Band & Artist Dossier
Dead Kennedys
Origin: San Francisco, California, U.S. · Active Years: 1978–1986 (reunited 2001–present without Biafra)
A detailed catalogue profile for Dead Kennedys.
In this archive
1 album / credit record(s) · Hardcore Punk
American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in June 1978 when guitarist East Bay Ray (Raymond Pepperell) placed a musicians-wanted ad in the local paper The Recycler. Vocalist Jello Biafra (Eric Boucher) and bassist Klaus Flouride (Geoffrey Lyall) answered, and the band, initially rounded out by drummer Ted (Bruce Slesinger) and rhythm guitarist 6025 (Carlos Cadona), debuted at Mabuhay Gardens on July 19, 1978. Fusing Sex Pistols-inspired hardcore attack with Jello Biafra's biting political satire, the band became one of the most influential and controversial acts of the American punk scene, founding their own label Alternative Tentacles in 1979/1981. Their 1985 album Frankenchrist led to a high-profile obscenity prosecution over an included poster, a legal battle that hastened the band's 1986 breakup.
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Complete 1980s Studio Discography
4 studio albums released from 1980–1989 by Dead Kennedys. Archived records link directly to full dossiers; remaining releases are queued for harvesting. MusicBrainz source.
80s discography & production credits in the archive
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