Redd Kross : Classic Or Dud?

"I hate my school" is my favorite.

the best new years i've ever had was seeing them at Maxwell's.

In any case, CLASSIC CLASSIC CLASSIC!

When I first got into them, around the time of Teen Babes (I'd heard of them before that, but I assumed they were just another bunch of LA hardcore dorks, boy was I wrong), it was like I'd found my perfect rock group. They seemed to have the same record and video collections as me and my friends, the same voracious, unashamed pop culture appetites, only they'd actually gotten off their asses and formed a band. And what a band!

And my favorite these days is Born Innocent, nobody has ever done anarchic smartass sloppy teen rock better. I think it's their one perfect album.

They were always misunderstood, that's for sure. Not that they didn't play up to their camp aspects--some of those outfits around the time of Third Eye are beyond ridiculous. I remember an Everett True article in MM where he referred to the McDonald Bros. as "two big queens from Hollywood" or something like that. But that's all part of what made them so fab, I suppose.

Search: The Ze Malibu Kids record, it's weird and wonderful.

See me blab about them even more inarticulately here:

Taking Sides: Ween vs. Redd Kross

And a million other threads.

Anyone heard the Stephen Mcdonald Group yet?

I wish Redd Kross would reform.
They toured with Foo Fighters, and Redd Kross were a much better band.

Wow. Didn't know that. Thanks, Peter. Must go fetch it now!

Jeff McDonald's married to Charlotte Caffey of the Go-Gos. He used to go out with Vicki or Debbie Peterson from the Bangles, I forget which one.

Whats Gere upto these days?

Ze Malibu Kidz Features Anna Waronker. Apparently she was in another band. Know anything about either? Whats worth checking out etc (if Kazaa has it)

Anna Waronker's band was that dog. Their last album, Retreat from the Sun was the only one I really liked. Look for the title song. They had too many cute boy/crush Ameritwee songs for my liking.

I prefer the McDonald Brothers songs ("Standing in the Wrong Line", "What's Wrong with Stephani", "Outer Circle") on the Ze Malibu Kids record, though Anna's cover of "You're So Vain" and her song "I Won't Forget You" are OK .

http://www.surrealistic.org/reddkross/images/records/side/tt_cd_tater.jpg

Actually, I can't remember how much of it is live, really. I'll check when I get home. I know it's got their appearance at an LA Beatle Convention, where they got Jennifer Schwartz from the Love Dolls to sing "Don't Worry Kyoko" with them and were booed off the stage. Now that's CLASSIC!!!

As for them glorious Tater Totz:

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dre200/e291/e29119kdbe4.jpg

Great album, I sez. How can you go wrong with an album where you get to hear Michael Quercio say during a cover of "Tomorrow Never Knows" "This is a song about control — my control!"

Redd Kross will be performing July 1st at the Red Cat Theater in Los
Angeles, CA.

The Red Cat only holds about 200 people and tickets are NOT for sale
yet.

Which is why they had such a loyal cult of similarly aged trash culture fans. To that small group, they were more than a band--more like a state of mind.

'do i have to mention DESPERATE TEENAGE LOVEDOLLS?!?!? and TEENAGE LOVEDOLL SUPERSTAR?!?!? '

Don't forget Spirit of '76 with Keith Partridge himself.

"Now back in the studio, Redd Kross are working on a new release for 2006, and we are looking forward to it as much as you are."

http://www.myspace.com/reddkross

Really hoping for a tour if this is true.

http://redcat.org/season/0506/mus/knock3.php

Don't Knock The Rock!
http://dontknocktherock.com/

Roberts back!!

So this is like the greatest thing ever:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGPMa6k4mFk

As is the too brief bit of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sIBgP0PLYk

Oh shit. Need to here 'Annette's Got The Hits' and don't have it to hand.
Might go to pub.Do you think it will be on the dukey?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjD5Nm75JfQ&feature=related

Neurotica is one of the best albums of the 80s. And was the start of 4 classic albums

"Start" of 4 classic albums????

Just let it go, dude.

So is that first EP available ANYWHERE? What about the song "Rich Brat" from one of those "Life Is...So Why Not..." comp LPs?

