The Official Dead Kennedys/Jello Biafra Thread (lyrics, hardcore, punk)

Urban Hat€monger ? · 01-29-2005, 04:23 PM

Their first couple of albums were OK , but they lost the plot big time. One of the things I liked about them was they were one of the very few American bands to actually get what punk was, It wasn`t about getting a mohawk & shouting over 3 chords.It was using the music as an escape & to show the world the issues that affect you & the hypocracy of everything & I think the Dead Kennedys did that probably better than anyone.
Which makes it such a shame that by the mid 80s they were having to write songs about MTV & giving posters away with their albums full of male genitalia for shock value.

All_Nite_Dinah · 03-18-2005, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Hatemonger

Their first couple of albums were OK , but they lost the plot big time. One of the things I liked about them was they were one of the very few American bands to actually get what punk was, It wasn`t about getting a mohawk & shouting over 3 chords.It was using the music as an escape & to show the world the issues that affect you & the hypocracy of everything & I think the Dead Kennedys did that probably better than anyone.
Which makes it such a shame that by the mid 80s they were having to write songs about MTV & giving posters away with their albums full of male genitalia for shock value.

Late DK lyrics are just a political as early ones. Even on Fresh fruit they had a political songs like stealing peoples mail and funco land at the beach. I dont think there lyrical style or approach changed much. Not much at all changed about the Dead Kennedys music. I think they may have become more rythm orientated and a more rounded band musicly but thats about it.

hookers with machineguns · 01-29-2005, 04:29 PM

That's an unbelievably good observation. Personally, I only own Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables, all their mid-to-late 80s releases really have no appeal to me.

jesus · 01-29-2005, 05:04 PM

Fresh Fruit was my first punk album

Fenixpunk · 01-29-2005, 05:20 PM

its all about bedtime for democracy

sleepy jack · 01-29-2005, 06:15 PM

My first DK album was...frankenchrist.

Anarchy doll · 03-17-2005, 08:21 PM

just had to bring this thread back up.....what would the punk forum be without a Dk thread huh?

Anarchy doll · 03-18-2005, 09:09 AM

the lyrical content changed with the times...new issues, new protests....

All_Nite_Dinah · 03-18-2005, 04:28 PM

new issues new protests

same witty cynciscm and sarcasm

All_Nite_Dinah · 03-18-2005, 04:35 PM

sorry for the double post but anyway

The point I was trying to get across is the fact that DK never strayed entirley away from there politcal roots, never even got close to doing it. Like you say new issues arised. At the time MTV get off the air wasnt just another anti mtv song it was THE anti-mtv song. MTV was new, its not like today when its an everyday punk song topic, it was fresh and original. Times changed, difgferent mindless trends developed and the DKs took them on. Unfortunetly these trends overcame the band in the end.

As for the penis landscape thats part of what 80's hardcore was. Again you have to refer to the time frame. Its not like today when you see a kid with a mohawk or a **** bush shirt walk down the street and you dont bat an eye. Back then this was something unique and extrordinary. The penis lanscape was more than a piece of shock rock leeking into the hardcore scene. It was practicly a metafor for the entire movement(in my opinion). Something that is entirley vulgar and disgusting to people on the outside but to the inquisitive(and strong stomached) it was a piece of art. Just anopther thing that a hardcore kid would understand but not an adult at the time. The idea that they were just using it to sell albums is pretty much bunk as anyone who acctually listens to the dead kennedys lyrics could tell you.

01-29-2005, 04:29 PM	#3 (permalink)
hookers with machineguns Music Addict Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,738	That's an unbelievably good observation. Personally, I only own Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables, all their mid-to-late 80s releases really have no appeal to me. __________________ LASTFM

01-29-2005, 05:20 PM	#5 (permalink)
Fenixpunk The Erroneous Hoodlum Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: West Side Phoenix Posts: 2,059	its all about bedtime for democracy __________________ This message has been approved by Shawn Erroneous - The Declaimed

03-18-2005, 04:28 PM	#9 (permalink)
All_Nite_Dinah Not Impressed Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 734	new issues new protests same witty cynciscm and sarcasm __________________ If I cant dance I dont want to be part of your revolution. DEATH TO FALSE DUDES!

03-18-2005, 04:35 PM	#10 (permalink)
All_Nite_Dinah Not Impressed Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 734	sorry for the double post but anyway The point I was trying to get across is the fact that DK never strayed entirley away from there politcal roots, never even got close to doing it. Like you say new issues arised. At the time MTV get off the air wasnt just another anti mtv song it was THE anti-mtv song. MTV was new, its not like today when its an everyday punk song topic, it was fresh and original. Times changed, difgferent mindless trends developed and the DKs took them on. Unfortunetly these trends overcame the band in the end. As for the penis landscape thats part of what 80's hardcore was. Again you have to refer to the time frame. Its not like today when you see a kid with a mohawk or a **** bush shirt walk down the street and you dont bat an eye. Back then this was something unique and extrordinary. The penis lanscape was more than a piece of shock rock leeking into the hardcore scene. It was practicly a metafor for the entire movement(in my opinion). Something that is entirley vulgar and disgusting to people on the outside but to the inquisitive(and strong stomached) it was a piece of art. Just anopther thing that a hardcore kid would understand but not an adult at the time. The idea that they were just using it to sell albums is pretty much bunk as anyone who acctually listens to the dead kennedys lyrics could tell you. __________________ If I cant dance I dont want to be part of your revolution. DEATH TO FALSE DUDES!

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01-29-2005, 04:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,626	Their first couple of albums were OK , but they lost the plot big time. One of the things I liked about them was they were one of the very few American bands to actually get what punk was, It wasn`t about getting a mohawk & shouting over 3 chords.It was using the music as an escape & to show the world the issues that affect you & the hypocracy of everything & I think the Dead Kennedys did that probably better than anyone. Which makes it such a shame that by the mid 80s they were having to write songs about MTV & giving posters away with their albums full of male genitalia for shock value.

01-29-2005, 05:04 PM	#4 (permalink)
jesus cat addict Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 1,024	Fresh Fruit was my first punk album

03-17-2005, 08:21 PM	#7 (permalink)
Anarchy doll punk rock mommy Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: in my mind Posts: 662	just had to bring this thread back up.....what would the punk forum be without a Dk thread huh?

03-18-2005, 09:09 AM	#8 (permalink)
Anarchy doll punk rock mommy Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: in my mind Posts: 662	the lyrical content changed with the times...new issues, new protests....