Editing Dead Kennedys

{{Short description|American punk band}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Dead Kennedys
| image             = 2019 Dead Kennedys - by 2eight - ZSC5161.jpg
| landscape         = yes
| caption           = Dead Kennedys performing in 2019
| alt               = 
| alias             = 
| origin            = [[San Francisco]], California, U.S.
| genre             = {{hlist|[[Punk rock]]|[[hardcore punk]]|}}
| discography       = [[Dead Kennedys discography]]
| years_active      = {{flatlist|
* 1978–1986
* 2001–present}}
| label             = {{hlist|[[Cherry Red Records|Cherry Red]]|{{nowrap|[[Faulty Products]]}}|{{nowrap|[[Alternative Tentacles]]}}|[[Manifesto Records|Manifesto]]/Decay}}
| associated_acts   = {{flatlist|
* Skrapyard
* The Jungle Studs
* [[Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine]]
* [[Lard (band)|Lard]]
* [[False Alarm (band)|False Alarm]]
* [[Melvins]]
* [[D.O.A. (band)|D.O.A.]]
* [[Against All Will]]}}
| website           = {{URL|deadkennedys.com}}
| current_members   = * [[East Bay Ray]]
* [[Klaus Flouride]]
* [[Skip Greer|Ron "Skip" Greer]]
* Steve Wilson
| past_members      = * [[Jello Biafra]]
* [[Carlo Cadona|6025]]
* [[Bruce Slesinger|Ted]]
* [[D.&nbsp;H. Peligro]]
* [[Brandon Cruz]]
* [[Jeff Penalty]]
* Dave Scheff
* Greg Reeves
* Santi Guardiola
}}

'''Dead Kennedys''' are<!-- Proper nouns that are plural in form take a plural verb in both American English and British English. Please do not change "are" to "is". --> an American [[punk rock]] band that formed in [[San Francisco]], California, in 1978.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Vaziri |first=Aidin |date=December 18, 2023 |title=Dead Kennedys' punk classic 'Fresh Fruit' achieves gold status after 43 years |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/dead-kennedys-fresh-fruit-gold-status-18561506.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231222015830/https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/dead-kennedys-fresh-fruit-gold-status-18561506.php |archive-date=December 22, 2023 |access-date=March 28, 2024 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en}}</ref> The band was one of the defining punk bands during its initial eight-year run.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dead-kennedys-mn0000786613/biography|title=Dead Kennedys {{!}} Biography & History|website=AllMusic|language=en-us|access-date=June 24, 2019|archive-date=June 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190624104235/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dead-kennedys-mn0000786613/biography|url-status=live}}</ref>

Initially consisting of lead guitarist [[East Bay Ray]], bassist [[Klaus Flouride]], lead vocalist [[Jello Biafra]], drummer [[Bruce Slesinger|Ted]] and rhythm guitarist [[Carlo Cadona|6025]], 6025 left in 1979, and Ted left the following year after the band recorded their acclaimed first album ''[[Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables]]'' (1980). The band's longest-serving drummer was [[D. H. Peligro]], who replaced Ted in 1981 and remained until his death in 2022. Dead Kennedys recorded the EP ''[[In God We Trust Inc.]]'' (1981), followed by three more studio albums, ''[[Plastic Surgery Disasters]]'' (1982), ''[[Frankenchrist]]'' (1985), and ''[[Bedtime for Democracy]]'' (1986), the latter of which was recorded and released shortly after announcing their breakup in January 1986. Most of the band's recordings were released on [[Alternative Tentacles]], an independent record label founded by Biafra and East Bay Ray.

Following Dead Kennedys' dissolution, Biafra continued to run Alternative Tentacles, and went on to collaborate and record with other artists, including [[D.O.A. (band)|D.O.A.]], [[Nomeansno|NoMeansNo]] and his own bands [[Lard (band)|Lard]] and the [[Guantanamo School of Medicine]], as well as releasing several spoken word performances. In 2000 (upheld on appeal in 2003), Biafra lost an acrimonious legal case initiated by his former Dead Kennedys bandmates over songwriting credits and unpaid royalties. In 2001, the band reformed without Biafra; various singers have since been recruited for vocal duties. Although Dead Kennedys have continued to perform over the years, they have not released any more studio albums since ''Bedtime for Democracy''.

Dead Kennedys' lyrics were usually political in nature, satirizing political figures and authority in general, as well as popular culture and even the [[punk subculture|punk movement]] itself. During their initial incarnation between 1978 and 1986, they attracted considerable controversy for their provocative lyrics and artwork. Several stores refused to stock their recordings, provoking debate about censorship in rock music; in the mid-1980s, vocalist and primary lyricist [[Jello Biafra]] became an active campaigner against the [[Parents Music Resource Center]] (PMRC). This culminated in an obscenity trial between 1985 and 1986, which resulted in a [[hung jury]] and also hastened the band's demise.

== History ==
=== Formation of the band (1978–1979) ===
Dead Kennedys were formed in June 1978 in [[San Francisco, California]], when [[East Bay Ray]] (Raymond Pepperell) advertised for bandmates in the newspaper ''[[The Recycler]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Nathaniel |last=Lay|url=https://newnoisemagazine.com/news-dead-kennedys-celebrate-40-years-with-limited-edition-vinyl-set/|title=NEWS: Dead Kennedys Celebrate 40 Years With Limited Edition Vinyl Set|website=[[New Noise Magazine]]|date=November 15, 2019|language=en|access-date=August 11, 2023}}</ref> The original band lineup consisted of East Bay Ray on lead guitar, [[Klaus Flouride]] (Geoffrey Lyall) on bass, [[Jello Biafra]] (Eric Reed Boucher) on vocals, [[Ted (musician)|Ted]] (Bruce Slesinger) on drums and [[Carlos Cadona|6025]] (Carlos Cadona) on rhythm guitar. This lineup recorded their [[The 1978 Demos|first demos]]. Their first live show was on July 19, 1978 at Mabuhay Gardens in San Francisco, California. They were the opening act on a bill that included DV8 and Negative Trend with The Offs headlining.[https://oldpunkflyers.tumblr.com/image/149937616131]

