This is the Cherry Red reissue of the 2022 remix (by Grammy winning producer Chris Lord-Alge) of the 1980 debut from San Francisco’s Dead Kennedys, which more than 45 years on is still viewed as one of the most important American punk and hardcore releases of all time. And rightly so. Founder members lead guitarist East Bay Ray and bassist Klaus Flouride (who are both still in the band to this day) oversaw proceedings, while the other two members of the band on the original release were drummer Ted and singer Jello Biafra, who was sued by the band in the 90’s for underpayment of royalties and has not played with them since the original split in 1986.
This release contains sleeve notes from Amy Linden and East Bay Ray, and contributions from Dave Grohl, Duff McKagan and many others, but realistically what matters here more than anything else is the music, which is still vital, jagged and compelling all these years later. This was a group who were highly political, and worryingly this album is probably even more relevant now than when it was originally released. It starts off with the mighty “Kill the Poor” and also includes the well-known singles “California Über Alles” and “Holiday in Cambodia,” all of which are incredibly important releases. I came to this album late, discovering the band after becoming enamoured with Napalm Death’s cover of “Nazi Punks Fuck Off” and wanting to discover the original. Thinking it was probably on the debut that is where I went first (it was actually released as a single the year after this album with a different version also on the ‘In God We Trust, Inc.’ EP), and I am so glad I did as this is direct, punchy, full of vitriol and passion while also somehow being more melodic and inviting than ‘Never Mind The Bollocks’.
There is a reason this album is so highly regarded, and that is because it is punk at its best. Is the remix worth getting if you already have the original? On that I am not so sure, but if for some reason you do not have this in your collection there is now no excuse.
9/10 Kev Rowland
