Jihad Against America

Jihad Against America are a hardcore punk band founded in Melbourne, Australia, shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks. It could be argued that, in selecting a deliberately offensive name, making references to the World Trade Center in their performances, performing songs with titles such as Terrorism Is The New Black, and being more concerned with loudness than musicianship, they are taking part in a long-standing rock and roll tradition of aggressive iconoclasm, as well as an even longer-standing Australian folk tradition of larrikinism.

For one performance, Jihad Against America changed their name to Shihad. This was clearly a dig at the band Shihad changing their name to Pacifier in the wake of September 11, on the grounds that the name Shihad sounded too much like Jihad (note, Shihad have now reverted to their original name). The band also claimed to be the first ever winner of the Pre-emptive ARIA award.

Members of Jihad Against America include:

• Monika Fikerle (of Baseball, Sea Scouts, The Bites, The Grimm, and Love Of Diagrams)
  
• Liz Turner (Royalchord, The Bobbits, Remake Remodel)
  
• Ben Butcher (The Grimm, Baseball)
  
• identical twins Kelly and Tara (dubbed the "Twin Towers" by the band in another September 11 reference)
  
• Ben Butler.

Discography

"Jihad Against America" (self-titled) 7" single (7 tracks) featuring:

• Plane Side: Jon Bon Chomsky, We Want to Blow up Yanks, I Want to Sniff Your Undies
  
• Buildings Side: Brown People, Bali Bomber, ... and you will know us by the Trail of Arts Students, Terrorism is the New Black

External links

• http://www.jihadagainstamerica.com/ – band web site