Dead Kennedys and Lamb of God (band): Difference between pages

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{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
{{POV}}
| Name = [[Image:Lamb of God Logo.png|Lamb of God|100px]]‎
 
| Img =
{{Infobox musical artist
| Img_capt =
|Name = Dead Kennedys
| Img_size = <!-- Only for images narrower than 220 pixels -->
|Img = Dead_kennedys.jpg
| Landscape =
|Img_capt = From left to right: Klaus Flouride, Jello Biafra, D.H. Peligro and East Bay Ray
| Background = group_or_band
| Alias = [[Burn the Priest]]
|Alias = various pseudonyms, including The Sharks, The Creamsicles, The Pink Twinkies
| Origin = {{flagicon|USA}} [[SanRichmond, FranciscoVirginia|Richmond]], California[[Virginia]], [[United States|USA]]
| Genre = [[Groove metal]]<ref name="Encyclopaedia Metallum">{{cite web | url = http://www.metal-archives.com/band.php?id=59 | accessdate = 2006-12-30 | title = Encyclopaedia Metallum entry | publisher = Metal-Archives.com | date = }}</ref><ref name="Rockdetector">{{cite web | url = http://www.rockdetector.com/artist,5087.sm | accessdate = 2006-12-30 | title = Rockdetector entry | publisher = Rockdetector.com | date = }}</ref><br>[[Metalcore]]<ref name="Encyclopaedia Metallum"/><ref name="Rockdetector"/><ref name="MP3.com">{{cite web | url = http://www.mp3.com/albums/20120072/summary.html | accessdate = 2006-12-30 | author = James Christopher Monger | title = All Music Guide "Sacrament" review | publisher = All Music Guide | date = }}</ref><br>[[Thrash metal]]<ref>[http://www.lambofgod.tv/ Offical site news updates]</ref>
|Instrument = Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums
| Years_active = 1990-present
|Genre = [[hardcore punk]]
| Label = [[Epic Records]]
|Years_active = 1978&ndash;[[1986]]<br />[[2001]]&ndash;present
| Associated_acts =
|Label = [[Cherry Red]]<br />[[IRS Records]]<br />[[Alternative Tentacles]]<br />Manifesto/Decay
| URL = [http://www.lamb-of-god.com/ lamb-of-god.com]
|Associated_acts = [[Jello Biafra]] (solo career) <br /> [[Peligro]] <br /> Skrapyard <br /> The Jungle Studs
| Current_members = [[Mark Morton (musician)|Mark Morton]]<br>[[Willie Adler]]<br>[[John Campbell (bassist)|John Campbell]]<br>[[Chris Adler]]<br>[[Randy Blythe]]<br>
|URL = Original line-up:<br /> http://www.alternativetentacles.com/ <br /> New line-up:<br /> http://www.deadkennedys.com/
| Past_members = Abe Spear
|Current_members = [[Jeff Penalty]]<br />[[East Bay Ray]]<br />[[Klaus Flouride]]<br />[[D.H. Peligro]]
|Past_members = [[Jello Biafra]]<br />[[Brandon Cruz]]<br />[[6025]]<br />[[Ted (musician)|Ted]]
}}
 
'''Lamb of God''' is a Grammy-nominated five-piece [[heavy metal music|metal]] band from [[Richmond, Virginia]], formerly known as [[Burn the Priest]]. They have sold over 1 million albums in the U.S. alone ([[Lamb of God Discography|see discography]]).
The '''Dead Kennedys''' are a [[punk rock]] band from [[San Francisco]], [[California]]. Attacking assumptions of the [[left-wing politics|political left]] and [[right-wing politics|right]] with humor, their music mixed the more experimental elements of English punk with the energy of the American punk scene. The Dead Kennedys officially disbanded in 1986, reforming in 2001 with a new vocalist.
 