Dead Kennedys played numerous shows at local venues afterward. Due to the provocative name of the band, they sometimes played under pseudonyms, including "The DK's", "The Sharks", "The Creamsicles" and "The Pink Twinkies". ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' columnist [[Herb Caen]] wrote in November 1978, "Just when you think tastelessness has reached its [[nadir]], along comes a punk rock group called 'The Dead Kennedys', which will play at Mabuhay Gardens on Nov. 22, the 15th anniversary of [[John F. Kennedy's assassination]]." Despite mounting protests, the owner of Mabuhay declared, "I can't cancel them NOW—there's a contract. Not, apparently, the kind of contract some people have in mind."<ref>Caen, Herb (November 17, 1978) "On the Rotunda." ''San Francisco Chronicle.''</ref> However, despite popular belief, the name was not meant to insult the Kennedy family, but according to Ray, "the assassinations were in much more poor taste than our band. We actually respect the Kennedy family. . . . When JFK was assassinated, when [[Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.|Martin Luther King was assassinated]], when [[Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy|RFK was assassinated]], the [[American Dream]] was assassinated. . . . Our name is actually homage to the American Dream."<ref>{{Cite web |first=Lincoln A. |last=Mitchell|url=https://lithub.com/dead-kennedys-in-the-west-the-politicized-punks-of-1970s-san-francisco/|title=Dead Kennedys in the West: The Politicized Punks of 1970s San Francisco|website=Literary Hub|date=October 22, 2019|language=en|access-date=August 4, 2020}}</ref>

6025 left the band in March 1979 under somewhat unclear circumstances, generally considered to be musical differences. In June, the band released their first single, "[[California Über Alles]]", on Biafra and East Bay Ray's [[independent label]], [[Alternative Tentacles]]. The band followed with a poorly attended [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]] tour, being a new and fairly unknown band at the time, without a full album release.

=== ''Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables'' (1980–1981) ===
[[File:Jello-Biafra.jpg|thumb|Biafra performing live]]
In early 1980, they recorded and released the single "[[Holiday in Cambodia]]". In June, the band recorded their debut album, ''[[Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables]]'', released in September of that year on the UK label Cherry Red. The album reached number 33 on the [[UK Albums Chart]]. Since its initial release, it has been re-released by several other labels, including [[IRS Records|IRS]], Alternative Tentacles, and Cleopatra. The 2005 reissue—the special 25th-anniversary edition—features the original artwork and a bonus 55-minute DVD documenting the making of the album as well as the band's early years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/2626-fresh-fruit-for-rotting-vegetables/|title=Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables|website=Pitchfork|language=en|access-date=March 12, 2019|archive-date=August 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816043201/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/2626-fresh-fruit-for-rotting-vegetables/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On March 25, 1980, Dead Kennedys were invited to perform at the [[Bay Area Music Awards]] in an effort to give the event some "new wave credibility", in the words of the organizers. The day of the performance was spent practicing the song they were asked to play, the underground hit "California über alles". The band became the talking point of the ceremony when after about 15 seconds into the song, Biafra stopped the band—in a manner reminiscent of [[Radio Radio#1977 Saturday Night Live appearance|Elvis Costello's ''Saturday Night Live'' appearance]]—and said, "Hold it! We've gotta prove that we're adults now. We're not a punk rock band, we're a [[New wave music|new wave]] band." The band, all wearing white shirts with a big, black S painted on the front, pulled black ties from around the backs of their necks to form a dollar sign, then started playing a new song titled "Pull My Strings", a barbed, [[Satire|satirical]] attack on the ethics of the mainstream music industry, which contained the lyrics, "Is my cock big enough, is my brain small enough, for you to make me a star?". The song also referenced [[The Knack]]'s song "[[My Sharona]]". "Pull My Strings" was never recorded for a studio release, though the performance at the Bay Area Music Awards, which was one of only two times that the song was ever performed, was released on the band's 1987 compilation album ''[[Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death]]''. In a 2017 interview about the show Klaus stated, "We did one other performance of it at The Mabuhay and that was the only other time we performed it... like within a week of the Bammies"<ref>{{Citation |title=Ep023 – Klaus Flouride of Dead Kennedys – Longform Interview – The Vinyl Guide | date=November 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q91D5blBdO8 |access-date=2023-04-16 |language=en}}</ref> It’s unknown if this performance was ever recorded.

In January 1981, Ted announced that he wanted to leave to pursue a career in architecture and would help look for a replacement. He played his last concert in February 1981. His replacement was [[D.&nbsp;H. Peligro]] (Darren Henley). Around the same time, East Bay Ray had tried to pressure the rest of the band to sign to the major record label [[Polydor Records]]; Biafra stated that he was prepared to leave the group if the rest of the band wanted to sign to the label,<ref name="polydor">Nardwuar the Human Serviette, December 2005 interview with Jello Biafra and The Melvins, as reproduced in [http://www.alternativetentacles.com/batcasts/batcast-013-2006_04_25.m4a Alternative Tentacles Batcast No.&nbsp;15, April 25, 2006] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603233500/http://www.alternativetentacles.com/batcasts/batcast-013-2006_04_25.m4a |date=June 3, 2011 }}</ref> though East Bay Ray asserts that he recommended against signing with Polydor. Polydor decided not to sign the band after they learned that Dead Kennedys' next single was to be entitled "[[Too Drunk to Fuck]]".

When "Too Drunk to Fuck" came out in May 1981 it caused controversy in the UK, as the BBC feared the single would reach the Top 30, which would necessitate its title being mentioned on ''[[Top of the Pops]]''. It was never played, although it was simply called "'Too Drunk' by the Kennedys" by presenter [[Tony Blackburn]].

=== ''In God We Trust, Inc.'', ''Plastic Surgery Disasters'' and Alternative Tentacles Records (1981–1985) ===
[[File:Dead Kennedys 1983 press photo.jpg|thumb|Dead Kennedys in 1983. From left: Klaus Flouride, Jello Biafra, D.H. Peligro, and East Bay Ray]]
After Peligro joined the band, the extended play ''[[In God We Trust, Inc.]]'' (1981) saw them move toward a more aggressive hardcore/thrash sound. In addition to the EP's controversial artwork depicting a gold Christ figure on a cross of dollar bills, the lyrics contained Biafra's most biting social and political commentary yet, and songs such as "[[Moral Majority]]", "[[Nazi Punks Fuck Off!]]" and "We've Got a Bigger Problem Now" placed Dead Kennedys as the spokesmen of social protest, while "Dog Bite", a cover version of ''[[Rawhide (song)|Rawhide]]'' and various joke introductions showed a much more whimsical side. In 1982, they released their second studio album, ''[[Plastic Surgery Disasters]]''. The album's cover features a withered starving African child's hand being held and dwarfed by a white man's hand, a picture that had won the World Press Photo award in 1980, taken in Karamoja district in Uganda by Mike Wells.