"Kill Someone You Hate" === Greatest Song EVAR

Smashing windows
with a baseball bat

OK I see Rich Brat is on some newish collector scum 7" EP of 79-82 stuff. But that first EP starts at $70 on GEMM, fuck. Can't they just change the name? Who has the rights to Posh Boy these days?

TAKE ME TO YOUR COUCH BABE
RECITE SOME SIGMUND FREUD

goddamm fucking bootlegggers. I bought that 7" through the mail and it basically says right on the back "sorry about the skip in 'Rich Brat' LOL".

buyer beware.

Me + Toronto + Redd Kross = last Saturday night!

I've seen them many times before but not, obviously, this millenium. All their albums were represented (only Bubblegum Factory from 3rd Eye though) plus some stuff I didn't recognise which may well be new material but was also some obscure early stuff judging by certain crowd members' reaction. I missed Gerri on the keyboards but the huge bonus was Robert Hecker back on guitar. Jeez, this guy is a rock'n'roll guitar genius, even if he looks like a jazz nut with his white suit, silk tie and weird little orange guitar slung right under his chin. From power chords to manic shreds he ruled the show, and importantly prevented it from being a "McDonald Bros + yr granny = Redd Kross" type affair.

The brothers look older but not old. Steve's still only 41 and I guess Jeff's probably 44 now but it was just like the old days with sweat-soaked hair flying all over the place, synchronised headbanging and all the usual routines. It was a great, tight set - just a bit over an hour but they played tons of songs. None of those eternal endings or jammed-out Beatles covers. Then just to ram home the fact that they haven't changed, they closed the show with "Good Times" theme with Hecker taking the lead vocal.

This was the most jumping around I've done at a show in years.

Awesome. Would love to see them again. I would imagine the older songs were from the red cross ep?

I reckon so. They must've played about 6 real short songs that I couldn't place. I'm ashamed to say that I've got (a bootleg of) that ep, plus Born Innocent but probably only played them a couple of times each. My Redd Kross doesn't really begin until Teen Babes.

theres rehearsal footage where they play those songs last year on youtube.

the ep is great. born innocent not so.

Those old numbers sounded fantastic. Really sharp. I admit I was getting a little bit impatient when they played Crazy World and Pretty Please Me. I was thinking "fuck it's been 10 years, now I've got 75 minutes with you guys, why are you wasting playing these corny covers when you could be playing Monolith or Shonen Knife." Of course then they would launch into Switchblade Sister or something equally awesome.

Just found the first EP on the Killed by Death site. What an awesome six-songs-in-six-minutes that is. Don't think they were ever better.

^

the ep is great. born innocent not so.

― Herman G. Neuname, Monday, June 16, 2008 9:05 PM

wrong

born innocent is solid good, not great, not a patch on the EP

Not listened to Born Innocent in years. Only one I can remember is Linda Blair.

And out of nowhere:

Redd Kross is back and delivering their signature brand of genuine rock 'n' roll with a vengeance. On August 7, Merge Records will release Researching the Blues, the first new album from Redd Kross in 15 years.

Researching the Blues features 10 new songs clocking in at just under 32 minutes. With songs written by Jeff and produced and mixed by Steven, the album is by far the band’s favorite record. Steve says, “It has the most singular artistic vision of any record we’ve done. It’s just 10 really fucking awesome songs that have the ability to move you in many different ways.”

Founded 34 years ago in Los Angeles during the first wave of LA punk rock by brothers Jeff and Steven McDonald (then respectively 15 and 11 years old), Redd Kross cut their teeth opening for Black Flag at a middle school graduation party. Their debut recordings caught the attention of Rodney Bingenheimer, who quickly became a fan as he spun their Ramones-inspired songs like “Annette's Got The Hits” and "I Hate My School" on the world-famous KROQ.

In 2006, Jeff and Steven announced their reunion with the “classic Neurotica” line-up, joined once again by guitarist Robert Hecker (IT’S OK) and drummer Roy McDonald (The Muffs). Redd Kross have been playing to enthusiastic audiences at sold-out select shows and festivals such as the Azkena Festival; Coachella; The HooDoo Gurus’ Invitational, "Dig It Up”; All Tomorrow's Parties; and Pop Montréal. More Redd Kross tour dates to come this year!

image description

Track List:

1. Researching the Blues

2. Stay Away From Downtown

3. Uglier

4. Dracula’s Daughters

5. Meet Frankenstein

6. One of the Good Ones

7. The Nu Temptations

8. Choose to Play

9. Winter Blues

10. Hazel Eyes

Redd Kross is:

Jeff McDonald – Vocals, Guitars

Steven McDonald – Bass, Vocals

Roy McDonald – Drums

Robert Hecker – Guitars

I came here to post the press release Ned did... Can this possibly be good?

