Hütz points out: "The reoccurring chant in the song, 'Revolution Of Dignity,' honors the 2014 Maidan Revolution, which resulted in the removal of Ukraine's pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych and lead to Russia's military intervention against the people of Ukraine, the annexation of Crimea and the start of the Donbas War — part of the broader Russo-Ukrainian War. It is our way to show that heavyweights like Les, Stewart, Billy and Sean stand with people of Ukraine and the country's sovereignty from the very start of Russian-led terror."
"This is not intended to be a song of condemnation," Claypool says. "This is a song of unity and anti-bully mentality, giving praise to a man who stepped up for his people beyond anything I've seen in my tenure on this planet. This unlikely fellow has grabbed the reins of leadership and held fast in such a way that the world is now galvanized in support. His legendary quote 'We need ammunition, not a ride' — Patrick Henry couldn't have said it better himself. Zelensky is truly 'The Man With the Iron Balls.'"
To further raise donations for Nova Ukraine, the team behind "Zelensky: The Man With The Iron Balls" has partnered with Fandiem, a digital fundraising platform that inspires the music community to give back. Starting this Friday, April 22, fans who donate at www.fandiem.com/ironballs will be automatically entered to win an all-expense-paid trip to attend the "South Park" 25th-anniversary concert at the iconic Red Rock Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado on August 10, featuring PRIMUS and WEEN. One winner and guest will receive travel and hotel, two VIP tickets to the show, upgraded seats, and a special prize from the artists.
The creative team is also inviting listeners to show their support for the people of Ukraine by submitting clips of themselves, their friends, colleagues, children, pets, or anyone else they deem appropriate clapping along to the song. Video clips can be sent to ironballs@primusville.com and additional details can be found in the video notes.
"Zelensky: The Man With the Iron Balls" recording credits:
Les Claypool - bass and vocals
Stewart Copeland - percussion
Eugene Hütz - vocals
Sean Lennon - guitar and vocals
Sergey Ryabtsev - violin
Billy Strings - guitar
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.