==HistoryBiography==
Lamb of God was formed in 1990 when [[Mark Morton (musician)|Mark Morton]], [[Chris Adler]], and [[John Campbell (bassist)|John Campbell]] were floor mates at [[Virginia Commonwealth University]]. Randy Blythe was only a year ahead of the others in college. After graduation, Morton moved to Chicago to pursue a master's degree, but the band continued. A new guitarist, Abe Spear, was found. In 1994 [[Randy Blythe]] was added on vocals when the band decided to move past its instrumental sound. At this point in their career, they were known as [[Burn the Priest]]. Morton re-joined the group and Burn the Priest released a self-titled full length album soon after. Spear left the band in 1999 after admitting himself to a rehabilitation center outside of Williamsburg, Virginia. This opened a place for Chris Adler's brother, [[Willie Adler]]. A year after the second Adler joined, the band changed its name to Lamb of God, after which it signed a record deal with Prosthetic Records.<ref name ="HomepageBio">[http://www.lamb-of-god.com/sacrament/info/bio.php Biography on band's home page, www.lamb-of-god.com]</ref>
The Dead Kennedys formed in June [[1978]], after guitarist [[East Bay Ray]] (real name Raymond Pepperell, Jr.) advertised for band mates after seeing a punk show at the [[Mabuhay Gardens]]. The original DK lineup consisted of [[Jello Biafra]] (real name Eric Boucher) on vocals, East Bay Ray on guitar, [[Klaus Flouride]] (real name Geoffrey Lyall) on bass, and [[6025]] (real name Carlos Cadona) on drums. They recorded their [[The 1978 Demos|first demos]] with this lineup. In early July the band wanted a more experienced drummer, so they hired [[Ted (musician)|Ted]] (real name Bruce Slesinger). 6025 left, but was invited back as second guitarist. Their first concert was on July 19, 1978, at the Mabuhay Gardens in [[San Francisco]].
 
Nobody likes Them. They were voted the Worst band ever. It is not only legal to kill them, but you can be rewarded if you do. It would do the world good if they shoot themselves.
They played numerous shows at local venues afterwards. Because of the band's provocative name, they sometimes played under [[pseudonyms]], including "The Sharks", "The Creamsicles", and "The Pink Twinkies". The name, despite popular belief, was not meant to insult the assassinated Kennedy brothers, but to remind people that the American dream was killed.<ref>Pfeiffer. "'You'd Look Nice as a Drawstring Lamp': Dead Kennedys, Cynicism and Discursive Space". Universität Gesamthochschule Siegen. 2000. p. 21 [http://www.glocalweb.de/joerg/html/uni/deadke/source/deadsarc.pdf PDF link]</ref>
 
Their lyrical themes tend to cover [[religion]], [[society]], [[Pain and nociception|pain]], [[misery]], [[politics]], and [[heresy]], as well as other often personal topics.
6025 left the band in March of 1979. In June of [[1979]], the band released their first single, "[[California Uber Alles|California Über Alles]]", on [[Alternative Tentacles]]. They followed with a well received east-coast tour.
{{cquote|We play music that straddles the line between prog and traditional rock. I think we make prog-rock more listenable without cheapening the progressiveness of it. The complexity of our music appeals to people who like technical playing, but the arrangements are not so extreme that they fly over the average listener's head. It's a good balance.|20px|20px|John Campbell|Lamb of God biography<ref>[http://www.sonybmgmusic.co.uk/artist_spotlight/lamb_of_god/biog/ Artist Bio on Sony BMG, ret. 02/28/07]</ref>}}
 
