Klaus Flouride

An overview of the early years--late 1970s, early 1980s--of San Francisco punk band Dead Kennedys, with clips from some of their live concerts and footage of landmark San Francisco locations of the punk music scene. Jello Biafra and The Dead Kennedys show why they're the kings of satire in 9 live early performances.

Dead Kennedys filmed live at Arena Wien in Vienna, Austria, 1982.

It was clear from the start that the Dead Kennedys were not your average band. Jello Biafra's lyrical themes were overtly political, attacking President Ronald Reagan, the Klan, big business, and such with a glorious sense of raging sarcasm that owes some credence to such wild luminaries as Lenny Bruce. Their appearance at the Earth Tavern in Portland Oregon in November 1979 was a rare step out of their native CA when Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables had just made the stores and Holiday in Cambodia was only just hitting the decks.