Dead Kennedys - Buzzbomb
Dead Kennedys are one of the
seminal American Punk bands, formed in 1978 in San Francisco, CA, and consisting of members Jello Biafra (Vocals), East Bay Ray (Guitar), Klaus Flouride (Bass), and "Ted" (Drums). They have had a number of line-up changes over the years, along with various lawsuits between band members over the name and use of their songs in commercials, which has resulted in a new incarnation of the band without Biafra singing. However, in their heyday, they wrote some of the greatest rock songs ever, and established a style all their own, incorporating surfy guitar elements, with incredibly potent, politically charged lyrics and an extreme anti-establishment attitude.
Listen to Buzzbomb by Dead Kennedys here.
In 1982, they released the album
Plastic Surgery Disasters, which is my personal favorite of theirs. While some of the tracks on the previous albums are punk classics, this album has some of the most original, intricate songwriting of theirs. The guitars are amazing, in tone and style as well as the progressions Ray used, with a super intense, driving rhythm section, and Biafra's off the wall, wild vocals and lyricism. It was hard to pick which track to share, but I think this one is definitely a good representation of the album. It has some really AWESOME, dark harmonies, along with dark (and hilarious) lyrics about a drunk old woman speeding through Californian highways, hitting people (lol). The intro of the track is supposed to sound a bit like a car starting up, which I think they did perfectly with the snare rolls and the guitar build.