After two well received releases and a DVD (''[[Terror and Hubris]]'') on Prosthetic Records, the band signed a new recording contract with Epic Records in late 2003. Their first release for the label, ''[[Ashes of the Wake]]'', debuted at #27 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and has sold over 250,500 copies in the U.S. to date [http://www.metalhammer.co.uk/news/article/?id=45364].
On March 25, 1980, the DKs were invited to perform at the Bay Area Music Awards in front of music industry big-wigs to give the event some "new wave credibility" in the words of the organizers. The day of the show was spent practicing the song they were asked to play, the underground hit "California Über Alles". In typically [[Subversion (political)|subversive]], perverse style, the band became the talking point of the ceremony when after about 15 seconds into the song, Biafra 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, who all wore 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 tore into the previously unheard "Pull My Strings", a barbed, [[Satire|satirical]] attack on the ethics of the mainstream music industry. As well as containing the lyrics "Is my [[Penis|cock]] big enough, is my [[brain]] small enough, for you to make me a star", the song also sent-up [[The Knack]]'s biggest new wave hit, "My Sharona". The song was never recorded in the studio but this performance, the first and only time the song was ever performed, was released on the posthumous compilation album ''[[Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death]]''... and the band was never invited to play the awards show again.
 
On [[August 29]], [[2005]], the band announced that their DVD ''[[Killadelphia (DVD)|Killadelphia]]'', which chronicles the band on tour supporting ''Ashes of the Wake'', had received Gold certification from the [[RIAA]]. The DVD features a complete live performance at the [[Trocadero]] in October 2004 in [[Philadelphia]], and also contains three of their music videos, commentary by the band, outtakes, soundchecks, and plenty of backstage shenanigans.
During the spring of 1980, they recorded and released "[[Holiday in Cambodia]]". In the fall they released their debut album, ''[[Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables]]''. It reached #33 in the [[UK Albums Chart]].
 
On [[January 25]], [[2006]], a press release announced the re-release of Lamb of God's debut album, ''[[New American Gospel]]''. The original, along with the self-titled debut ''[[Burn the Priest (album)|Burn the Priest]]'', were both produced by Steve Austin, known for his work with [[Today Is the Day]], [[Converge (band)|Converge]], and [[Unsane]]. The re-release will be remastered and repackaged with four new tracks, exclusive liner notes from the band and a re-imaging of the album art by longtime band collaborator Ken Adams. The album was re-released on [[April 4]], [[2006]].
In December of 1980, 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. His replacement was [[D.H. Peligro]] (real name Darren Henley). Around the same time, according to a 2005 Biafra interview conducted by [[Nardwuar the Human Serviette]], East Bay Ray had tried to pressure the rest of the band to sign a major label deal with [[Polydor Records]]; according to Biafra, he was prepared to quit the group if the rest of the band wanted to sign the deal.<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 #15, April 25, 2006]</ref> Polydor balked after they learned that the Kennedys were planning their next single to be "[[Too Drunk To Fuck]]".
 
Their newest album, ''[[Sacrament (album)|Sacrament]]'', was met with immediate success, debuting at #8 on the U.S. Billboard charts. The same day ''Sacrament'' was released, the band's fan club The Congregation was launched.
In May, the band released the single "[[Too Drunk To Fuck]]". The song caused much controversy in the U.K. as BBC feared the single would reach the Top 30; this would require a performance of the song on ''[[Top of the Pops]]''. However, this never came to be as the single peaked at #31. The EP ''[[In God We Trust, Inc.]]'' (1981) and album ''[[Plastic Surgery Disasters]]'' (1982) showed a development in musical style, and their music became a political force, pitting itself against rising elements of American social and political life such as the [[religious right]] and [[Ronald Reagan]]. The band continued touring all over the United States, as well as Europe and Australia, during the 1980s and gained a large underground following.
 
Before the release of ''Sacrament'', the band took part in the 2006 [[The Unholy Alliance (tour)|The Unholy Alliance]] tour in [[North America]] with [[Slayer]], [[Mastodon (band)|Mastodon]], [[Children of Bodom]], and [[Thine Eyes Bleed]], and in [[Europe]] with [[In Flames]] instead of Mastodon. After ''Sacrament'' was released, they joined onto the North American portion of [[Gigantour]], headlined by [[Megadeth]] and including [[Arch Enemy (band)|Arch Enemy]], [[Opeth]], and [[Overkill (band)|Overkill]]. They were touring Europe.
The release of the album ''[[Frankenchrist]]'' in 1985 caused a fervor with the newly formed [[PMRC]] (Parents Music Resource Center), and in 1986, the members of the DKs, along with other parties involved in the distribution of ''[[Frankenchrist]]'', were brought to trial for "distribution of harmful matter to minors" due in part to an [[H.R. Giger]] [[Penis Landscape|illustration]] included with the album. Biafra says that during this time government agents invaded and searched his home. The band members were each faced with up to a year in jail and a $2000 fine. In 1987, a trial ended in a hung jury, and the district attorney chose not to retry the case. The album, however, was banned from many record stores nationwide.
 
