Push to Fire: Interview with The Dead Kennedys

Push to Fire Interview: The Dead Kennedys
by Meghan Player

Hailed as one of the founding fathers of the US punk scene in the '70s, the Dead Kennedys have inspired a countless amount of bands throughout the years. Meghan Player spoke to original bassist, Klaus Flouride, about the East Bay punk scene, the music and how times have changed.
Punk. It's a scene that is as old as the hills, but still as dangerous as a car bomb. In the 1970s, the punk music explosion began with the UK's infamous Sex Pistols - a band that defied any form of establishment, rebelled against conformity, praised anarchy and gave disenchanted youths a voice for their frustrations. The punk scene spread far and wide, and while America has produced the likes of Black Flag, The Misfits, and modern day punks, Green Day - the story of the American punk scene couldn't possibly be told, without genre legends, The Dead Kennedys.
Hailing from the East Bay area in California, the band were influenced by the punk scene of the UK, but took the genre that one step further, creating their own take on the movement. Their debut album, 'Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables' was released in 1980, and while the album went straight for the jugular of then President, Ronald Reagan, bassist Klaus Flouride, didn't expect the band to last.
"We figured with the name and all, we'd be shunned by most record companies, club owners and press," he explains. "We figured our time slot was perhaps six months to two years."
This wasn't to be the case. The band released three more studio albums, two live albums, and seventeen singles across their career - which now spans over 30 years. Two of the four studio albums reached gold certification in the UK [the other two reached silver], and the bands redefinition of the alternative punk scene set them apart from the typical, three chord punk band.
Interestingly, Klaus' [and East Bay Ray - the bands founder], influences came together from a wide range of genres, leaving their mark on the bands sound, and allowing them to push the boundaries of originality.
"Both Ray and I grew up around our parents jazz music from the 30s and 40s," Klaus tells, "I think that influenced our views on what could be incorporated into an alternative punk style sound. We were both into everything [genre wise], from country, to rock 'n' roll, to R&B."
So diverse was the bands sound that, unsurprisingly, the Dead Kennedys influenced a whole new generation of punk bands. While the scene itself may be different to that of the late 70s/early 80s, Klaus believes todays punk is "a logical extension of what punk was."
"I don't think many bands followed the DK template as such, but [they follow] the general, harder, rawer, guitar driven sound that punk itself borrowed," he explains.
"I think there are plenty of bands bending the rules still, and there are some simply following the new 'safe' punk sound. But people like Jack White, the Fratellis, or the Black Keys all have their place, deservedly. Just because you have a mainstream following, doesn't mean you're selling out, especially if you're playing what you choose to play. It more likely means that peoples tastes are slowly being nudged.. There's room for everybody."
In this respect, the portrait of the early punk scene The Dead Kennedys were a part of, seems to be painted differently to what has been established as 'punk' today.
"In the early days, a punk show would involve anything from, art punk groups to rockabilly, to electronic noise punk," Klaus believes, "Now it tends to be a closer, thinner lane to travel within one show. I think going to see four bands that only the most die hard fans can tell the difference between, is its own kind of conformity. I like the wider range of the late 70s, early 80s. The openess and acceptance of anything from Grong Grong to the Ramones."
Consequently, the bands career wasn't without controversy. In the late 1980s, the band were involved in an obscenity trial in the US, over the artwork for their album, 'Frankenchrist'. They were charged with distribution of harmful matter to minors, but the subsequent trial failed to reach a verdict.
In 1986, the band decided to call it a day, only to reform once again in 2001. This time, however, without original singer, Jello Biafra. A legal dispute with the other members of the band over unpaid royalties, saw the members part ways, but Klaus tells that dispite the "lawsuit and consequent trial", the band were still ready to give it another shot.
"We decided [D.H, Ray and Klaus] during [that time] that if we survive it, we should get together and play - to remember what we were all about to begin with. There wasn't any plan to tour or anything, just to play - with or without Biafra. It was his choice."
And that passion to keep playing has stuck with the band, now many years on.
"We love playing the songs, and as long as we keep getting people who like the shows, we'll keep doing them."
Despite all the controversies that the band faced in the past, there is no denying the Dead Kennedys prescence still in music today - some 30 years on. And though the band are still kicking on, there is a reflective moment of hindsight, where Klaus describes what the band would have done differently, could they go back and change anything.
"In aftersight, we would have set up an understanding of what and who we were, what we did and how we did it. But when a band is just sort of falling together, with no real thoughts of a large success, it's hard to think of doing that."
This alone would be words of wisdom for a young band, fresh on the scene - but Klaus was quick to offer some sound advice for budding musicians.
"If you like what you're playing, then keep playing."
And as for the Dead Kennedys? Will they be re-entering the studio at any stage and bring back the old days of punk?
"Only time will tell," Klaus offers.

