Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables - Dead Kennedys

.../> After the release of Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables, they were invited to play at the Bay Area Music Awards, in front of industry big-wigs, and promoters, to give the band some "new wave credibility" to quote the organizers, and they spent the day practicing their underground hit 'California Über Alles' which made them the talk of the event, however ten seconds into their performance Biafra called 'Hold it! We've gotta prove that ...
...a new wave band.' The band, who were all wearing white shirts with a big, black 'S' painted on the front, pulled black ties from around the backs of their necks, to form a dollar sign, then flew into the previously unheard "Pull My Strings", a scathing, satirical attack on the ethics of the mainstream music industry, containing the lyrics "Is my cock big enough, is my brain small enough, for you to make me a star", the song also ... more

The Dead Kennedys are a second wave punk rock band, from San Francisco, California, who formed in 1978. The original line-up consisted of; Jello Biafra on vocals, East Bay Ray and 6025 playing guitars, Klaus Flouride on Bass, and Ted on Drums. After only a brief stint in the band, 6025 left in 1979 after music differences with Biafra, and Ted was replaced in 1980, with D.H. Peligro. The band incorporates the experimental sound, and nature of English punk bands, with the pure energy of the American punk scene.

Chainsaw like guitars, riddled with ripping riffs, and lightning chord changes are the backbone of their sound, combined with bold, booming bass, crashing cymbal orientated drums, and the highly unique voice of Jello Biafra, adding a certain humour to the music, which continues to the lyrics. The songs are mainly chastising the American government on both sides of the political spectrum, and the capitalist society in America, but dragging in almost slapstick humour along the way, and attracted, and created much controversy.

After the release of Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables, they were invited to play at the Bay Area Music Awards, in front of industry big-wigs, and promoters, to give the band some "new wave credibility" to quote the organizers, and they spent the day practicing their underground hit 'California Über Alles' which made them the talk of the event, however ten seconds into their performance Biafra called 'Hold it! We've gotta prove that we're adults now. We're not a punk rock band; we're a new wave band.' The band, who were all wearing white shirts with a big, black 'S' painted on the front, pulled black ties from around the backs of their necks, to form a dollar sign, then flew into the previously unheard "Pull My Strings", a scathing, satirical attack on the ethics of the mainstream music industry, containing the lyrics "Is my cock big enough, is my brain small enough, for you to make me a star", the song also included a parody of The Knack's biggest new wave hit, "My Sharona". The song was never studio recorded, but this performance; the first and only time the song was played, was released on the compilation album 'Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death' and the band was never invited to play the awards show ever again.
The band gained a large underground following, and continued to tour America and Europe throughout the 80's, releasing the single 'Too Drunk To Fuck' in Britain in 1981, which made the BBC anxious, as if the single entered the top 30, it would require a Top Of The Pops appearance, however to their relief, the single peaked at #31.

In my opinion this album is Dead Kennedys at their finest. It contains all the charged political anger which they gained a reputation for, expressed in Biafra's lyrics which Greg Graffin, and Joe Strummer would be proud of, but also combines it with ripping guitar riffs, bolstered with shimmering drums, and chugging bass, which is often the introduction to the songs. For me this is quite a mixed album; not musically, but lyrically. Biafra's voice assumes many different tones in different songs, which in my opinion is either a good thing or a bad thing. Standout tracks for me are: Chemical Warfare, with a continuous, trademark chainsaw guitar, courtesy of East Bay Ray, and also an interlude, with a harmonic rendition of a classic circus instrumental on the guitar. California Über Alles, which attacks Jerry Brown (San Francisco mayoral candidate), comparing him to a Nazi, leading people to concentration camps, and Holiday in Cambodia, which is a satirical assault on the rich, the Khmer Rouge, and the American government, which at the time was supporting Pol Pot, 'You're a star-belly sneech, you suck like a leach, you want everyone to act like you, kiss ass while you bitch, so you can get rich, but your boss gets richer off you' and it also includes a fantastic, flange laced riff, showing the more experimental side of the band, along with the lampoon of Elvis Presley's 'Viva Las Vegas'.

Other albums by the band:
Plastic Surgery Disasters - October 1982
Frankenchrist - October 1985
Bedtime for Democracy - November 1986
Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death - May 1987
Mutiny on the Bay (Live) - February 2001
Live At the Deaf Club (Live) - March 2004

All albums, apart from Mutiny on the Bay, and Live at the Deaf Club, have been released on Biafra's own alternative Tentacles label. These two albums were released on Manifesto records.
I own all the Dead Kennedys albums by the original lineup, and for me this is the summit of their work, along with 'Bedtime For Democracy', as it contains all the political fury of Biafra, before he self destructed the band with 'Frankenchrist', and it still retains the charged energy of punk at its finest.

After a 15 year break, the band has started performing, with Jeff Penalty on Vocals, after a brief stretch with Brandon Cruz. The band has had several internal disputes, and has fallen out with Biafra, over loyalties, on the Alternative Tentacles label, along with the fact that the band sold themselves out; circumventing Biafra, by including work on Tony Hawks Pro Skater.

Biafra has embarked on several spoken word projects, and is an active member of the green party, but also ran for Mayor of San Francisco in 1979 as a prank.

If I was someone looking for politically infused second wave punk, before bands like Bad Religion came into the scene, or just a great Dead Kennedys album, this would be a fantastic point to start.

Further Listening:
Flipper-Public Flipper Limited, The Clash-The Clash, Bad Religion-80-85.

 

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