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THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BANDS IN THE HISTORY OF PUNK

East Bay Ray

Ray is the guitarist for the DK and penned some of the most recognizable and memorable guitar riffs to emerge for the West Coast punk movement. While most punk guitarists of the time were one-dimensional, Ray incorporated a variety of styles into his playing and hatched a truly original guitar sound, effortlessly rolling off an assortment of riffs - from surf rock, power chords., ‘60’s spy movies and original open voicings. He is also the only Dead Kennedy to remain a constant member of the band since its formation.

Klaus Flouride

Klaus, became engaged in punk rock after moving to SF in 1977. He heard bands like The Ramones and Devo and the Sex Pistols and began hanging out at the Mabuhay Gardens, San Francisco’s equivalent to CBGB’s. He joined the Dead Kennedys after answering an ad in a SF local magazine, east bat Oakland to be exact, from a guy named Ray.

Jello Biafra

The original lead singer of the Dead Kennedys. He’s a spoken word artist and political activist. He joined the Dead Kennedys being the first to responded to an ad from Ray. Jello became embroiled in the battle to sensor music from by the PRMC and appeared on talk shows like Oprah Winfrey with Ice T to defend artists rights. He heads the indie label Alternative Tentacles, the label originally founded by the Dead Kennedys in 1979.He also ran for mayor of SF. He’s also a well-known vinyl collector of unusual records of all types of genres, hosts his own podcast show and occasionally still DJ’s.

D.H. Peligro

Since 1978, D.H. was playing in SF and LA music scenes from punk to thrash. Peligro joined Dead Kennedys in February 1981, replacing original drummer, TED, and made his recorded debut with the group on the EP In God We Trust, Inc. released in December of that year. He went on to play on Plastic Surgery Disasters, Frankenchrist, and Bedtime for Democracy, as well as singles on the collection, Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death. He also played drums with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and S,S.I.

TED

Ted was the original drummer for the Dead Kennedys from 1978 until the end of 1980. He appears on Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables and Live at the Deaf Club. He’s now an architect in SF, CA.

Skip

Skip is the current lead singer of the Dead Kennedys having joined the band in 2008 replacing Jeff Penalty.

6025

6025 played guitar with the band from 1978 to March 1979 and appears on Live at the Deaf Club.

Jeff Penalty

Jeff Penalty is a product of the Philadelphia punk scene. One of the first punk records that Jeff ever owned was "Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables", and it changed his life instantly. He described his opportunity to be the lead singer of the band as "the realization of a dream I never ever dared to have".

Brandon Cruz

Brandon Cruz started performing in a punk band called Dr. Know in 1981. He became the lead vocalist of the Dead Kennedys from 2001 – 2003. He was also interviewed for the documentary American Hardcore: The History of American Punk Rock, 1980 – 1986.

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables

(1980) Singles: "California Uber Alles," "Holiday in Cambodia," "Kill the Poor," "Viva Las Vegas"

In God We Trust

(1981) Singles: "Nazi Punks Fuck Off"

Plastic Surgery Disasters

(1982) Singles: "Bleed for Me," "Halloween," "Forest Fire"

Frankenchrist

(1985)

Bedtime for Democracy

(1986)

Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death

(1987) Singles: "Police Truck," "Too Drunk to Fuck," "I Fought the Law"

Mutiny on the Bay

(2001 - Live Album)

Live at the Deaf Club

(2004 - Live Album)

Iguana Studios Rehearsal Tape

(1978)

DK 40

(2019)

Fresh Fruit: Chris Lord-Alge Special Mix

(2022)

US Store

UK Store

DKHoodie (1)

FLAG

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UNSPECIFIED - CIRCA 1980: Photo of Dead Kennedys (Photo by Anne Fishbein/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

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DEAD KENNEDYS ("DK") were one of the most popular and important American hardcore punk bands of the late ’70s/early ’80s. They formed in San Francisco in 1978 when EAST BAY RAY placed an ad in a music paper that vocalist JELLO BIAFRA responded to. They were soon joined by bassist KLAUS FLOURIDE , drummer TED , and a second guitarist known to posterity simply as 6025 . The latter departed in March 1979, while Ted was replaced at the very end of 1980 by D.H. PELIGRO .

After a brief rehearsal period, Dead Kennedys played their first gig at Mabuhay Gardens in July 1978. It was a short time before the band gained a considerable following around San Francisco. DKs live performances were a combination of chaos and theatrics. Their sound could be described as a cross between the Sex Pistols and the Ventures.

Dead Kennedys’ early success led them to record their first single, “California Über Alles,” in 1979, a blistering attack on the then-governor of California, Jerry Brown. It was released on their label in the USA, Alternative Tentacles Records, set up by East Bay Ray. That single was later issued in Britain on the indie label Fast Products. “Holiday in Cambodia” (1980) followed and is perhaps the band’s definitive moment – a perfect mix of hilarious yuppie-baiting lyrics and evil-sounding music. Almost as essential were “Kill the Poor” (1980) and “Too Drunk to Fuck” (remarkably, a British Top 40 single in 1981) and the debut LP, FRESH FRUIT FOR ROTTING VEGETABLES (1980), which went on to be awarded a Gold Record in Britain….