They have also toured with [[Trivium (band)|Trivium]], [[Machine Head (band)|Machine Head]], and [[Gojira (band)|Gojira]]. They have also been long time friends with the band [[GWAR]], having come from the same city and most members from the same college.
In January of 1986, the DKs decided to break up to pursue other interests. They played their last concert on February 21. During the summer they recorded ''[[Bedtime for Democracy]]'', which was released in November. In December, the band announced their split. Biafra went on to become a highly active political force, appearing on numerous television shows and releasing a number of [[spoken-word]] albums. Ray, Flouride, and Peligro also went on to solo careers.
 
Lamb of God has been nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" for the song "Redneck" from ''Sacrament'' in 2006 for the 49th annual Grammy Awards.
==Internal conflicts==
It was discovered in the late 1990s that there were issues with the payments each band member had received from their record label [[Alternative Tentacles]]. Former band members claimed that Jello Biafra had conspired to pay less royalty rates to the band members. Although both sides agreed that the failure to pay these royalties was an accounting mistake, they took issue with the fact that Biafra failed to inform the band of the mistake after he and his co-workers discovered it. Biafra claims that their lawyers had told him only to correspond through lawyers and not directly with the band, as the conflict over payment had apparently arisen before the accounting mistake was discovered. Both sides claim they attempted to resolve the matter without legal action, but the ultimately complicated legal dispute (involving royalties, publishing rights, and a number of other issues) soon led to the courts, where Biafra was found liable for the royalties and guilty of fraud and malice, [http://www.phillaw.com/html/dkappeal.html Appeal Verdict, ''Dead Kennedys v. Jello Biafra'']. Biafra's appeal was denied; he had to pay the outstanding royalties and damages, and was forced to hand over the rights to the majority of Dead Kennedys' back catalogue to the Decay Music partnership. The courts also found from evidence presented by both sides that the [[songwriting credits]] were due to the entire band. (Jello had received sole songwriting credit for most Dead Kennedys songs on all released albums for the last 20 years or so without complaints from the band, though a minority of songs had given credit to certain group members or the entire band as a whole, indicating a system designed to reflect the primary composers rather than a regimented system like the Jagger/Richards partnership; today, most Kennedys reissues list the songwriters as "Biafra, Dead Kennedys" indicating Biafra's lyrical contributions -- which the band doesn't dispute, or else simply as "Dead Kennedys"). However, the online database of [[Broadcast Music Incorporated|BMI]] still retains the original songwriting credits. Ray, Flouride and Peligro found new distribution through another label, [[Manifesto Records]].
 
On February 9, 2007 Lamb of God made their national television debut on [[Late Night with Conan O'Brien]]. They played "Pathetic" from ''Sacrament''.
This dispute was hotly contested by all concerned who felt passionately for their cause, and the case caused minor waves within punk circles. Many fans felt the three's lawsuit against Jello was motivated by greed, as they had numerous unsuccessful solo records and gigs after the band's break-up (Biafra was by far the most prolific and successful of the four). In addition, Biafra claims that guitarist [[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. (In a related instance, Biafra recalled during the 2005 Nardwuar interview that Ray had called Biafra at the Texas studio the latter was working on his [[1994]] album ''[[Prairie Home Invasion]]'' and, in Biafra's words, "yelled at me for over an hour, claiming that I ruined his life because we didn't sign with Polydor."<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 #15, April 25, 2006]</ref>) Some observers felt that although Biafra did not try to cheat his band in any way (as he does not take a salary from Alternative Tentacles), his sneering, irreverent attitude did not endear him to jurors during the trial. 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. Biafra apparently pushed this issue in court, although there was no hard evidence and the jurors were apparently unconcerned with corporate use of independently produced political music. Biafra would later complain that the jury was not sympathetic towards underground music and punk culture. The song never appeared in a Levi's commercial, although in interviews Biafra described the situation surrounding the commercial in detail and was able to give specifics about the advertisement, including the name of the advertising agency that had created the commercial's script.
 