The band's music had evolved considerably in a short time, moving away from hardcore formulae toward a more innovative jazz-informed style, featuring musicianship and dynamics far beyond other bands in the genre (thus effectively removing the music from that genre). By now the group had become a de facto political force, pitting itself against rising elements of American social and political life such as the religious right, Ronald Reagan and the idle rich. The band continued touring all over the United States, as well as Europe and Australia, and gained a large underground following. While they continued to play live shows during 1983 and 1984, they took a break from releasing new records to concentrate on the [[Alternative Tentacles]] record label, which would become synonymous with DIY alternative culture. The band continued to write and perform new material during this time, which would appear on their next album (some of these early performances can be seen in the ''[[DMPO's on Broadway]]'' video, originally released by [[Dirk Dirksen]] and later reissued on Rhino).

=== ''Frankenchrist'' and obscenity trial (1985–1986) ===
The release of the album ''[[Frankenchrist]]'' in 1985 showed the band had grown in musical proficiency and lyrical maturity. While there were still a number of loud/fast songs, much of the music featured an eclectic mix of instruments including trumpets and synthesizers. Around this time [[Klaus Flouride]] released the similarly experimental solo EP ''[[Cha Cha Cha With Mr. Flouride]]''. Lyrically, the band continued their trademark social commentary, with songs such as "MTV Get Off The Air" and "Jock-O-Rama (Invasion of the Beef Patrol)" poking fun at mainstream America.

However, the controversy that erupted over [[H. R. Giger|H.R. Giger]]'s ''[[Penis Landscape]]'', included as an insert with the album, dwarfed the notoriety of its music. The artwork caused a furor with the newly formed [[Parents Music Resource Center]] (PMRC). In December 1985 a teenage girl purchased the album at the [[Wherehouse Entertainment|Wherehouse Records]] store in [[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles County]].<ref name=WishniaNation>Wishnia, Steven. "Of Punk and Pornography: Rockin' With the First Amendment". ''The Nation''. October 24, 1987.</ref> The girl's mother wrote letters of complaint to the [[California Attorney General]] and to Los Angeles [[prosecutors]].<ref name=WishniaNation /> In June 1986, members of the band, along with other parties involved in the distribution of ''Frankenchrist'', were charged criminally with distribution of harmful matter to minors. The store where the teen actually purchased the album was never named in the lawsuit.<ref name=WishniaNation /> The criminal charges focused on an illustration by [[H.R. Giger]], titled "Work 219: Landscape XX" (also known as ''[[Penis Landscape]]''). Included as a poster with the album, ''Penis Landscape'' depicts nine copulating penises and vaginas.<ref>Deflem, Mathieu. 2020. [https://deflem.blogspot.com/2019/07/music-censorship-labeling.html "Popular Culture and Social Control: The Moral Panic on Music Labeling."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190803015238/https://deflem.blogspot.com/2019/07/music-censorship-labeling.html |date=August 3, 2019 }} ''American Journal of Criminal Justice'' 45(1):2-24 (First published online July 24, 2019).</ref>

Members of the band and others in the chain of distribution were charged with violating the California Penal Code<ref name="penalcode">[http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html California Penal Code] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714132609/http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html |date=July 14, 2009 }} at leginfo.ca.gov</ref> on a [[misdemeanor]] charge carrying a maximum penalty of up to a year in county jail and a base fine of up to $2,000. Biafra says that during this time government agents invaded and searched his home. The prosecution tried to present the poster to the jury in isolation for consideration as obscene material, but Judge Susan Isacoff ruled that the poster must be considered along with the music and lyrics.<ref>[http://www.metnews.com/articles/2004/reti052804.htm "Judge Isacoff, Commissioner Duffey Slate July Retirements"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070714182105/http://www.metnews.com/articles/2004/reti052804.htm |date=July 14, 2007 }} ''Metropolitan News-Enterprise''. May 28, 2004</ref> The charges against three of the original defendants, Ruth Schwartz (owner of [[Mordam Records]]), Steve Boudreau (a distributor involved in supplying ''Frankenchrist'' to the Los Angeles Wherehouse store), and Salvatore Alberti (owner of the factory where the record was pressed), were dismissed for lack of evidence.<ref name=WishniaNation />

In August 1987, the case went to the jury with two remaining defendants: Jello Biafra and Michael Bonanno (former Alternative Tentacles label manager).<ref name=WishniaNation /> However, the criminal trial ended with a hung jury, split 7 to 5 in favor of acquittal. [[District Attorney]]s Michael Guarino and Ira Riener made a motion for a retrial which was denied by Judge Isacoff, [[Superior Court]] Judge for the County of Los Angeles.<ref>Drozdowski, Ted. [https://web.archive.org/web/20010423020902/http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Congress/2503/interview06.html "Jello Biafra cuts to the politics of pop"]</ref> The album, however, was banned from many record stores nationwide.

After the break up of the band, Jello Biafra brought up the court case on ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]''. Biafra was on the show with [[Tipper Gore]] as part of a panel discussion on the issues of "controversial music lyrics" and censorship.<ref>{{Cite web|publisher=[[YouTube]]|title=Jello Biafra The Oprah Winfrey Show|date=May 13, 2017|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNoEWol1wbg|access-date=August 19, 2018|archive-date=August 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820195241/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNoEWol1wbg&gl=US&hl=en|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== ''Bedtime for Democracy'' and break-up (1986) ===
In addition to the obscenity lawsuit, the band became increasingly disillusioned with the underground scene as well. The hardcore scene, which had been a haven for free-thinking intellectuals and downtrodden nonconformists, was attracting a more violent audience that imposed an increasing level of brutality on other concertgoers and began to alienate many of the bands and individuals who had helped pioneer the movement in the early 1980s. In earlier years the band had criticized neo-Nazi skinheads for trying to ruin the punk scene, but just as big a problem was the popularity of increasingly macho hardcore bands, which brought the group (and their genre) an audience that had little to do with the ideas/ideals they stood for. Biafra penned new songs such as "[[Bedtime for Democracy|Chickenshit Conformist]]" and "[[Bedtime for Democracy|Anarchy for Sale]]" that articulated the band's feelings about the "dumbing down" of punk rock. During the summer they recorded these for their final album, ''[[Bedtime for Democracy]]'', which was released in November. The artwork, depicting a defaced [[Statue of Liberty]] overrun with Nazis, media, opportunists, Klan members, corrupt government officials, and religious zombies, echoed the idea that neither America itself nor the punk scene were safe havens any more for "your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free". The album contains a number of fast/short songs interspersed with jazz ("D.M.S.O."), spoken word ("A Commercial") and psychedelia ("Cesspools In Eden").{{citation needed|date=August 2017}}