Jeff McDonald is saying it's the greatest album they've ever made.

i mean, what's his motivation to lie about it???

haha

i just hope they haven't forgotten how to rock

i dread it being an album of ballads with lots of strings

if they do that, it will be an ironic nod to the carpenters or some shit

Saw the band last night in Philly, so much fun! Dale Crover on drums too.
Did the entire Teen Babes From Monsanto album for half the set!

http://scontent.fewr1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/18199083_10158625392125597_2311391739190061665_n.jpg?oh=58a21f106147139eed88908c945905bd&oe=59BC595E

http://scontent.fewr1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/18341870_10158625383925597_8873527940837437052_n.jpg?oh=2170080d2096a8244c1b494df36b4c6f&oe=59C09FD4

They've got an album of rarities/unreleased stuff called Hot Issue out at the moment. It's pretty good for odds & sods.

I knew I should have seen them in DC the other night. Oh well.

There's a Hot Issue vol 2 came out, which is a brilliant live set from 1997. Has a strong focus on 3rd Eye/Phaseshifter/Showworld - and that material was so great when Gere was still with the band. She's out by this point but the guitars are really beefed up. Recommended.

I looked up Redd Kross because I remembered the song "Annie's Gone" and wondered if I still liked it (I did). I remembered the video being very colorful (it is) and then I watched their "what's in your bag" Amoeba video and they seem like cool decent people.

I guess I don't understand how they even exist -- this video is so weird. Are they wearing pajamas? Are they trying to be sexy?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmtbEK7Q4uA

Goofy dudes who like power pop, I think? I think there's an element there of wanting to make a ca 1990 mainstream rock video but not really having much of a feel for what that involves. I think that's part of why I like it.

yeah -- the way they were mugging for the camera and general physical/dance moves are really perplexing. are they trying to be nelson? pee wee's playhouse? femme? the second half of the video (like after the woman starts dancing) seems somewhat "ambitious" for the time too, so are they arty?

and then there is the song, which is super catchy and obviously memorable. i think i like them. they seemed ok in the amoeba video.

i guess it makes sense that they are perplexing. it's part of their appeal!

I think there was a strong sense of wanting to rebel against the punk / hardcore scene they emerged from and increasingly express their love for Kiss, The Beatles and The Partridge Family across their general sound/aesthetic

and now? they're not retired right? in the video they seemed like two relatively approachable long haired duders.
are they still rebelling against something from the scene they emerged from 30 years ago? i am not asking to be confrontational, just because i am curious.

this is from 2013 -- they seem pretty buoyant & energetic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ-VB74qNGQ

are they trying to be nelson?

Revisiting 70s rock was pretty much at the heart of the whole mid-80s SST thing but Redd Kross's particular glam and power pop obsessions gave them a certain oblique aesthetic overlap with hair metal to my eyes/ears too, even though I know it wasn't their intention, not that I mind. I always mentally associated them with Poison in a weird way (although I think they're a much better band).

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b7/Poison-Look-What-the-Cat-Dragged-In.jpg/220px-Poison-Look-What-the-Cat-Dragged-In.jpg

to me it seems like they are mirroring different facets of femmey behavior, but the impulse to mirror seems similar
one band's wet-n-wild makeup and hair is another band's bangs and hair flipping

and then music is, of course, catchy rock music

They are arty & kitsch & post-modern, integrated into an old fashioned, straight-forward rock'n'roll aesthetic where you put on a good show and you have big choruses and you make an effort to dress glam etc. They had a lot of fun pushing those elements into new and often amusing new directions. They're more like Sparks than Poison.

I don't believe there is an ounce of rebellion against hardcore in what they do. It's still in there and they trot out their early stuff live and rock it like crazy. And they've continue to jam with dudes from that scene. Right now Steve's in Off! with Keith Morris from Black Flag & Jeff's in the Melvins.