On February 29th, the band was confirmed to play the UK's [[Download Festival]] 2007. The band is also confirmed as one of the headlining acts in this year's [[Ozzfest]] tour alongside [[Ozzy Osbourne]], [[Static-X]], and [[Lordi]].
Biafra's bandmates, under the apparent, though unspoken leadership of [[East Bay Ray]], maintain that they sued because of Jello Biafra's deliberate withholding of money, though when pressed they have acknowledged that the payment was an accounting mistake and that Biafra was wrong in failing to inform the band directly, however details about this issue remain scarce. The band also maintains that the entire Levi's story was completely fictitious and invented by Biafra to discredit them. Ultimately, these issues have led to a souring of relationships with the erstwhile bandmates, who still have not resolved their personal differences as of 2006.
 
==Equipment==
Matters were stirred up even further when the three bandmates invited Jello Biafra to "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 disdainful of the reunion, having long expressed his disdain for nostalgia and rock reunion/oldies tours in particular (with the 1996, corporate-sponsored Sex Pistols reunion perhaps fresh in his mind), flatly stating that the whole affair was an exercise in greed.
{| class="wikitable"
| Randy Blythe
|
*[[Sennheiser]] microphones
|-
| Chris Adler
|
*[[Mapex Drums|Mapex]] Saturn Series Drums
*Mapex 13 inch Black Panther Birdseye-maple snare
*[[Meinl Percussion]] Cymbals w/ Signature MB20 Ride
*Pro-Mark TX5AX Drum Sticks
*Gibraltar Drum Hardware
*Aquarian Drumheads
*Axis pedals
|-
| Mark Morton
|
*[[Jackson Guitars|Jackson]] Mark Morton Dominion w/ Seymour Duncan '59s Tobacco
*Jackson Mark Morton Dominion w/ Seymour Duncan '59s Wine Drunk
*[[Gibson Les Paul]] Standard Gold
*GHS Boomer Strings 10-52
*Mesa Mark IV amplifier head w/ 9 Mesa 4x12 cab (2 of them work, the other seven are for show)
*1.14mm Dunlop picks
*Sennheiser wireless system
*Rocktron Hush Super C
*Dunlop Crybaby Wah Pedal
*MXR GT-OD Pedal
*MXR EVH Phase 90
*Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner
|-
| Will Adler
|
*[[ESP Guitars|ESP]] Will Alder Signature Model
*ESP Eclipse Quilt Blue w/ gold edging
*ESP Eclipse Quilt Red w/ gold edging
*ESP Eclipse Will Adler Signature Eclipse(Camoflague)
*ESP-LTD EX-400BD
*GHS Boomer Strings 10-52
*Mesa Mark IV amplifer head w/ Framus 4x12 cabs
*Sennheiser wireless system
|-
| John Campbell
|
*[[Peavey]] Millennium 4 bass
*[[Jackson]] C20 concert basses (yellow)
*Dean Markley bass strings
*Mesa 400+ watt tube bass amplifier w/ two Mesa Roadready 8x10 cabs
*Sennheiser wireless system
*Tech 21 Sans Amp Bass Driver DI
*DBX 266XL Compressor/Gate
|}
 
Mark Morton endorses Jackson Guitars, GHS Strings, Dunlop Electronics, and Rocktron Electronics. Will Adler endorses ESP guitars and GHS Strings.
Several DVD's, re-issues, and live albums have been released since the departure of Jello. According to Jello, the live albums are cash-ins on the Dead Kennedys' name and Jello's music. Jello also accused the releases of the new live material being of poor sound quality and claims to not be receiving royalties from their sale or the sale of any Manifesto Records releases. The other band members deny Biafra's accusations, and have defended the mixes of the material as an effort of hard work.
 