The band decided to split up in January 1986, prior to the recording and release of ''Bedtime for Democracy'', and played their last live show with the original lineup on 21 February.<ref>{{Cite web |last=bigspin |date=2011-04-06 |title=Dead Kennedys |url=https://beat.com.au/dead-kennedys/ |access-date=2022-12-13 |website=Beat Magazine |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Punknews.org |title=Dead Kennedys – Bedtime for Democracy |url=https://www.punknews.org/review/15413/dead-kennedys-bedtime-for-democracy |access-date=2022-12-13 |website=www.punknews.org |date=July 30, 2017 |language=en}}</ref> Biafra went on to speak about his political beliefs on numerous television shows and he released a number of [[spoken-word]] albums. Ray, Flouride, and Peligro also went on to solo careers. As of 2025, it remains the band's final studio album.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cleary |first1=David |title=Bedtime for Democracy - Dead Kennedys (review) |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/bedtime-for-democracy-mw0000189623 |website=AllMusic |access-date=May 14, 2025}}</ref>

===Band reformation and death of Peligro (2001–present)===
In 2001, Ray, Peligro, and Flouride reformed the Dead Kennedys, with former [[Dr. Know (band)|Dr. Know]] singer [[Brandon Cruz]] replacing Biafra on vocals. The band played under the name "DK Kennedys" for a few concerts, but later reverted to "Dead Kennedys" permanently. They played across the continental United States, Europe, Asia, South America, and Russia. Brandon Cruz left the band in May 2003 and was replaced by [[Jeff Penalty]]. The band has released two live albums of archival performances on Manifesto Records: ''[[Mutiny on the Bay]]'', compiled from various live shows including a recording from their last show with Biafra in 1986, and ''[[Live at the Deaf Club]]'', a recording of a 1979 performance at the Deaf Club in [[San Francisco]] which was greeted with more enthusiasm.

On October 9, 2007, a [[greatest hits album|best of album]] titled ''[[Milking the Sacred Cow]]'' was released. It includes two previously unreleased live versions of "Soup Is Good Food" and "Jock-O-Rama", originally found on ''Frankenchrist''.

Jeff Penalty left the band in March 2008 in what he describes as a "not amicable split."<ref name=Penalty>{{cite web |url=http://www.punknews.org/article/28168 |title=Jeff Penalty leaves the Dead Kennedys |work=Punknews.org |date=March 20, 2008 |access-date=July 17, 2011 |archive-date=May 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120521100001/http://www.punknews.org/article/28168 |url-status=live }}</ref> In a statement released, Jeff said that, following a series of disputes, the band had secretly recruited a new singer and played a gig in his neighbourhood, although he also stated he was "really proud of what we were able to accomplish with Dead Kennedys".<ref name=Penalty /> He was replaced by former [[Wynona Riders]] singer Ron "Skip" Greer. D.&nbsp;H. Peligro also left the band to "take some personal time off". He was replaced for a tour by [[Translator (band)|Translator]] drummer Dave Scheff.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.deadkennedys.com/news.html#032408 |title=Welcome To The Official Website For Dead Kennedys |publisher=Deadkennedys.com |access-date=June 13, 2011 |archive-date=May 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519002615/http://deadkennedys.com/news.html#032408 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On August 21, 2008, the band announced an extended break from touring due to the health-related issues of Flouride and Peligro. They stated their plans to collaborate on new projects. The band performed a gig in [[Santa Rosa, California]] in June 2009, with Peligro returning to the drum kit.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.deadkennedys.com/tours.html |title=Official Dead Kennedys web site |publisher=Deadkennedys.com |access-date=June 13, 2011 |archive-date=June 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603234520/http://deadkennedys.com/tours.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In August 2010, Dead Kennedys announced plans for a short East Coast tour. The lineup assembled for this tour contained East Bay Ray, Peligro, Greer, and bassist Greg Reeves replacing Flouride, who was taking "personal time off" from the band.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.deadkennedys.com/news.html#081110 |title=Official web page news section |publisher=Deadkennedys.com |access-date=June 13, 2011 |archive-date=May 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519002615/http://deadkennedys.com/news.html#081110 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>[http://serviette.ca/radio_show/2011/nw20110211.mp3 Nardwuar interview with Jello Biafra] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925085239/http://serviette.ca/radio_show/2011/nw20110211.mp3 |date=September 25, 2020 }}, Serviette.ca, February 11, 2011, accessed April 5, 2011.</ref> The tour dates included performances in [[Philadelphia]], [[New York City]], [[Boston]], [[Washington, D.C.]], [[Portland, Maine]] and [[Hawaii]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.punknews.org/article/39114 |title=Dead Kennedy's 2010 tour |date=July 19, 2010 |publisher=Punknews.org |access-date=June 13, 2011 |archive-date=November 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125072119/http://www.punknews.org/article/39114 |url-status=live }}</ref> The band has played a reworked version of their song "MTV Get Off the Air", re-titled "MP3 Get Off the Web", with lyrics criticizing music piracy during their October 16, 2010, concert at the Rock and Roll Hotel in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name="newmaterial">{{cite web |url=http://dcheavymetal.com/2010/10/18/a-post-about-the-dead-kennedys |title=A Post About The Dead Kennedys |publisher=Dcheavymetal.com |date=October 18, 2010 |access-date=June 13, 2011 |archive-date=August 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814095317/http://dcheavymetal.com/2010/10/18/a-post-about-the-dead-kennedys/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Dead Kennedys had world tours in 2013 and in 2014, the latter mostly in North American cities. In 2015 and 2016 they toured again, including South America, where they had not played since 2001.