Check out their movies which illuminate their whole thing a bit. Desperate Teenage Lovedolls, Lovedoll Superstar and Spirit of 76 are all on youtube.

oh yeah i forgot about a part of the amoeba video -- he said he bought a record for mario rubalcaba, who is the drummer for off!

i think my confusion is tinged with more than hint of "how did they get away with that?!" -- i think the answer is "super catchy rock and roll music", which is always the answer ime :)

i'll check out a redd kross movie. why not?!

I am quite sure they enjoyed flying in the face of what constituted the more macho hardcore punk in the post- Born Innocent / Teen Babes era

They disliked the dogmatic rigidity and machismo of that scene and have affectionately mocked it throughout their career, while still retaining some of the elements of the music.

They made two parody hardcore albums as "Anarchy Six" in the late 80s:
http://punkygibbon.co.uk/bands/a/anarchy6.html

I've never heard Redd Kross but I've got three singles by an unrelated band called Pink Kross

They disliked the dogmatic rigidity and machismo of that scene and have affectionately mocked it throughout their career, while still retaining some of the elements of the music

i appreciate their nerve in addition to the hooky rock music

Pink Kross are connected to Redd Kross. Pink Kross was three Glasgwegian Redd Kross fans. They wrote to RK, who agreed to let them be the support band next time they played in Glasgow. PK hastily put together a short set of garage rock songs and opened up for them at the Cathouse in Glasgow. Then they came back onstage with RK and they did Standing in Front of Poseur together. They just kept going after that.

Live, the year Born Innocent came out. Neither looking or sounding like a hardcore band:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGPMa6k4mFk

And if it's hooky rock music you're after, the best album is Phaseshifter.

I don't believe anyone said they were ever a hardcore band

I <3 Pink Kross and also have a few of their singles (never been able to find their album, even on mp3 - £75 on Discogs wtf?) but never knew that story. I mean I assumed the name was a reference to Redd Kross obv.

this song is so beautiful

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eO9KZeXxRh0

new album underway https://www.instagram.com/p/Be9KnAGHGle/?hl=en&taken-by=stevenmcdonald

Wow, yeah, "Love Is You." Haven't heard that in so many years!

Tbf, I didn't know anything about Sparks when I first heard Redd Kross. Neurotica and Third Eye are probably my favourites (def in that order) but Steven McDonald ranks them near the bottom! I never found Phaseshifter that consistent but I love "Dumb Angel" and "Jimmy's Fantasy" is classic.

Third Eye will always be my fave

Great b-sides and extraneous stuff from that period too. Switchblade Sister was probably their strongest single. And buried on the b-side this is one of my favourite Redd Kross songs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvXEbRz7LpQ

Show World is the best record ever made

Tracks from Teen Babes From Monsanto showing up on my Release Radar so checking out the whole thing right now.

"Jimmy's Fantasy" is classic.
Agreed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jD01CjUDBVc

Or even
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcIeE28t4QU

Does anyone ever compare them with The Replacements? There is some overlap in acknowledged influences, in particular as seen in the mixing Kiss and Partridge Family covers, but to me the RK versions of this material seem to be more competent, inspired and affectionate. Of course maybe I just finally got sick and tired of The ‘Mats after reading that bio Ned recommended.

Redd Kross are just infinitely more fun and generally likeable

otm ^^ Redd Kross have a much better general attitude (lol) than the Replacements
Forgot how much I loved Annie's Gone this year but this reminded me, so thanks!

that whole album is p good!

these guys are fun. the Replacements are not fun.

Yes, you guys are otm.

So one McDonald brother is married to Charlotte Caffey of the Go-Gos, as mentioned upthread (by Shakey's brother?), and the other to Anna Waronker, also mentioned upthread (by the same guy), of That Dog.

Saw them do an amazing greatest hits set last week. Brilliant as ever. All their albums were reissued on vinyl so they played something from every one, plus some choice covers. Just wonderful.

To me it’s just stuff the McDonalds grew up with, whereas with the mats I sorta feel the cheesy covers is a lot of Westerberg trying to convince the rest of the band to try

I had to wait 18 years to get a chance to see RK live, as I discovered them the year after Show World was released. I was initially disappointed it would be a mere support slot to Melvins (who do nothing whatsoever for me), but they crammed so much into that 50 minute set, including the entire Teen Babes mini-album, that it was definitely worth the extremely long wait.

