Dead Kennedys are an American hardcore punk band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk rock community, and were one of the first American hardcore bands to make a significant impact in the United Kingdom.While they were one of the earliest, most popular and most influential of the American hardcore bands, their music was highly unique in the realm of punk rock in general, bearing traces of surf music, spaghetti western, psychedelic rock, garage rock and rockabilly. Jello Biafra's biting lyrics tackled the sociopolitical concerns of the Reagan era with a distinct sense of morbid humor and satire, following in the footsteps of such earlier rock satirists as Frank Zappa (particularly his 1960's work with The Mothers of Invention) and non-musical countercultural figures like Abbie Hoffman and Lenny Bruce.In the mid-1980s, the band was embroiled in an obscenity trial in the United States over the artwork of their album Frankenchrist (1985), which included the explicit titular subject of H. R. Giger's Penis Landscape. The band was charged with "distribution of harmful matter to minors", but the trial ended with a hung jury, although no pun had been intended.Dead Kennedys released five studio albums before disbanding in 1986. In 2001, the band reformed without Biafra, who had been in a legal dispute with the remaining members over royalties.The band played three performances in October 2010. Since the dissolution of Dead Kennedys, Biafra has continued to collaborate and record with other artists, including Mojo Nixon, Al Jourgensen of Ministry, NoMeansNo, and Melvins, and has become a spoken word performer, covering political topics in particular.
performer: "I Fought The Law" - as The Dead Kennedys
Roswell
2001
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
1999
Video Game performer: "Police Truck"
SLC Punk!
1998
performer: "Kill the Poor"
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
1998
performer: "Viva Las Vegas"
Spider & Rose
1994
performer: "Holiday in Cambodia" / writer: "Holiday in Cambodia"
Tapeheads
1988
performer: "In Sight"
Lovedolls Superstar
1986
performer: "One Way Ticket to Pluto" - as The Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys: DMPO's on Broadway
1985
Video documentary performer: "Police Truck", Hop With The Jet Set, A Child and his Lawnmower, Religious Vomit, Do The Slag, Moral Majority, MTV Get Off The Air, Life Sentance, Jock O Rama, Goons of Hazard, Riot, Bleed For Me, Nazi Punks Fuck Off, We've Got a Bigger Problem Now
Boy Meets Girl
1984
performer: "Holiday in Cambodia"
Class
1983
performer: "Holidays In Cambodia" - as The Dead Kennedys
Neighbors
1981
performer: "Holiday In Cambodia" - uncredited
Urgh! A Music War
1981
Documentary performer: "Bleed For Me" / writer: "Bleed For Me"