In 2017, East Bay Ray revealed that the band and Jello Biafra had been approached by the Punk-oriented music festival [[Riot Fest]] about a potential reunion. While Ray and the rest of the band expressed interest in the concept, Biafra refused.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.axs.com/dead-kennedys-turn-down-reunion-gig-at-riot-fest-remaining-100-percent-114890|title=Dead Kennedys turn down reunion gig at Riot Fest, remaining 100 percent punk|website=Axs.com|access-date=October 14, 2019|archive-date=June 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613095932/https://www.axs.com/dead-kennedys-turn-down-reunion-gig-at-riot-fest-remaining-100-percent-114890|url-status=live}}</ref>

On April 26, 2019, the group released ''DK40'', a live compilation album celebrating 40 years since the band formed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8506510/dead-kennedys-east-bay-ray-dk40-live|title=Dead Kennedys' East Bay Ray on Their Explosive Live Legacy -- And His Hopes for Jello Biafra|website=Billboard.com|access-date=October 14, 2019|archive-date=October 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191017005442/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8506510/dead-kennedys-east-bay-ray-dk40-live|url-status=live}}</ref>

On October 28, 2022, D.H. Peligro died from an overdose of heroin and fentanyl, although it was initially believed to have been from possible head trauma from a fall at his home that day.<ref>{{cite tweet |url=https://twitter.com/DeadKennedys/status/1586433597325512704 |title=Dead Kennedys' drummer D.H. Peligro (Darren Henley) passed away in his Los Angeles home yesterday, Oct 28th. |user=DeadKennedys |author=Dead Kennedys |number=1586433597325512704 |date=October 29, 2022 |access-date=November 4, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Dead Kennedys Drummer D.H. Peligro's Cause of Death Revealed |url=https://www.tmz.com/2023/05/02/dead-kennedys-drummer-dh-peligro-cause-death-dead-dies-drugs-fentanyl/ |access-date=2023-05-03 |website=TMZ |date=May 2, 2023 |language=en}}</ref> Since Peligro's death, the band has performed in the UK with Santi Guardiola and the United States with Steve Wilson (who had played in D. H. Peligro's band Peligro before) filling in on drums.

== Conflicts between members ==
=== Royalties lawsuit ===
In the late 1990s, former band members discovered they were being underpaid in terms of royalties from [[Alternative Tentacles]]. East Bay Ray, Klaus Flouride, and D.&nbsp;H. Peligro claimed that Jello Biafra had conspired to pay them lower royalty rates and then attempted to disguise the precise nature of the money owed. Biafra claimed that the failure to pay these royalties was an accounting mistake.<ref>{{cite web |quote=Biafra concealed from the other Decay Music partners an underpayment of royalties (totaling over $110,000, with interest) by ATR to Decay Music dating back to 1989.  When, in early 1998, ATR's then-General Manager, Kristin Von Till, brought the underpayment directly to his attention, Biafra hid the indebtedness from his partners and embarked on a course intended to prevent them from learning or confirming that ATR owed Decay Music these monies. |url=http://www.deadkennedysnews.com/news082802_2.htm#f |title=Biafra's Deception About Underpayment of Royalties. |access-date=February 21, 2012 |archive-date=February 21, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100221012811/http://www.deadkennedysnews.com/news082802_2.htm#f |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.punknews.org/article/48637/interviews-jello-biafra |title= Punk News Network Interviews: Jello Biafra |publisher= | website= punknews.org |date=August 24, 2012 |access-date=August 25, 2012 |archive-date=August 9, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140809234938/http://www.punknews.org/article/48637/interviews-jello-biafra |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1998, the other three members of the band sued Biafra over these allegedly unpaid royalties. A jury ruled in their favor in May 2000, finding Biafra and Alternative Tentacles "guilty of [[malice (legal term)|malice]], oppression and [[fraud]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/jello-biafra-gets-shot-down-by-dead-kennedys/|title=Jello Biafra Gets Shot Down By Dead Kennedys|date=June 19, 2003|work=blabbermouth.net|access-date=February 4, 2017|archive-date=February 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202190146/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/jello-biafra-gets-shot-down-by-dead-kennedys/|url-status=live}}</ref> Malice was defined for the jury as "conduct which is intended to cause injury or despicable conduct which is carried with a willful and conscious disregard for the rights of others".<ref name="bs1">{{cite web |url=http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=17130 |title=Dead Kennedys Plan New Archival Releases Following Judgement Against Former Lead Singer Jello Biafra |publisher= | website= Mi2n.com |date= January 16, 2001 |access-date=June 13, 2011 |archive-date=May 26, 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110526185731/http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=17130 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Biafra's appeal was denied in June 2003; he had to pay the outstanding royalties as well as punitive damages,<ref name= Verdict2003>[http://www.phillaw.com/casepdfs/Dead%20Kennedys%20Superior%20Court.pdf Dead Kennedys v. Jello Biafra Verdict], Cal.App.1 Dist., 2003 A094272. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227000532/http://www.phillaw.com/casepdfs/Dead%20Kennedys%20Superior%20Court.pdf |date=February 27, 2012 }}</ref> and was forced to hand over the rights to the majority of Dead Kennedys' back catalogue to the Decay Music partnership.<ref name= Verdict2003 /><ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine |last= |first= |last2= |first2= |date=13 July 2004 |title=Biafra Drops Suit Against Ex-Bandmates |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/biafra-drops-suit-against-ex-bandmates-67364/ |access-date=13 December 2022 |magazine= Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref>

This dispute caused minor waves within punk circles. Biafra claims that East Bay Ray had long expressed displeasure with Alternative Tentacles and with the amount of money he received from them, thus the original incentive for the discovery of the back payments. It was found out that Alternative Tentacles was paying Dead Kennedys less per CD than all the other bands, including Biafra himself, and not informing his other bandmates, which was the fraud. Biafra accused the band of wanting to license the famous Dead Kennedys song "[[Holiday in Cambodia]]" for use in a [[Levi's]] jeans commercial, which the band denied.<ref name="morphizm.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.morphizm.com/recommends/jello2.html |title= 'I'm Not an Ad Man:' Interview with Jello Biafra (con.) |publisher= | website= Morphizm.com |access-date=February 7, 2013 |archive-date=December 21, 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111221051249/http://www.morphizm.com/recommends/jello2.html |url-status=live }}</ref> However, an instrumental loop from "Holiday in Cambodia" was part of the 1981 [[black comedy]] feature film ''[[Neighbors (1981 film)|Neighbors]]'', though it was not included on the soundtrack. The band maintains that the Levi's story was completely fictitious and invented by Biafra to discredit them.<ref name=":0" />