Both Morton and Will use [[drop D tuning]] (D-A-D-G-B-E) primarily, also [[standard tuning]] (E-A-D-G-B-E) and [[open D tuning]] (D-A-D-G-B-D) on certain songs. John Campbell also uses drop D tuning (D-A-D-G).
Biafra further criticized them for advertising shows using his own image taken from the original 80s incarnation of the band, which he labeled as false advertising. Biafra recently attacked them on song called "[[Those Dumb Punk Kids (Will Buy Anything)]]", which appears on his second collaboratory with punk metal band [[The Melvins]], ''[[Sieg Howdy|Sieg Howdy!]]''.
 
==Reformation==
The re-formed Dead Kennedys followed their court victory by announcing a number of tour dates, released re-issues of all Dead Kennedys albums (except ''[[Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables]]'', which they did not have the rights to until 2005) and a number of concert DVDs, as well as licensing several songs (in [[Tony Hawk Pro Skater]] and ''[[The Manchurian Candidate (2004 film)|The Manchurian Candidate]]'' remake, respectively), actions that were thought extremely controversial among some fans, but those fans appear to willfully ignore the fact that Biafra, along with the other band members, approved the use of Dead Kennedys’ songs in other major film releases like ''Neighbors'', 1981 and ''Class'', 1983. Biafra also approved the licensing to Tony Hawk’s video game.<ref>[http://www.deadkennedysnews.com/words.htm May 5, 1999 Fax from Uli Elser], previous manager of Alternative Tentacles (scroll down for link </ref> But this controversy was ultimately paid little attention by the press and the group's overall fanbase.
''[[The Manchurian Candidate (2004 film)|The Manchurian Candidate]]'', which used "Kinky Sex (Makes the World Go 'Round)", was a movie about an evil corporation, while "[[Police Truck]]" was used in ''[[Tony Hawk's Pro Skater]]'' because of punk music's close bond with [[skateboarding]]. The band says on their website that they still pay close attention to an anti-corporation ideology, 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]].<ref>"[http://www.deadkennedys.com/news.htm#100605 DKs Pull Out of “Waking the Dead” Show]". ''DeadKennedys.com''. October 6, 2005.</ref> However, many fans, as well as Biafra, seem to deliberately overlook the band’s history to disingenously claim the above mentioned licensing deals prove otherwise.
 
In 2001, Ray, Peligro, and Flouride chose [[Brandon Cruz]] to replace Biafra's role as vocalist. The band played under name "DK Kennedys" for a few concerts, but have since gone back to "Dead Kennedys" permanently. They have played across the continental United States, Europe, Asia, South America, and Russia.
 
Brandon Cruz left the band in May of 2003 and was replaced by [[Jeff Penalty]]. The band has released two live albums on Manifesto Records of old performances - ''[[Mutiny On The Bay]]'', an edited-together compilation of various live performances of varying quality from the San Francisco area, 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.
 
==Lyrical stance==
The Dead Kennedys are noted for the [[:wiktionary:acerbity|acerbity]] of their lyrics, which generally express a harsh and staunchly [[left-wing]] view of contemporary America. Unlike other leftist punk bands who use more direct sloganeering, the Kennedys' lyrics are often [[satirical]] and sarcastic, all the while retaining the deliberately shocking lyrics of punk. "[[Holiday In Cambodia]]" is a multi-layered satire targeting both [[yuppie]] culture and [[Cambodia]]'s then-current [[Khmer Rouge]] regime (together with the US government who at the time of recording were tacitly supporting [[Pol Pot]] in his war against [[Vietnam]]). Songs such as "[[Kill The Poor]]", "[[California Über Alles]]" and "[[Police Truck]]" actually take the lyrical viewpoint of the band's hated right-wing targets. In some cases in their early days the band attracted support from right-wing punks who took the lyrics of "Kill The Poor", etc. at face value, somehow missing the staggering amount of sarcastic nastiness and irony with which the lyrics were presented. The Kennedys wrote a song in response to this development, tellingly titled "[[Nazi Punks Fuck Off!]]".
 
