Primus vocalist and bassist Les Claypool has joined forces with Gogol Bordello vocalist and guitarist (and Ukrainian himself) Eugene Hütz for an excellent new single dedicated to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky called "Zelensky: The Man With The Iron Balls." The song also features Stewart Copeland (Oysterhead, ex-The Police), Sean Lennon (Claypool Lennon Delirium), Sergey Ryabtsev (Gogol Bordello), and bluegrass artist Billy Strings.
"As soon as Russian aggression broke out, Les and I connected to address the catastrophe ASAP," said Hütz in an interview with Rolling Stone. "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."
"We now have a recording to help rally support for a bullied country, and a David versus Goliath-type man who stood up for their liberty, freedom, and homeland… [We're] giving praise to a man who stepped up for his people beyond anything I've seen in my tenure on this planet, added Claypool. "This unlikely fellow has grabbed the reins of leadership and held fast in such a way that the world is now galvanized in support."
The ad hoc group also has a request for everyone in the description of their YouTube video – film yourselves clapping along to the song and send it to ironballs@primusville.com
"To show your support for Ukraine, please send in video clips of you, your friends, colleagues, children, pets, favorite ventriloquist dummy, or anything else you may deem appropriate or wonderfully inventive, clapping along to the song, 'Zelensky: The Man With The Iron Balls.'
"It doesn't have to be high production — just use your phone, video camera, or old Bolex, send the footage to ironballs@primusville.com. Let the world know that you will no longer stand for this rampant 'bully mentality,' and that you support the man and people who refuse to let their liberties be undermined."
You can also help support the people of Ukraine here via Nova Ukraine.