=== Disputes over new commercial activities ===

Matters were stirred up even further when the three bandmates invited Jello Biafra to "[[wikt:bury the hatchet|bury the hatchet]]" in the form of a band reunion. Jello Biafra felt it was unprofessional because no one contacted him directly. In addition, Biafra was dismissive of the reunion, and having long expressed his disdain for nostalgia and rock reunion/oldies tours in particular, argued that the whole affair was motivated by greed.<ref name="morphizm.com" />

Several DVDs, re-issues, and live albums have been released since the departure of Biafra most recently on Manifesto Records. According to Biafra, the live albums are "cash-ins" on Dead Kennedys' name and his music. Biafra also accused the releases of the new live material of having poor sound quality. Furthermore, he has stated he is not receiving any royalties from the sale of any Manifesto Records releases. Consequently, he has discouraged fans from buying any Dead Kennedy reissues. The other band members denied Biafra's accusations regarding the live releases, and have defended the mixes as an effort of hard work. Biafra dismissed the new group as "the world's greediest karaoke band." Nevertheless, in 2003, [[Klaus Flouride]] said of performances without the band's former frontman: "There hasn't been a show yet that people didn't really like."<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.citizinemag.com/music/music-0309_klausflouride.htm |title= Interview with Dead Kennedys' Klaus Flouride| website= citizinemag.com| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110608062512/http://www.citizinemag.com/music/music-0309_klausflouride.htm |archivedate= June 8, 2011 |first= Klaus| last= Flouride| interviewer= Mark Prindle| date= September 1, 2003| access-date= }}</ref>

Biafra further criticized them for advertising shows using his own image taken from the original 1980s incarnation of the band, which he labeled as false advertising. He attacked the reformed Dead Kennedys in a song called "[[Those Dumb Punk Kids (Will Buy Anything)]]", which appears on his second collaboration with sludge metal band the [[Melvins]], ''[[Sieg Howdy!]]''

Biafra told an audience at a speaking gig in [[Trenton, New Jersey|Trenton]], [[New Jersey]], that the remaining Dead Kennedys have licensed their single "Too Drunk to Fuck" to be used in a rape scene in a [[Robert Rodriguez]] movie. The reference is to a lounge cover of the song, recorded by the band [[Nouvelle Vague (band)|Nouvelle Vague]], played during a scene in the ''[[Planet Terror]]'' segment of ''[[Grindhouse (film)|Grindhouse]]'', although no rape takes place, and in fact the would-be rapist is killed by the would-be victim. The scene in ''Planet Terror'' has would-be rapist, "Rapist No.&nbsp;1" ([[Quentin Tarantino]]) order one-legged stripper "Cherry Darlin" ([[Rose McGowan]]) to get up off the floor and dance. At this point Tarantino hits play on a cassette recorder and Nouvelle Vague's cover of "Too Drunk To Fuck" plays. Biafra, disapproving of the situation, later wrote, "This is their lowest point since Levi's... This goes against everything the Dead Kennedys stands for in spades... The terrified woman later 'wins' by killing Tarantino, but that excuse does not rescue this at all. I wrote every note of that song and this is not what it was meant for.... Some people will do anything for money. I can't help but think back to how prudish Klaus Flouride was when he objected to H. R. Giger's painting on the "[[Frankenchrist]]" (sic) poster, saying he couldn't bear to show it to his parents. I'd sure love to be a fly on the wall when he tries to explain putting a song in a rape scene for money to his teenage daughter... The deal was pushed through by a new business manager the other three hired."<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.alternativetentacles.com/news.php?page=3&news_section=JELLO&window_size=15&sd=iIdfyzSpZwkE0A3pVRu |title= Greedy ex-DKs okay song for rape scene in new Tarantino Movie| website= alternativetentacles.com| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20160312232417/http://www.alternativetentacles.com/news.php?news_section=jello&page=3&sd=iidfyzspzwke0a3pvru&window_size=15 |archivedate= March 12, 2016 |date= March 15, 2007| publisher= | access-date= }}</ref>

The reformed Dead Kennedys followed their court victory by releasing reissues of all Dead Kennedys albums (except ''[[Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables]]'', to which they did not have the rights until 2005), releasing several new archival concert DVDs, and licensing several songs to ''[[The Manchurian Candidate (2004 film)|The Manchurian Candidate]]'' remake and the ''[[Tony Hawk's Pro Skater]]'' video game. [[East Bay Ray]] claims he received a fax from Alternative Tentacles purporting Biafra approved the licensing for the game.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.deadkennedysnews.com/images/tonyhawk.jpg |title= Fax from Uli Elser| first= Uli| last= Elser| date= May 5, 1999| website= deadkennedysnews.com| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070729125446/http://www.deadkennedysnews.com/images/tonyhawk.jpg |archivedate=July 29, 2007 | access-date= }} Elser was previously a manager of Alternative Tentacles.</ref>

The band claims on their website that they still pay close attention to an [[anti-corporate]] ideology, despite performing on September 5, 2003, at a festival in Turkey that was sponsored by [[Coca-Cola]], noting that they have since pulled out of a show in Los Angeles when they found that it was being sponsored by [[Coors Brewing Company|Coors]]. However, Biafra claims the previous licensing deals prove otherwise.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.deadkennedys.com/news.htm#100605 |title= DKs Pull Out of 'Waking the Dead' Show| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20060216103405/http://www.deadkennedys.com/news.htm#100605 |archivedate= February 16, 2006 |website= DeadKennedys.com| date= October 6, 2005| first= | last= | publisher= | access-date= }}</ref>