Jello Biafra continues to be a noted critic of the American political establishment, embarking on lecture tours both before and after his time with the band.
 
==Samples==
{{multi-listen start}}
{{multi-listen item|filename=Holiday in Cambodia.ogg|title=Holiday in Cambodia|description="Holiday in Cambodia" from ''Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables''|format=[[Ogg]]}}
{{multi-listen end}}
 
==Members==
'''Current lineup'''
*[[Jeff Penalty]] - vocals (May 2003 to present)
*[[East Bay Ray]] - guitar (June 1978 to February 1986, November 2001 to present)
*[[Klaus Flouride]] - bass (June 1978 to February 1986, November 2001 to present)
*[[D.H. Peligro]] - drums (December 1980 to February 1986, November 2001 to present)
 
'''Former members'''
*[[Jello Biafra]] - vocals (June 1978 to February 1986)
*[[Brandon Cruz]] - vocals (November 2001 to May 2003)
*[[6025]] - guitar (June 1978 to March 1979)
*[[Ted (musician)|Ted]] - drums (July 1978 to December 1980)
 
==Discography==
'''See:''' [[Lamb of God discography]] for a complete discography.
===Studio albums===
{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
*''[[Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables]]'' - September [[1980]] (# 33)
|'''Cover'''
*''[[Plastic Surgery Disasters]]'' - November [[1982]]
|'''Title'''
*''[[Frankenchrist]]'' - October [[1985]]
|-
*''[[Bedtime for Democracy]]'' - November [[1986]]
|align="left"|[[Image:Lamb of God - New American Gospel.jpg|center|135px]]
|align="left"|'''''[[New American Gospel]]'''''
*Released: [[September 26]], [[2000]]
*Chart Positions:-
*U.S. Sales: 100,000+
*Label(s): [[Prosthetic Records]]<br>
*Singles: ''Black Label''
|-
|align="left"|[[Image:Lamb of God - As the Palaces Burn.jpg|center|135px]]
|align="left"|'''''[[As the Palaces Burn]]'''''
*Released: [[May 6]], [[2003]]
*Chart Positions:#7 U.S. Top Heatseekers
*U.S. Sales: 200,000+
*Label(s): [[Prosthetic Records]]
*Singles: ''Ruin'', ''11th Hour'', ''As the Palaces Burn''
|-
|align="left"|[[Image:Lamb_of_God_-_Ashes_of_the_Wake.jpg|center|135px]]
|align="left"|''[[Ashes of the Wake]]''
*Released: [[August 31]], [[2004]]
*Chart Positions: #27 U.S.
*U.S. Sales: 400,000+
*Label(s): [[Epic Records]]
*Singles: ''Laid to Rest'', ''Now You've Got Something to Die For''
|-
|align="left"|[[Image:Lamb of God - Sacrament.jpg|center|135px]]
|align="left"|'''''[[Sacrament (album)|Sacrament]]'''''
*Released: [[August 22]], [[2006]]
*Chart Positions: #8 U.S.
*U.S. Sales: 300,000+
*Label(s): [[Epic Records]]
*Singles: ''Redneck'', ''Walk with Me in Hell''
|-
|}
 
===Live albums=Members==
===Current members===
*''[[A Scateboard Party]]'' - August [[1983]]
*[[Randy Blythe]] - [[singer|vocals]] ([[Burn the Priest]] (1995)-present)
*''[[Mutiny on the Bay]]'' - February [[2001]]
*[[Mark Morton (musician)|Mark Morton]] - [[electric guitar|guitar]] ([[Burn the Priest]] (1990)-present)
*''[[Live at the Deaf Club]]'' - March [[2004]]
*[[Willie Adler]] - guitar (1999-present)
*[[John Campbell (bassist)|John Campbell]] - [[bass guitar]] ([[Burn the Priest]] (1990)-present)
*[[Chris Adler]] - [[drum kit|drums]] ([[Burn the Priest]] (1990)-present)
 