For the record that’s not my brother (update yr spreadsheet)

They're more like Sparks than Poison.

What is the best Sparks stuff to listen to for a RK fan?

The glam era stuff i suppose? Altho I dont really hear many similarities tbh

(Look What the Cat Dragged In still weirdly feels to me like a mersh version of what RK were doing ca. Third Eye but I'm OK with being the only person who hears it.)

(Third Eye is a lot better, though, imo. More dynamic rhythm section, for one thing.)

Oh, interesting, The McDonalds actually discussed the overlap here, referring to a time they played a gig with Poison, and had ambivalent feelings about them:

JEFF: ...We started hearing about these bands who claimed they were influenced by the New York Dolls. So we were like, "Yeah cool, let's play a gig with them." Because, like you said, at that time, we were the only group who were into that kind of thing. We played our one and only heavy metal show at the Country Club in Reseda. It was Poison, Redd Kross and Leather Wolf.

STEVE: When we heard that Poison called themselves the "Glam Slam Kings of Noise," we thought it was a direct reference to the Runaways song "Queens of Noise." And we thought anyone who is into the Runaways has gotta be cool.

JEFF: We were so excited to see Poison, but when we did we were totally appalled. It was like Dynasty on parade...

STEVE: And not the KISS album, the TV show!

...
JEFF: No, I'm not picking on them. Poison were very entertaining. I mean, c'mon, they're responsible for some of the greatest rock videos of all time--"Unskinny Bop." They brought the whole Ron Jeremy aesthetic into rock 'n' roll videos. They're awesome. And that stuff is coming back, I would never write it off.

Apparently, they also used to enjoy crank calling the Poison guys.

For the record that’s not my brother (update yr spreadsheet)

They brought the whole Ron Jeremy aesthetic into rock 'n' roll videos. T

gross/lol/otm

minus the T
whoops

For me, a whole album of variations on “Zira” would be the greatest glam-metal album ever

Yeah, I love that one.

Yall know about these reissues right? And Dec. tour:
https://reddkross.com/merge-reissuing-two-redd-kross-albums-in-december/

That’s pretty much what inspired the revive. The streaming version thereof at least

Saw them open for Sonic Youth once. Didn't know much about them, but was blown away how they stood and rocked out like gods.

I think they inspired SY to rock out more themselves. Like they couldn't just come out and noodle around for 90 minutes after that.

I saw them on the tour for Annie's Gone in downtown Ontario, where iirc they were opening for Jellyfish? They were great, loved their headbanging-in-tandem schtick.

er Third Eye, that is

Worth noting that the MacDonalds are 10 years younger than Sonic Youth despite emerging at the same time. Steve just turned 50. They are just as lively now as the were when Third Eye was released and if anything they are a tighter band. Currently Dale from the Melvin's is on drums. This is not a "Steve & Jeff and yr granny on bongos" thing. You have to be really good to be in this band.

don't underestimate yr granny

still that's interesting. didn't know they were so young!

Perhaps one reason they've so frequently referenced David Cassidy, Linda Blair, Cowsills etc is because being in the late 70s LA punk scene and signed to a label age 12 and 14 gave them a similar perspective as these child stars. Steve has touched on not having a normal childhood in interviews.

Iirc, they were about 13 when they made Born Innocent? (Kim Gordon was almost 30 when Confusion Is Sex was released.) xp!

Everything is probably right.

Is that for this thread?

those reissues have been issued previously thru the mailing list but they deserve a wider pressing

At the concert it was wonderful to see every album laid out on the merch table, like a huge family reunion. Even as a long time fan there were some I'd never seen on vinyl before.

they're playing twice today. friend called last night with a extra tik to echoplex benefit show that took a long time to get announced. they're headlining early and then i guess going across the street to another benefit (that looks potentially awesome as well) https://reddkross.com/
never seen 'em before and am quite psyched

fun!! i wanna see redd kross! what is the benefit for?

echoplex show is benefit for original drummer (Janet) that has cancer. my friend donated to a gofundme in August, hence was given tix to this. the show @ the echo is a autism benefit w/ a pretty impressive lineup -Elliot Easton, guys from the dB's, Steve Wynn, Baseball Project, etc.

:( poor janet
hope she recovers!!

New album in August!

O_O

classic

I was supposed to be seeing them in a week but they pulled the whole tour :(