California über alles (Dead Kennedys) - Book

The exciting beginnings of the Dead Kennedys, now in book form and German translation for the first time. 240 fascinating pages covering the years 1978 to 1981, the most important and formative phase of the band.

Alex Ogg: California über alles Dead Kennedys - how it all began (Paperback, 240 pages) »California über alles«, titled after one of the Dead Kennedys' greatest songs, is the first comprehensive book about one of the most important and influential US punk bands.

It focuses on the band's founding phase in the San Francisco scene up to the release of their first album »Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables« (1980) and the departure of the first founding member, drummer Ted, in February 1981.

Author Alex Ogg spoke with many contemporary witnesses for this book. In addition to artwork by Winston Smith, the in-house graphic artist for the significant Alternative Tentacles label, the book also contains numerous, some previously unreleased, photos.

The Dead Kennedys were the most influential punk band in the USA between 1979 and 1986. Their singer Jello Biafra quickly developed into a committed, politically very active intellectual who engaged in battles with Tipper Gore, the wife of the later celebrated US Vice President Al Gore, who presented herself as a moral crusader, over her »Parental Advisory« youth protection campaign.

The Dead Kennedys' debut album »Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables« regularly appears in the top ranks of lists of the best albums of all time.

To this day, they are one of the most popular US bands of those years, on par with Black Flag, Bad Brains, and Minor Threat.

The legal dispute between Jello Biafra and his former bandmates around the year 2000 did not diminish the band's legendary reputation.

Three members of the old Dead Kennedys lineup have since been playing concerts with various guest singers.

Biafra himself remains active as an artist, on the one hand with his spoken-word performances, and on the other with changing backing bands (including Melvins, D.O.A., NoMeansNo) and, for some years now, with Jello Biafra & The Guantanamo School Of Medicine).

Translated from English by Ox-editor Joachim Hiller.