==Video game involvement==
===Compilation albums===
* "Laid to Rest" is featured in [[Guitar Hero II]].
*''[[Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death]]'' - June [[1987]]
* "Black Label" is featured in [[Tony Hawk's Underground 2]].
* Lamb of God's music can also be found in [[BaboViolent 2]].
* "Redneck" is featured in [[ATV Offroad Fury 4]].
* "Redneck" is also featured in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Street#NFL_Street_3 NFL Street 3].
 
===EPs=Wall of Death==
{{main|Wall of Death}}
*''[[In God We Trust, Inc.]]'' - December [[1981]]
The wall of death occurs at the beginning of the song "Black Label," usually the last song in the set. The crowd divides to the left and right sides of the floor area, and then on Blythe's direction, run wildly towards the other side. This is much more intense than [[circle pit]]s, which are also seen at Lamb of God concerts.
 
Two Quicktime videos (6-8mb in size) document the wall of death on the video page of the official Lamb of God website, found [http://www.lamb-of-god.com/sacrament/gallery/photos.php?getNumb=3&cat=Video here].
===Singles===
*''[[California Über Alles]]'' - June [[1979]]
*''[[Holiday in Cambodia]]'' - May [[1980]]
*''[[Kill the Poor]]'' - October [[1980]] (# 49)
*''[[Too Drunk to Fuck]]'' - May [[1981]] (# 31)
*''[[Nazi Punks Fuck Off!]]'' - November [[1981]]
*''[[Bleed for Me]]'' - July [[1982]]
*''[[Halloween (song)|Halloween]]'' - December [[1982]]
 
However, Randy is no longer allowed to orchestrate walls of death, due to health and safety,and also beacause nobody likes it and it is the stupidest act ever, although the crowd sometimes perform the wall of death at the beginning of "Black Label", even if Randy did not ask them to.
===Videos===
*''[[The Early Years Live]]'' - July [[1987]]
*''[[The Lost Tapes (Dead Kennedys)|The Lost Tapes]]'' - July [[2003]]
*''[[Live at DMPO's on Broadway]]'' - February [[2004]]
 
===Bootlegs===
*''[[The 1978 Demos]]''
 
==See also==
*[[Punk ideology]]
 
==References==
<div class="references-small"/>
<references />
</div>
*Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "[http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:z95j8q9tbtq4 Dead Kennedys]". [[All Music Guide]]. Retrieved May 10, 2005.
 
==External links==
*[http://www.deadkennedyslamb-of-god.com/ Official site of the Dead Kennedyswebsite]
*[http://www.fansiteproductions.com/lambofgod/ The Congregation] - official fansite
*[http://www.alternativetentacles.com Alternative Tentacles - Record Label Launched by Dead Kennedys]
*[http://www.myspace.com/lambofgod Lamb of God] at [[MySpace]]
*[http://www.alternativetentacles.com/bandinfo.php?band=deadkennedys&sd=KKxJJPQ55VUXbEdA@FA Alternative Tentacles's Dead Kennedys Biography]
*[http://www.lyricsystemlambofgod.com/dead-kennedys/tv DeadLamb Kennedysof LyricsGod] at [[Sony Music]]
*[http://www.sacrament2006.com Sample of ''Sacrament'']
*[http://www.kittyfeet.com/dktrial.htm First-hand account from a fan who was at the 2000 DK trial]
*[http://www.rockdetector.com/interviews/artist,5087.sm?id=143 Interview with Lamb of God] at [[Rockdetector]]
 
*[http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061018/LIFESTYLE/610180306/1024 Interview with Willie Adler], ''[[Great Falls Tribune]]'', [[2006-10-18]]
{{Dead Kennedys}}
 
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