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?

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 :(