I'M WORKING AT MY JOB
MORE BORING BY THE DAY
BUT THEY PAY ME
Frankenchrist
is the third
full-length album
by the American
hardcore punk band
released in
October 1985
on Alternative Tentacles.
The album is an example
of the progressive,
psychedelic side of
Dead Kennedys'
musical personality.
The spaghetti Western
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 it's
pointed attack
on the music establishment and
"Stars and Stripes of Corruption"
for its exegesis of vocalist
Jello Biafra'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
penises and vulvae.
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 shrink wrap,
warning buyers
of the contents.
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.
Shriners
Frankenchrist's
front cover
itself depicts a
Shriners 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
in the 1970s,
a decade before
the Frankenchrist usage
by Dead Kennedys
and Alternative
Tentacles in 1985
No comments:
Post a Comment