At the time of their first self-titled EP, in 1980, the band changed their name to Red Cross, which was allegedly inspired by the masturbation scene in the film, The Exorcist. Ron Reyes became the drummer. Eventually, Hetson left to join the Circle Jerks (and later Bad Religion) and Reyes left for Black Flag. Keller left to join Trixie and the Doorknobs as its guitarist and singer. To complete the lineup on their first full-length album, Born Innocent, they assembled a revolving door of musicians including original drummer John Stielow and drummer Janet Housden. Full of the brothers' pop culture obsessions, Born Innocent featured odes to Linda Blair (who starred in a television movie of the same name), a cover of "Look On Up At The Bottom" by the Carrie Nations from Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, and Charles Manson (whose song "Cease to Exist" they covered). The album also contains nods to Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, Tatum O'Neal, and Lita Ford. Not long after the release of the album, the group was threatened with a lawsuit from the International Red Cross and changed their name to Redd Kross, allegedly being inspired by Redd Foxx.
In 1984, Redd Kross returned with drummer Dave Peterson to record Teen Babes from Monsanto, an album featuring songs originally by such artists as KISS, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, and The Shangri-Las.
In 1984, lead guitarist Robert Hecker joined the band, as Redd Kross embarked on tour in support of Teen Babes from Monsanto.
In that same year, they were featured on the soundtrack of Desperate Teenage Lovedolls with their cover of the Brady Bunch Kids' "It's a Sunshine Day". Jeff and Steve appear in the movie, along with Robert in the sequel Lovedolls Superstar which the brothers co-wrote with Dave Markey and Jennifer Schwartz. Both movies are available now on DVD.
In 1985, drummer Roy McDonald (formerly of The Things, and no relation to the brothers) joined the band.
In 1987, Redd Kross released Neurotica, an album reportedly influenced by Saturday morning cartoons and breakfast cereal (one of the songs was called "Frosted Flake"). Although the album itself was successful, the band's label, Big Time Records folded. The band continued to tour during these years however, and in 1988, drummer Victor Indrizzo joined the band.
On February 20, 1990, Redd Kross appeared on Episode 2 of the cult Public-access television show "Decoupage" with Summer Caprice.
In 1990, Redd Kross signed with Atlantic Records, releasing Third Eye, and appeared with David Cassidy in the film Spirit of '76, and issued several singles, including "Annie's Gone", which had some mild success on college radio. Former Red Hot Chili Peppers / future Pearl Jam drummer Jack Irons joined for the Third Eye tours, and appears in the promotional video for "Annie's Gone", which saw some light rotation on MTV. Brian Reitzell succeeded Irons as drummer in the band, and appears in the promotional video for "1976".
In 1991, Robert Hecker took leave from the band.
The album Phaseshifter was released in 1993, with new band members Eddie Kurdziel, Gere Fennelly, and Brian Reitzell. The videos for "Jimmy's Fantasy" and "Lady In The Front Row" were both shown on MTV's 120 Minutes. They toured on Phaseshifter for over a year, headling their own shows as well as tours supporting The Lemonheads and The Spin Doctors in late 1993 and Stone Temple Pilots in 1994. In 1995, Jeff and his wife, Charlotte Caffey (from The Go-Go's), had a daughter, named Astrid.
In 1997, Redd Kross released Show World, produced by Chris Shaw (who also produced albums for Weezer and Soul Asylum) and toured supporting The Presidents of the United States of America. The band took an indefinite hiatus after the Show World tour, and their future was uncertain after the untimely death of guitarist Eddie Kurdziel on June 6, 1999.
On July 1, 2006, Redd Kross returned to the live stage after almost a decade's absence. The Neurotica-era line up of Jeff McDonald, Steven McDonald, Robert Hecker and Roy McDonald performed a career-spanning set at the REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney/Cal Arts Theater) at Disney Hall in Los Angeles. The band has subsequently gone on to play at the Azkena Festival in Spain, the Detour Festival in Los Angeles, give a performance of their entire first EP in honor of Rodney Bingenheimer's being awarded a star on Hollywood Boulevard, and a set consisting of the entire Born Innocent album opening for Sonic Youth (who performed Daydream Nation) at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles. They toured Spain and England in January, 2007. They have played a number of one-off shows including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. In 2008 they played the Coachella Festival in Coachella, California; ATP vs Pitchfork festival in Sussex, England; and NXNE Festival in Toronto, Ontario. In 2010, Redd Kross headlined the Turbo Rock Festival in Spain. In 2011 they headlined the POP Montreal Festival.