In a May 2025 interview with [[Guitar World]], [[East Bay Ray]] discussed a potential reunion with Jello Biafra saying that he and [[Klaus Fluoride]] were open to a reunion however it would never happen and that Biafra was to blame. He said that over the years lucrative offers such as one in 2017 from [[Riot Fest]] were proposed to the band but Biafra was against it. “It’s not an issue for me or Klaus. It’s Biafra that turns down any offers for us to do something; we don’t have any problem.” East Bay Ray went on criticize Biafra's post Dead Kennedys career and how Biafra took credit for writing most of the band's songs in which he took exception to Biafra's claims by saying “We actually wrote as a band, where in effect, due to the chemistry between us, it was a case of two and two equaling five. None of us has had a solo career that was bigger than Dead Kennedys, which, to me, shows the power of a bunch of talented people getting together and creating something that was far greater than the sum of its parts. Jello didn’t bring in the songs. I know he’s created the myth that he wrote them all, but the question here is that if he did, why didn’t he ever do anything significant after leaving the band?,” adding, “[[Iggy Pop|Iggy]] left [[the Stooges]] and had a career; ditto [[Lou Reed]] with [[the Velvet Underground]] or [[Morrissey]] with [[the Smiths]]. Where’s Biafra’s solo career with a bunch of great songs? The songs were written in numerous different ways. “Holiday in Cambodia” started as a jam in the rehearsal studio” he said.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dead Kennedys’ East Bay Ray: Jello Biafra Won’t Reunite With Us Despite Lucrative Offers |url=https://consequence.net/2025/05/dead-kennedys-jello-biafra-wont-reunite/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR43ZRsml_c4QMnJl9l_jFfYf8k-pRkAIMWPeRuOQjgnY0iaVCU783wwOHt4cQ_aem_xRDdYh9x3cmG2HR0n-aMvA|website=Consequence | date=May 7, 2025 |access-date=May 8, 2025}}</ref>

Biafra, in a 2012 interview with the ''[[Tampa Bay Times]]'', stated he was not happy with the current direction of his former bandmates, nor did he want to restart the Dead Kennedys for [[nostalgia]] purposes:
<blockquote>"We haven't talk in a dozen years. In their hearts they've become [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and I just wouldn't do something like that unless we can bring back the real thing. In a way getting me back into the band would be their worst nightmare, like make them rehearse. When people tell me that I owe it to the fans to regurgitate nothing but old music with the people I used to play with, that's totally the opposite of what punk and Dead Kennedys means to me. The true spirit of the whole thing is to keep going, keep moving and make more new stuff. Nobody was more cynical than the original punks about nostalgia and retro because of all the rage on TV and people started to get nostalgic in goofy ass ways for the sixties and they were thinking, ''Yeah, that will never happen to us. That's not what I'm here for, sorry. It's not as if the people who come to the Guantanamo School of Medicine shows wanting nothing but old Dead Kennedys songs don't leave with a smile on their face once they've heard the new songs. It's not like I've forgot how to write this shit."<ref name="TBT">{{cite web |last1=Spears |first1=Steve |title=Jello Biafra talks about Dead Kennedys reunion |url=https://www.tampabay.com/content/jello-biafra-talks-about-dead-kennedys-reunion/2058581/ |website=[[Tampa Bay Times]] |access-date=May 13, 2025 |date=August 24, 2012}}</ref></blockquote>

== Artistry ==
[[File:Dead Kennedys (logo).jpg|thumb|upright|"DK" logo]]
=== Music and lyrics ===
Dead Kennedys have been described as one of the first [[hardcore punk]] bands.<ref>{{cite web |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |title=Dead Kennedys {{!}} Biography & History |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/dead-kennedys-mn0000786613/biography |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107034638/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/dead-kennedys-mn0000786613/biography |archive-date=November 7, 2016 |access-date=August 22, 2016 |website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> They were noted for the harshness of their lyrics, which generally combined biting social satire while expressing a staunchly left-wing view of contemporary America.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dead Kennedys on MSN Music |url=http://music.msn.com/music/artist/dead-kennedys.1/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429030833/http://music.msn.com/music/artist/dead-kennedys.1/ |archive-date=April 29, 2011 |access-date=June 13, 2011 |publisher=Music.msn.com}}</ref> Unlike other leftist punk bands who use more direct sloganeering, Dead Kennedys' lyrics were often snide. For example, "[[Holiday in Cambodia]]" is a multi-layered satire targeting both [[yuppie]]s and Cambodia's recently deposed [[Khmer Rouge]] regime.  Or, on "Jock-O-Rama", featured on ''Frankenchrist'', they mock southern small towns whose residents’ lives revolve around high school football.

=== Logo ===
The original logo was created by [[Winston Smith (artist)|Winston Smith]]. He later contributed artwork for the covers of ''[[In God We Trust, Inc.]]'', ''[[Plastic Surgery Disasters]]'', ''[[Frankenchrist]]'', ''[[Bedtime for Democracy]]'', ''[[Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death]]'', the back cover of the "[[Kill the Poor]]" single and the [[Alternative Tentacles]] logo. When asked about the "DK" logo in an interview, Jello Biafra explained, "...I wanted to make sure it was something simple and easy to spray-paint so people would graffiti it all over the place, and then I showed it to Winston Smith. He played around with it, came back with a bunch of designs that had the circle and slightly 3-D looking letters and he had ones with different patterns behind it. I liked the one with bricks, but ultimately I thought simple red behind it was the boldest and the best."<ref>{{cite web |date=May 6, 2007 |title=Tremble Under Boom Lights: Interview with Jello Biafra |url=http://trembleunderboomlights.blogspot.com/2007/05/interview-with-jello-biafra.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708071213/http://trembleunderboomlights.blogspot.com/2007/05/interview-with-jello-biafra.html |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |access-date=June 13, 2011 |publisher=Trembleunderboomlights.blogspot.com}}</ref>

=== Influence ===
Dead Kennedys have influenced multiple acts such as [[System of a Down]], [[Green Day]], [[Faith No More]], [[Rage Against the Machine]], [[Sepultura]], [[Descendents]], [[Bad Religion]], [[Slayer]], [[X (American band)|X]], [[Minutemen (band)|Minutemen]], [[The Hives]], [[Saves the Day]] and [[Screeching Weasel]] among others.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dead-kennedys-mn0000786613/related |title=Dead Kennedys {{!}} Similar Artists |website=[[AllMusic]] |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |access-date=August 23, 2019 |archive-date=June 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190624104240/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dead-kennedys-mn0000786613/related |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kaplan |first=Ilana |date=June 6, 2012 |title=The Hives are Abuzz Again |url=https://www.interviewmagazine.com/music/the-hives-lex-hives |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240915160348/https://www.interviewmagazine.com/music/the-hives-lex-hives |archive-date=September 15, 2024 |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=Interview Magazine |quote=You build up a library of influences. It’s not like the influences of the first album aren’t here now, like the Dead Kennedys. It’s just that the library of influences gets bigger and bigger.}}</ref>

