University Daily Kansan, November 2, 1984
CAMPUS AND AREA
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Dead Kennedys mix political messages with their music
By JULIE COMINE Staff Reporter
The Dead Kennedy always raise a few eyebrows with the name of their band. The band's bass player says that's the point.
"What we try to do is to get people to think about what's going on, to question what they see around them," Klaus Flouride, the bass guitarist, in a telephone interview from the band's hotel room in Calgary, Alberta.
The four-man hard-core band, noted for its fast-paced mix of politics and power chords, will play at 8 p.m. Sunday at the Lawrence Opera House. 642 Massachusetts St.
Advance tickets for the show, presented by KJHK-FM and Redline Productions, may be purchased for
$5 at Exile Records, 15 W. Ninth St., or for $6 at the door.
The Micronotz and N.O.T.A. (None Of The Above) will open for the Dead Kennedys.
PETE LAUFER, a disc jockey at KJHK, said it was appropriate that the Dead Kennedys be playing just two days before Election Day.
"The DKs are one of the best known hard-core bands, but they're also one of the most political." Laufer said. "They're anti-establishment, anti-nukes and anti-Reagan."
But despite the band's strong political statements in such songs as "Chemical Warfare", "Holiday in Cambodia" and "Moral Major", "Florida Girl," or whether he either the other band members, would vote in this year's election.
"I look at the difference between Reagan and Mondale as the difference between a bad cold and the flu. "Floride said. 'Mondale is somewhat more responsive to social welfare programs, but he'll probably do the same things as Reagan if elected."
And contrary to the impression the band's name might give people, Flouride said the band didn't condemn the Kennedy family.
ESSENTIALLY, THE NAME isn't a slam on the Kennedy family as much as it's a symbol of what the deaths of the Kennedys represented," Flouride said. "When the Kennedys were shot down, it was the beginning of the end of the American Dream.
"People today don't care about society. They just have this 'I'm in it' and they get off the ground."
The Dead Kennedy began playing six years ago in San Francisco and have released two albums, "Fresh
Fruit for Rotting Vegetables" and "Plastic Surgery Disasters," and an EP, "In God We Trust." Flouride said the band planned to record its next album in January or February.
The band has been touring Canada in a 1960 Ford bus for the past three months but will cross the border this spring in Minnesota, Chicago and Lawrence.
JELLO BIAFRA, THE Dead Kennedy's lead singer, has been joined by some critics as the "poet of hard-core". Biafra writes most of the band's songs, with occasional guest formations. For East Bay Rav and drummer Peliaro.
The band's music, with thrashing guitars and thumping bass lines backing up Biafra's vowels, is fast and furious. But beneath all the Dead Kennedys' guitar bashing lies a message, Flouride said.
obviously don't expect everyone to listen to it," he said. "It's sort of like listening. You shoot for about 10 percent of the market. If we play to a crowd of 800 people and 50 or 60 of those people go away thinking, we've accomplished something."
Although the Dead Kennedys are one of the most popular hard-core bands, Flouride they shun the latter. The stereotype associated with nunk bands.
The message is there, but we
"A LOT of punk bands go around preaching 'Life is bad, life is bad,' " he said. "Our philosophy is more ethical and more good. It shouldn't be treated so badly."
Floride said he wanted the Dead Kennedy's fans to have a good time at their shows but not to get carried away.
"Violence doesn't impress us," he said. "We make it clear that it's not cool or smart to trash the hall or bash
the hell out of the person next to you.
the hell out of the person next to you. "Controlled aggression is one thing; fighting a fight or destroying property is a totally different, stupid thing."
Floride said the band might be criticized for playing to crowds of college students, especially after recording a song on their last album called "Terminal Preppie" that said: "I go to college/That makes me so cool/I live in the dorm/And show off by the pool."
"YEAR 1 SUPPOSE there's a conflict there, but it's hard to live without Mom and Dad," Flourice said. "But we can't be condescending. If students use their education in the right way, instead of letting it use them, then college serves a purpose."
He said the band's shows attracted a varied audience.
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 4
TICKETS $5.00 AT EXILE AND ROCK THERAPY. $6.00 AT THE DOOR.
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE... IN TRIAL EXPERIENCE
- JIM FLORY has prosecuted over twenty serious FELONY cases in District Courts and eight of these cases were jury trials
- The District Attorney prosecutes criminal cases in District Court.
- Court records for the past four years show that his opponent's jury trial experience is limited to six MISDEMEANOR (drunk driving and traffic) cases.
IF YOU LOOK BEYOND THE STATISTICS THERE IS A DIFFERENCE!
VOTE JIM FLORY FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY
One Show Only 8 p.m. Fri., Nov. 2, 1984 Lawrence Opera House
Adv. Pd. by Flory for District Attorney, Sam Campbell, chairperson
Tickets Available at Pyramid Pizza, Wescoe Beach and from any $ \Sigma A E $
All proceeds donated to the Hilltop Child Development Center
Julie Hack voted over 3,000 times to provide the best education for our children with the best use of our tax money. We need her experience in Topeka.
Elect Julie Hack
46th District
Representative
Arkie Vaughn Treasurer
10.
Direct from the David Letterman Show in New York
--from The BLUES BROTHERS
LARRY 'BUD' MELMAN
Sigma Alpha Epsilon presents
- KU community members seeking help with landlord-tenant issues; auto repair/purchase problems; or other consumer aid needs represented between 30 and 35 percent of all Consumer Affairs clients.
Because she does her homework. Linda Lubensky Knows that the Douglas County Commission is important to KU.
Consumer Affairs Association
The County helps fund community agencies which provide accessible, affordable services to KU students, such as:
Consumer Affairs is important to you! I'll work to keep it there.
Linda Lubensky COUNTY COMMISSION
THIS WEEKEND
At The Jazzhaus $ 9 2 6^{1 / 2} $ Mass
MATT "GUITAR" MURPHY
The electriving Blues Brothers guitarist with appearances on Saturday Night Live and the Blues Brothers Movie, now tours with his own six piece blues/rock band. Matt has performed with Muddy Waters, Memphis Slim, Chuck Berry, James Cotton, and countless others.
"One of my top three all-time guitar masters" Bob Angell - New Paper
Scene from Matt Murphy's dinner The Blues Brothers movie