Special thanks to Klaus for answering our questions, and also Kate McCabe for all her help. The Dead Kennedys will be touring Australia in April. For more info check out our news blog: http://wp.me/pyHf1-F0

Push to Fire Interview: The Dead Kennedys by Meghan Player Hailed as one of the founding fathers of the US punk scene in the '70s, the Dead Kennedys have inspired a countless amount of bands throughout the years. Meghan Player spoke to original bassist, Klaus Flouride, about the East Bay punk scene, the music and how times have changed. Punk. It's a scene that is as old as the hills, but still as dangerous as a car bomb. In the 1970s, the punk music explosion began with the UK's infamous Sex Pistols - a band that defied any form of establishment, rebelled against conformity, praised anarchy and gave disenchanted youths a voice for their frustrations. The punk scene spread far and wide, and while America has produced the likes of Black Flag, The Misfits, and modern day punks, Green Day - the story of the American punk scene couldn't possibly be told, without genre legends, The Dead Kennedys. Hailing from the East Bay area in California, the band were influenced by the punk scene of the UK, but took the genre that one step further, creating their own take on the movement. Their debut album, 'Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables' was released in 1980, and while the album went straight for the jugular of then President, Ronald Reagan, bassist Klaus Flouride, didn't expect the band to last. "We figured with the name and all, we'd be shunned by most record companies, club owners and press," he explains. "We figured our time slot was perhaps six months to two years." This wasn't to be the case. The band released three more studio albums, two live albums, and seventeen singles across their career - which now spans over 30 years. Two of the four studio albums reached gold certification in the UK [the other two reached silver], and the bands redefinition of the alternative punk scene set them apart from the typical, three chord punk band. Interestingly, Klaus' [and East Bay Ray - the bands founder], influences came together from a wide range of genres, leaving their mark on the bands sound, and allowing them to push the boundaries of originality. "Both Ray and I grew up around our parents jazz music from the 30s and 40s," Klaus tells, "I think that influenced our views on what could be incorporated into an alternative punk style sound. We were both into everything [genre wise], from country, to rock 'n' roll, to R&B." So diverse was the bands sound that, unsurprisingly, the Dead Kennedys influenced a whole new generation of punk bands. While the scene itself may be different to that of the late 70s/early 80s, Klaus believes todays punk is "a logical extension of what punk was." "I don't think many bands followed the DK template as such, but [they follow] the general, harder, rawer, guitar driven sound that punk itself borrowed," he explains. "I think there are plenty of bands bending the rules still, and there are some simply following the new 'safe' punk sound. But people like Jack White, the Fratellis, or the Black Keys all have their place, deservedly. Just because you have a mainstream following, doesn't mean you're selling out, especially if you're playing what you choose to play. It more likely means that peoples tastes are slowly being nudged.. There's room for everybody." In this respect, the portrait of the early punk scene The Dead Kennedys were a part of, seems to be painted differently to what has been established as 'punk' today. "In the early days, a punk show would involve anything from, art punk groups to rockabilly, to electronic noise punk," Klaus believes, "Now it tends to be a closer, thinner lane to travel within one show. I think going to see four bands that only the most die hard fans can tell the difference between, is its own kind of conformity. I like the wider range of the late 70s, early 80s. The openess and acceptance of anything from Grong Grong to the Ramones." Consequently, the bands career wasn't without controversy. In the late 1980s, the band were involved in an obscenity trial in the US, over the artwork for their album, 'Frankenchrist'. They were charged with distribution of harmful matter to minors, but the subsequent trial failed to reach a verdict. In 1986, the band decided to call it a day, only to reform once again in 2001. This time, however, without original singer, Jello Biafra. A legal dispute with the other members of the band over unpaid royalties, saw the members part ways, but Klaus tells that dispite the "lawsuit and consequent trial", the band were still ready to give it another shot. "We decided [D.H, Ray and Klaus] during [that time] that if we survive it, we should get together and play - to remember what we were all about to begin with. There wasn't any plan to tour or anything, just to play - with or without Biafra. It was his choice." And that passion to keep playing has stuck with the band, now many years on. "We love playing the songs, and as long as we keep getting people who like the shows, we'll keep doing them." Despite all the controversies that the band faced in the past, there is no denying the Dead Kennedys prescence still in music today - some 30 years on. And though the band are still kicking on, there is a reflective moment of hindsight, where Klaus describes what the band would have done differently, could they go back and change anything. "In aftersight, we would have set up an understanding of what and who we were, what we did and how we did it. But when a band is just sort of falling together, with no real thoughts of a large success, it's hard to think of doing that." This alone would be words of wisdom for a young band, fresh on the scene - but Klaus was quick to offer some sound advice for budding musicians. "If you like what you're playing, then keep playing." And as for the Dead Kennedys? Will they be re-entering the studio at any stage and bring back the old days of punk? "Only time will tell," Klaus offers.
Special thanks to Klaus for answering our questions, and also Kate McCabe for all her help. The Dead Kennedys will be touring Australia in April. For more info check out our news blog: http://wp.me/pyHf1-F0