Frankenchrist
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''Frankenchrist'' is the third album by the American
hardcore punk Hardcore punk (commonly abbreviated to hardcore or hXc) is a punk rock music genre#subtypes, subgenre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots ...
band
Dead Kennedys Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band that formed in San Francisco, California, in 1978. The band was one of the defining punk bands during its initial eight-year run. Initially consisting of lead guitarist East Bay Ray, bassist Klaus Fl ...
, released in 1985 on
Alternative Tentacles Alternative Tentacles is an independent record label established in 1979 by Dead Kennedys vocalist Jello Biafra and guitarist East Bay Ray in San Francisco, California, with the intention to release the Dead Kennedys' self-produced single " C ...
. The album is an example of the progressive, psychedelic side of Dead Kennedys' musical personality. The
spaghetti Western The spaghetti Western is a broad subgenre of Western films produced in Europe. It emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's filmmaking style and international box-office success. The term was used by foreign critics because most o ...
soundtrack influence is noticeable in the horn parts and in East Bay Ray's guitar work. ''Frankenchrist'' is also noted for its relative lack of traditionally " hardcore" material, with most of the tracks being slower and longer than the majority of other Dead Kennedys songs. "M.T.V. − Get off the Air" is notable for its pointed slam of the music establishment and "Stars and Stripes of Corruption" for its exegesis of vocalist
Jello Biafra Eric Reed Boucher (born June 17, 1958), known professionally as Jello Biafra, is an American singer, spoken word artist and political activist. He is the former lead singer and songwriter for the San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys. Init ...
's political philosophies.


Inspiration

Biafra said, "One of the main focal points of ''Frankenchrist'' is if we are going to rise above the need for cops and laws, we can quit using the old American work ethic of seeing how much you can get away with and how much you can scam and who cares whose back you stab."


Controversies


"Landscape #XX"

The album was a subject of controversy because the original record sleeve included a poster featuring the painting ''Landscape #XX'', or '' Penis Landscape'', by H. R. Giger, depicting rows of copulating
penis A penis (; : penises or penes) is a sex organ through which male and hermaphrodite animals expel semen during copulation (zoology), copulation, and through which male placental mammals and marsupials also Urination, urinate. The term ''pen ...
es and
vulva In mammals, the vulva (: vulvas or vulvae) comprises mostly external, visible structures of the female sex organ, genitalia leading into the interior of the female reproductive tract. For humans, it includes the mons pubis, labia majora, lab ...
e. The choice of the painting came as the result of a comment by Jello Biafra to his then-roommate and Dead Kennedys artist, Jayed Scotti, art partner of Winston Smith. Biafra showed Scotti a copy of '' Omni'' magazine showing several works of art by Giger, including "Penis Landscape", printed in 1977, for a Paris art collection. Biafra said he wanted to use the piece on the upcoming album cover. Scotti phoned New York agent Les Barany and explained the project. Barany contacted Giger to ask permission, then contacted Mike Bonanno of Alternative Tentacles Records; Giger agreed to let the label use a reproduction chrome of the artwork for $600, half the usual price. Biafra presented the idea to the other members of the band, but the idea was rejected as the album cover and as an interior gatefold double LP album. Finally it was accepted as an inserted poster. Jayed Scotti created the production mechanicals by hand for the poster. The poster was printed and inserted in the ''Frankenchrist'' album with an additional sticker on the outside shrinkwrap, warning buyers of the contents.Wishnia, Steven. "Of Punk and Pornography: Rockin' With the First Amendment". ''The Nation''. October 24, 1987. Biafra was brought to trial for distributing harmful matter to minors, and though the case did not result in a conviction, Alternative Tentacles was almost driven to bankruptcy. It was only through the support of fans that the label was able to stay alive. Biafra gained attention as a champion of free speech, and was subsequently one of the most active opponents of the
Parents Music Resource Center The Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) was an American committee formed in 1985 with the stated goal of increasing parental control over the access of children to music deemed to have violent, drug-related, or sexual themes via labeling albums ...
.


Shriners

''Frankenchrists front cover itself depicts a
Shriners Shriners International, formally known as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (AAONMS), is an American Masonic body, Masonic society. Founded in 1872 in New York City, it is headquartered in Tampa, Florida, and has over ...
parade, featuring Shriners members driving miniature cars, wearing their distinctive red fez hats. The four Shriners members pictured in the photograph sued Dead Kennedys in 1986. The image was originally photographed and published by ''
Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly news magazine based in New York City. Founded as a weekly print magazine in 1933, it was widely distributed during the 20th century and has had many notable editors-in-chief. It is currently co-owned by Dev P ...
'' in the 1970s, a decade before the ''Frankenchrist'' usage by Dead Kennedys and Alternative Tentacles in 1985.


Critical reception

''
Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who, Dave Schulps, and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference ...
'' wrote: "There are some bad tracks with forced, awkward lyrics, but the LP does contain two of the DKs’ finest moments: 'MTV — Get Off the Air' and 'Stars and Stripes of Corruption', one of the most powerful political statements ever committed to vinyl." Byron Coley at '' Spin'' said the album was, "organically interchangeable with any other like-sized hunk they've previously coughed up. It would be unjust, though, not to mention that the band sounds better than ever. Unfortunately, this band’s instrumental sound must forever take a backseat to the wormy vocal histrionics of Mr. Jello Biafra."


Track listing


Personnel

;Dead Kennedys *
Jello Biafra Eric Reed Boucher (born June 17, 1958), known professionally as Jello Biafra, is an American singer, spoken word artist and political activist. He is the former lead singer and songwriter for the San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys. Init ...
– lead vocals, producer, mixer * East Bay Ray – guitar, synthesizer on "At My Job", 12-string electric bellzouki brand acoustic guitar on "MTV - Get off the Air" *
Klaus Flouride Klaus Flouride is the stage name of Geoffrey Lyall (born May 30, 1949), an American musician who is the bassist and backing vocalist for the San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys.Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Ca ...
– bass, backing vocals * D.H. Peligro – drums, backing vocals ;Additional performers * John Leib – trumpet on "MTV - Get Off The Air" * Tim Jones – keyboards on "A Growing Boy Needs His Lunch" * Nina T.R. Stapleton – backing vocals on "Jock-O-Rama" * Laura T.R. Muetz – backing vocals on "Jock-O-Rama" * Julie Hoffman – backing vocals on "Jock-O-Rama" * Susan Caldwell – backing vocals on "Jock-O-Rama" * Danielle Dunlap – backing vocals on "Jock-O-Rama" * Robyn Lutz – backing vocals on "Jock-O-Rama" * Kris Carleson – backing vocals on "Jock-O-Rama" * Steve DePace – backing vocals on "At My Job" * Wild Bill – backing vocals on "At My Job" * Sweet – backing vocals on "At My Job" * Wee Willy Lipat – backing vocals on "At My Job" * Microwave – backing vocals on "At My Job" * Gary Floyd – backing vocals on "Chicken Farm" and "Stars and Stripes of Corruption" * Eugene Robinson – backing vocals on "Chicken Farm" and "Stars and Stripes of Corruption" * Jeff Davis – backing vocals on "Chicken Farm" and "Stars and Stripes of Corruption" ;Production * John Cuniberti – engineer, mixer * Winston Smith – artwork


Charts


Certifications


References

{{authority control 1985 albums Alternative Tentacles albums Dead Kennedys albums Censorship of music Obscenity controversies in music Albums with cover art by H. R. Giger