Why is Dead Kennedys - Give me Convenience or Give Me Death held in such high regard?

Fintroll · 10-27-2009, 08:25 PM

I hate that album, its so bland. Fresh Fruit was cool when I was a kid but I grew out of it.

ElephantSack · 11-02-2009, 03:27 PM

I dig "Give me Convenience..." even if it is just pretty much a collection. And "Pull My Strings" is an excellent song, especially if you know the story behind it.

Other than that, "Fresh Fruit.." and "Plastic Surgery Disasters" are my favorites. "In God We Trust, Inc." is pretty sloppy for the most part, but "We've Got an Even Bigger Problem Now" is definitely one of their most powerful songs.

I never got into "Frankenchrist" or "Bedtime For Democracy". They just didn't really have the same sound to me. They sounded a little tired.

My favorite DK song would probably have to be "Moon Over Marin".

screemin187 · 11-02-2009, 04:00 PM

At the time it came out my wife, then girlfiend loved it. In fact they had a huge following here in Northern Ireland, really huge

I was one of the few though who rated Bedtime for Democracy as one of their best, everyone still disagrees but it takes me back to that era every time i hear it

The shirts, songs and titles were super cool in the eighties, I will always remember reagan and thatcher for the slating they got from punk bands and not their politics lol

tgpo · 11-07-2009, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by screemin187

I was one of the few though who rated Bedtime for Democracy as one of their best, everyone still disagrees but it takes me back to that era every time i hear it

Thank you! I knew I couldn't be the only one to put their last album as their best.

Ulysses · 11-07-2009, 08:47 AM

I can't speak for anyone else but I rate the first half of 'Give Me Convenience...' as much as any of the studio albums. The early b-sides were fantastic songs and, as a kid, I played those songs as often as I did the a-sides and I honestly think the likes of 'Police Truck', 'Insight', 'Too Drunk...' et al are as good as anything on the albums.

Besides, if you don't/didn't own those songs as 7 inch singles then where are people meant to hear them? Far too good a set of songs to just waste by not allowing them to be accessed by an audience, surely?

For the record, I've never even seen a Guitar Hero!

Molecules · 11-07-2009, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tgpo

I'm one album away from owning their studio discography, and this album is my least favorite. Sure, Pull My Strings is an amazing song, but as an album it's Dead Kennedys' worst. I guess I'm just not into people remaking their own songs into lounge hits.

oh come on, worse than 'Bedtime for Democracy' (a Jello Biafra spoken word album which just happens to have music playing in the background)!?
As Sam states, I have found 'Give Me Convenience' tends to come after the first two albums in peoples' estimations.

...and if you don't like the lounge band thing avoid one of their finest hours: 'we've got a bigger problem now' from In God We Trust Inc.

Ulysses · 11-07-2009, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tgpo

I guess I'm just not into people remaking their own songs into lounge hits.

I suppose satire is lost on you generally then? Do you baulk every time you see the Sounds of Sunshine photo on the back of 'Fresh Fruit...'? It's not that different. How about whenever you see (re)appropriated images used in Winston Smith's collages?

Molecules · 11-07-2009, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ulysses

I suppose satire is lost on you generally then? Do you baulk every time you see the Sounds of Sunshine photo on the back of 'Fresh Fruit...'? It's not that different. How about whenever you see (re)appropriated images used in Winston Smith's collages?

i think he/she is referring to the slightly slower-tempo version/outtake of California Uber Alles on 'convenience'... dunno where the lounge thing came from

Ulysses · 11-07-2009, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Molecules

i think he/she is referring to the slightly slower-tempo version/outtake of California Uber Alles on 'convenience'... dunno where the lounge thing came from

Wasn't that the 7" version? If memory serves, that came first and the album came later. If tgpo is talking about 'Give Me Convenience or...'s' version of 'California Uber Alles' then "remaking their own songs into lounge hits" doesn't make any sense, no matter what the "lounge" is referring to.

I honestly took the lounge comment to refer to 'We've Got a Bigger Problem Now'.

Molecules · 11-07-2009, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ulysses

Wasn't that the 7" version? If memory serves, that came first and the album came later. If tgpo is talking about 'Give Me Convenience or...'s' version of 'California Uber Alles' then "remaking their own songs into lounge hits" doesn't make any sense, no matter what the "lounge" is referring to.

I honestly took the lounge comment to refer to 'We've Got a Bigger Problem Now'.

i did too initially, but that's on 'In God...', at least the one I have is. And like you said, it's f*cking satire FFS

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fintroll

Fresh Fruit was cool when I was a kid but I grew out of it.

11-02-2009, 03:27 PM	#12 (permalink)
ElephantSack Man vs. Wild Turkey Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: ATX Posts: 948	I dig "Give me Convenience..." even if it is just pretty much a collection. And "Pull My Strings" is an excellent song, especially if you know the story behind it. Other than that, "Fresh Fruit.." and "Plastic Surgery Disasters" are my favorites. "In God We Trust, Inc." is pretty sloppy for the most part, but "We've Got an Even Bigger Problem Now" is definitely one of their most powerful songs. I never got into "Frankenchrist" or "Bedtime For Democracy". They just didn't really have the same sound to me. They sounded a little tired. My favorite DK song would probably have to be "Moon Over Marin". __________________ OF THE SUN

11-07-2009, 08:47 AM	#15 (permalink)
Ulysses Groupie Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Nutwood, England Posts: 27	I can't speak for anyone else but I rate the first half of 'Give Me Convenience...' as much as any of the studio albums. The early b-sides were fantastic songs and, as a kid, I played those songs as often as I did the a-sides and I honestly think the likes of 'Police Truck', 'Insight', 'Too Drunk...' et al are as good as anything on the albums. Besides, if you don't/didn't own those songs as 7 inch singles then where are people meant to hear them? Far too good a set of songs to just waste by not allowing them to be accessed by an audience, surely? For the record, I've never even seen a Guitar Hero! __________________ The Fields of Mars

10-27-2009, 08:25 PM	#11 (permalink)
Fintroll Groupie Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 11	I hate that album, its so bland. Fresh Fruit was cool when I was a kid but I grew out of it.

11-02-2009, 04:00 PM	#13 (permalink)
screemin187 Music Addict Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: County Antrim Posts: 68	At the time it came out my wife, then girlfiend loved it. In fact they had a huge following here in Northern Ireland, really huge I was one of the few though who rated Bedtime for Democracy as one of their best, everyone still disagrees but it takes me back to that era every time i hear it The shirts, songs and titles were super cool in the eighties, I will always remember reagan and thatcher for the slating they got from punk bands and not their politics lol