Great Punk Albums of 1980: Dead Kennedys- Fresh Fruit for Rotten Vegetables

As I have stipulated in many posts thus far, back in 1980 and before, the term punk was brandished around fairly liberally in regards to bands who brought a unique sound to the music world. However, there are very few of theses acts which I would actually call punk, Talking Heads being one of the exceptions. My idea of punk was always in the form of the Sex Pistols, The Jam, The Ramones and the band whose album I’m visiting now, The Dead Kennedys. For me, Punk has always been the loud aggressive hardcore sound that the forementioned bands provided.

I have to confess, I didn’t listen to the Dead Kennedys much back in the day. I knew and loved their more notable songs, including two from this album “Fresh Fruit for Rotten Vegetables,” “Let’s Lynch the Landlord” (something I wanted to do to two of mine) and “Holiday in Cambodia” but I never listened to their albums in real earnest. My interest in listening to the Dead Kennedys again came about 8 years ago when I listened to some political speeches by former lead singer Jello Biafra. Side note: His speech on school shootings gave me lots of inspiration for my new book “He Was Weird.” And of course, when I get to 1986and 87, I will be writing posts on the criminal charges brought against him on the Dead Kennedys’ “Frankenchrist” album. Still, that’s down the line so let’s look more closely at their debut album.

Like I said, I already knew the songs “Holiday in Cambodia” and “Let’s Lynch the Landlord” and hearing them in recent times, I love them even more. However, two songs does not an album make. The rest of this album is just as hardcore and kickass. You can name any track on the album and I would give it my thumbs up but the standouts for me are: “Forward to Death,” “Kill The Poor,” “California Uber Allies” and “Chemical Warfare.” I also really love the cover of Elvis’s “Viva Las Vegas.” For me, this is what punk should be; loud, powerful and to the point. The combined total of the fourteen songs is just over thirty-three minutes.

Track Listing:

1. Kill the Poor

2. Forward to Death

3. When Ya Get Drafted

4. Let’s Lynch the Landlord

5. Drug Me

6. Your Emotions

7. Chemical Warfare

8. California Uber Allies

9. I Kill Children

10. Stealing People’s Mail

11. Funland At the Beach

12. Ill in the Head

13. Holiday in Cambodia

14. Viva Las Vegas

Dead Kennedys

Jello Biafra- lead vocals

East Bay Ray- lead guitar

Klaus Flouride- bass, backing vocals

Ted- drums

6025- rhythm guitar on Ill in the Head

I slam danced my way for the entire thirty three minutes of this album. Thank God there wasn’t a stage for me to dive off of. But this is the effect “Fresh Fruit for Rotten Vegetables” has on me as is the case with most hardcore punk. By 1980, punk was moving away from the UK and re-establishing itself on the West Coast of the US. This album is prove that it had done so successfully.

Next post: Aerosmith- Greatest Hits

To buy Rock And Roll Children- go to http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

Great Rock Albums of the 70s: The Sex Pistols- Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols

If any one band can be associated with punk, then that band would have to be the Sex Pistols. Throughout the late 70s these icons of punk sang, played and spat their way to the top of the punk scene in Britain. In the US, they quickly came to the attention of the religious right who made calls to ban them. Therefore, it is only fitting that their most popular album gets visited here.

“Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols” caused a stir as soon as it was released. The title itself became the subject of a court case and was only allowed to remain on the album when it was proved that the word “bollocks” was originally a legitimate old English term referring to a priest. More contraversy was caused with the lyrics of classic Sex Pistols songs “God Save the Queen” and “Anarchy in the UK” probably the most well known tracks on the album. Being contraversial, however, doesn’t take away from the fact that this is a damn good album.

Track Listing:

1. Holidays in the Sun

2. Liar

3. No Feelings

4. God Save the Queen

5. Problems

6. Seventeen

7. Anarchy in the UK

8. Bodies

9. Pretty Vacant

10. New York

11. EMI

The Sex Pistols

Johnny Rotten- vocals

Sid Vicious- bass

Steve Jones- guitar

Paul Cook- drums

Since punk and heavy metal have similar roots, it is easy to see why this album has inspired metal bands and why it is a favourite among metalheads as well as punks. God save the Queen!

Next post: Foreigner

To buy Rock and Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle