Vigier Artist Lapiro de Mbanga in Prison

December 15th 2008 Cameroon artist, Lapiro de Mbanga, a Vigier artist for over 20 years, has been put in jail for political reasons by the Cameroon government.

Lapiro de Mbanga is very well know in Cameroon for his political position against injustice and has been a victim of repression on several occasions, but this time things have gone far.

After Cameroon's president, Paul Biya, modified the constitution in his favor, giving himself the right to run for as many mandates as he wants, Lapiro de Mbanga released a CD and DVD to denounce these changes in the constitution in a new song titled, "Constitution Constipée" ("Constitution Constipated ").

In February 2008, Cameroon was shacked by demonstrations and the government jumped on this opportunity to arrest artists like Lapiro and his friend, Joe la Conscience, accusing both of them of looting when in fact they were helping the population.

At the same time the government confiscated all of Lapiro's CD's and DVDs of "Constitution Constipée".

Lapiro de Mbanga has been sentenced to 3 years in jail and has been in prison since September.

His trial is scheduled at the end of December and Lapiro needs our support.

Please sign a petition at this address to help free Lapiro de Mbanga: www.vigierguitars.com/lapiro.

More information here: http://allafrica.com/stories/200811031092.html

Thanks Joe, good to hear from you....

Looking forward to the DVD, gotta have something to look forward to....oh, and of course ChickenfootsPA :)

Hello Joe!! A bit of blue to start the new year woo hoo!

Looking forward to both products being released, thanks for the music.

even Joe is still calling it Chickenfoot

Happy New Year, Joe!! Great to see your message in blue here among us!!

Satchland--I am in awe of the posts on this board and and so far behind! I need roller skates to catch up. I just got back late Monday from visiting my younger sister's family and me mom in the inland valley--gateway to Yosemite National Park! My Steve and I were being Uncle and Aunt to our 5-year-old niece on Monday morning while my sister was workin' and my 16-year-old nephew was at wrestling practice. We were at me mum's place. We had a blast entertaining the niece--she's so cute (Shirley Temple hair)! She wanted to play outside and her 80+ granny isn't up to chasing her, so her Aunt and Uncle took her outside for awhile and she ran and bounced around, danced and frolicked until she was tired and wanted to go back inside to paint some pictures, have a snack and read a book with me--I Spy Christmas!

I gave my nephew 2 Satch CDs--PSATMOR and Surfin' with the Alien!! He plays drums and was blown away by Jeff Campitelli's spot on riffs. He told me he had never heard such great guitar and drum jams in his whole life and wants to become as proficient as Jeff Campitelli!!! Woooo!! Hoooo!!!

Michelle/Tracie/fatape and McKenna---You are the funniest team on this board!!! Suggesting Al write a song called "F on" in the key of F made me lmao!!!!! What a bunch of beautiful lunis!!!

Do the Stu--How can I do you and so many others justice at this point???? I am trying to catch up and have to do so by increments........

Happy New Year everyone!!

Slan the man - "Is it any wonder we don't see more blue", as Kevin Keegan would say 'I would just love it' if some blue said hey kids, get a feckin grip sometimes.

Look what the wind blew in!

Hiya Joe!

Can't wait to see the Paris DVD. I bet you speak French way better than Japanese, though still not as good as Leslie speaks sailor. lol! F*$#in' show off!! Jayzus, you really need to take that guy on tour more often! Bet you all got yer mouths washed out with soap when you got back home.

Fatape, here's my address. Send me all yer bills! 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW - Washington, DC 20500 (202) 456-1414

GGirl, we're a team! Me, Cheese, Al, and Craig. I hearby dub our team name...MCAC!!! ;-)

MODES - INTERVALS - LEARNING THE NECK - Creating Modal Chord progression and CREATING GROOVES - what a revelation !

Wow, I just saw some videos on youtube about modes, there are 2 of them? (By Joe of course)

I hope to see Modes as a reoccurring theme in the online lessons!

I hope to better hear and understand the theory behind it all, but some help on the topic to get off in the right direction...

Possibly one mode a month? appied with building grooves based on the chords?

Hey Joe,

Great to hear from you. I'll be looking forward for the "Live In Paris" DVD, as well as the Chickenfoot projects. By the way, I was the winner of that awesome Christmas ornament that you signed and drew on. It looks really cool and I love it a lot. Thank you, and I am glad to hear where the proceeds will go to. You have done so much to help others. I'd be glad to help you out with any upcoming projects or things that you are planning to work on. Thank you Joe and keep on rockin' man. I hope 2009 will be a great year for you. Take care of yourself.

Happy New Year Everyone !!!!

I hope everyone had safe and fun holiday.

hi Joe, happy new year, hope it goes well for you cant wait for chickenfoot

happy new year to everyone else too

closing in on a million views in just over 5 weeks...

Bet it hits a million before the end of the 6 week mark :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! same old shit different year.

got my CD "Time Machine" it very niiiiiiiiiice, love that intro into Cirlcles. i think.. its his digitech whammy. so cool.

what is that building on the Pink Floyd Animals cover. keep seeing it in varioius movies, and it has a flying pig too!!!how funny is that. i'm thinkng slaughterhouse.......i think buckethead visits there from time to time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zHawxDEdOY

l hope everyone has a better one. later

Happy new year t you Joe

First Joe of 2009! Way to go.. Hey Joe, you know we are all hanging out for the Paris DVD, awesome...

hope you had a great Christmas with the family. Hope everyone is well.

I noticed you are calling it Chickenfoot still, you know you are allowed to vote on the name also! :)

For Chickenfoot click here and add a comment.