== Members ==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
'''Current members'''
* [[East Bay Ray]] (Raymond Pepperell)&nbsp;– guitars (1978–1986, 2001–present)
* [[Klaus Flouride]] (Geoffrey Lyall)&nbsp;– bass, backing vocals (1978–1986, 2001–2010, 2011–present)
* [[Skip Greer|Ron "Skip" Greer]]&nbsp;– lead vocals (2008–present)
* Steve Wilson&nbsp;– drums, backing vocals (2023–present)
{{col-2}}

'''Former members'''
* [[Jello Biafra]] (Eric Boucher)&nbsp;– lead vocals (1978–1986)
* [[Carlos Cadona|6025]] (Carlo Cadona)&nbsp;– rhythm guitar (1978–1979)
* [[Bruce Slesinger|Ted]] (Bruce Slesinger)&nbsp;– drums (1978–1981)
* [[D.H. Peligro]] (Darren Henley)&nbsp;– drums, backing vocals (1981–1986, 2001–2008, 2009–2022; his death)
* [[Brandon Cruz]]&nbsp;– lead vocals (2001–2003)
* [[Jeff Penalty]] (Jeff Alulis)&nbsp;– lead vocals (2003–2008)
* Dave Scheff&nbsp;– drums (2008)
* Greg Reeves&nbsp;– bass (2010–2011)
* Santi Guardiola&nbsp;– drums (2023)
{{col-end}}

=== Timeline ===
{{#tag:timeline|
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  id:BVocals  value:pink           legend:Backing_vocals
  id:Guitar   value:green          legend:Guitar
  id:Bass     value:blue           legend:Bass
  id:Drums    value:orange         legend:Drums
  id:studio   value:black          legend:Studio_album
  id:other    value:gray(0.7)      legend:Other_release
  id:bars     value:gray(0.95)

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 layer:back
  at:01/09/1980 color:studio
  at:01/12/1981 color:other
  at:01/11/1982 color:studio
  at:01/10/1985 color:studio
  at:01/11/1986 color:studio
  at:01/06/1987 color:other
  at:24/04/2001 color:other
  at:27/01/2004 color:other
  at:09/10/2007 color:other

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  bar:Biafra    text:"Jello Biafra"
  bar:Cruz      text:"Brandon Cruz"
  bar:Penalty   text:"Jeff Penalty"
  bar:Greer     text:"Ron Greer"
  bar:Ray       text:"East Bay Ray"
  bar:6025      text:"6025"
  bar:Flouride  text:"Klaus Flouride"
  bar:Reeves    text:"Greg Reeves"
  bar:Slesinger text:"Ted"
  bar:Peligro   text:"D. H. Peligro"
  bar:Scheff    text:"Dave Scheff"
  bar:Guardiola    text:"Santi Guardiola"
  bar:Wilson    text:"Steve Wilson"

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  bar:Cruz      from:01/01/2001 till:01/05/2003 color:Vocals  width:11
  bar:Penalty   from:01/05/2003 till:01/03/2008 color:Vocals  width:11
  bar:Greer     from:01/03/2008 till:end        color:Vocals  width:11
  bar:Ray       from:01/06/1978 till:01/12/1986 color:Guitar width:11
  bar:Ray       from:01/01/2001 till:end        color:Guitar width:11
  bar:6025      from:01/07/1978 till:03/03/1979 color:Guitar width:11
  bar:Flouride  from:01/06/1978 till:01/12/1986 color:Bass    width:11
  bar:Flouride  from:01/06/1978 till:01/12/1986 color:BVocals width:3
  bar:Flouride  from:01/01/2001 till:01/01/2010 color:Bass    width:11
  bar:Flouride  from:01/01/2001 till:01/01/2010 color:BVocals width:3
  bar:Reeves    from:01/01/2010 till:01/01/2011 color:Bass    width:11
  bar:Flouride  from:01/01/2011 till:end        color:Bass    width:11
  bar:Flouride  from:01/01/2011 till:end        color:BVocals width:3
  bar:Slesinger from:01/06/1978 till:01/02/1981 color:Drums   width:11
  bar:Peligro   from:01/02/1981 till:01/12/1986 color:Drums   width:11
  bar:Peligro   from:01/01/2001 till:01/03/2008 color:Drums   width:11
  bar:Peligro   from:01/06/1982 till:01/12/1986 color:BVocals width:3
  bar:Peligro   from:01/01/2001 till:01/03/2008 color:BVocals width:3
  bar:Scheff    from:01/03/2008 till:01/06/2009 color:Drums   width:11
  bar:Peligro   from:01/06/2009 till:28/10/2022 color:Drums   width:11
  bar:Peligro   from:01/06/2009 till:28/10/2022 color:BVocals width:3
  bar:Guardiola     from:05/05/2023 till:26/10/2023        color:Drums  width:11
  bar:Wilson     from:26/10/2023 till:end        color:Drums  width:11
  bar:Wilson     from:26/10/2023 till:end        color:BVocals width:3
}}

==Discography==
{{Main|Dead Kennedys discography}}
* ''[[Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables]]'' (1980)
* ''[[Plastic Surgery Disasters]]'' (1982)
* ''[[Frankenchrist]]'' (1985)
* ''[[Bedtime for Democracy]]'' (1986)

==Videography==
* ''The Art of Punk – Dead Kennedys'' (The Museum of Contemporary Art) (2013) - Documentary featuring the art of Winston Smith

== See also ==
* [[List of bands from the San Francisco Bay Area]]
* [[Ronald Reagan in music]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book |last=Kester |first=Marian |title=Dead Kennedys: The Unauthorized Version |publisher=[[Last Gasp (publisher)|Last Gasp]] |year=1983 |isbn=978-0-86719-312-1 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/deadkennedysunau00kest }}
* {{cite book |last1=Ogg |first1=Alex |last2=Smith |first2=Winston |last3=Ray |first3=Ruby |title=Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables: The Early Years |publisher=PM Press |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-60486-489-2 }}

== External links ==
{{sister project links|d=Q208211|n=no|b=no|v=no|voy=no|m=no|s=no|mw=no|wikt=no|species=no|c=Category:Dead Kennedys|q=Dead Kennedys}}
* {{Official website}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160311042325/http://www.alternativetentacles.com/bandinfo.php?band=deadkennedys&sd=kkxjjpq55vuxbeda%40fa Alternative Tentacles's Dead Kennedys Biography]

{{Dead Kennedys|state=expanded}}
{{Jello Biafra}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Dead Kennedys| ]]
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