Redd Kross will tour Australia again as part of the Hoodoo Gurus' 30th Anniversary on the "Dig It Up" Festival concert series.
The band released "Researching the Blues" in 2012.
Cease to Exist
Redd Kross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
cease to exist
just come and say you love me
give up your world
c'mon you can be
well I'm your kind
I'm your kind
I can see
I love you pretty girl
my life is yours
and you can have my world
I never had a lesson
I ever learned
but I know we all
we all get our turn
and I love you
never learned not to love you
submission is a gift
go on
give it to your brother
love and understanding
is for one another
I'm your kind I'm your kind
I'm your brother
I never had a lesson
I ever learned
but I know
we all get our turn
and I love you
never learned not to love you
The lyrics to Redd Kross's song Cease to Exist are both alluring and foreboding at the same time. The first line, "pretty girl pretty pretty girl," immediately captures the listener's attention with its repetition and gives the impression that the singer is addressing a specific person. The next line, "cease to exist," sounds ominous and suggests a potential threat. However, the following line "just come and say you love me" switches the tone back to an invitation, and the fourth line "give up your world c'mon you can be" indicates that the singer wants the person to give up everything for him. The repetition of "I'm your kind" emphasizes that they have a connection, but it's not clear what that connection is or if it's healthy. The line "never learned not to love you" suggests that the singer has been hurt before, but he’s not learning from his mistakes.
As the song continues, the tone gets more positive, featuring lines like "my life is yours and you can have my world," and "love and understanding is for one another." However, the consistent repetition of "never learned not to love you" seems to undercut these positive sentiments, emphasizing that the singer is stuck in a pattern of behavior that is detrimental.
Overall, the song creates a sense of unease through the contrast between the alluring invitation and the suggestion of danger. The repetition of certain phrases also contributes to a hypnotic effect which draws the listener in and keeps them hooked.
Line by Line Meaning
pretty girl pretty pretty girl
Addressing a girl with flattery, implying that her looks make her valuable and desirable
cease to exist
The singer is asking the girl to give up her identity and become completely devoted to him
just come and say you love me
The singer wants the girl to express her love for him, in a submissive and unquestioning manner
give up your world
The artist wants the girl to renounce her own life and interests, and focus only on him
c'mon you can be
The artist is convincing the girl that she can become what he wants her to be
well I'm your kind
The singer is suggesting that he and the girl have something in common, and she should trust him
walk on walk on
The singer urges the girl to follow him and not look back
I love you pretty girl
The artist professes his love for the girl, using her looks to validate his affection
my life is yours
The artist is willing to give everything to the girl, as long as she remains fully devoted to him
and you can have my world
The artist offers the girl his possessions, implying that his material wealth and social status will make her happy
I never had a lesson
The singer suggests that he has never been taught how to love, and therefore his feelings are pure and genuine
I ever learned
The artist never learned how to control his feelings or to respect the autonomy of others
but I know we all
The singer acknowledges that everyone experiences love and heartbreak in their lives
we all get our turn
The singer recognizes that his turn to be hurt may come in the future, but he is willing to take that risk for his own happiness
never learned not to love you
The singer is implying that he is unable to stop loving the girl, even if she does not reciprocate his feelings
submission is a gift
The artist believes that the girl's submission to him is a valuable and desirable trait
go on
The artist urges the girl to continue submitting to him, to follow his lead
give it to your brother
The singer recommends that the girl's submissive behavior should also apply to other men in her life, such as her brother
love and understanding
The singer believes that true love and understanding can only exist within a submissive relationship
is for one another
The artist implies that both partners should submit to each other, but in reality he only wants the girl to submit to him
I'm your kind I'm your kind
The artist repeats his earlier statement, affirming that he is compatible with the girl and that he has her best interests at heart
I never had a lesson
The artist repeats this line, suggesting that his lack of knowledge about love makes him more authentic and passionate
I ever learned
The singer repeats this line, admitting that he has never learned how to control his feelings or to prioritize the needs of others
but I know
The artist repeats this line, affirming that he still has hope for love despite his lack of experience
we all get our turn
The singer repeats this line, acknowledging that everyone has the opportunity to love and be loved, even if the outcome is uncertain or painful
and I love you
The singer repeats his earlier confession of love, hoping to convince the girl to submit to him completely
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CHARLES MANSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind