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.
Dumb Angel
Redd Kross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The genius wonders what for
Revelations are always ignored
Candy in the currant flow
Telecaster disaster, oh
Is there something that only you know
With those ugly wings
Pathetic tattered worthless things
Now the sound it has become unclear
Fusing with those voices you hear
Dumb angel, you're going insane
Pimps inspire teenage dreams
Symphonies of Napoleon's scheme
Orchestrated grandiose disease
Dumb angel, can you still fly
With those ugly wings
Pathetic tattered worthless things
Now the sound it has become unclear
Fusing with those voices you hear
Dumb angel, you're going insane
You've smashed your instrument
Silence is so soft and sweet
You turn them on
But there's no one left to please
Find your head
Just remember what you said
What you've gone and done now Dumb Angel
What you've gone and done now Dumb Angel
What you've gone and done now Dumb Angel
Dumb angel, can you still fly
With those ugly wings
Pathetic tattered worthless things
Now the sound it has become unclear
Fusing with those voices you hear
Dumb angel, you're going, you're going, you're going, you're going insane
Going insane
The song "Dumb Angel" by Redd Kross is a commentary on the state of the music industry and how it often ignores true talent in favor of commercial success. The first verse mentions King Arthur and a genius wondering why their revelations are always ignored. This could represent the frustration of true artists who have something important to say but are not given a platform to share their message.
The second verse introduces the idea of a "Telecaster disaster" and the question of whether there is something that only the singer knows. This could be a reference to a musician who has a unique and groundbreaking sound but is not appreciated by the mainstream music industry. The chorus, with its questions about flying and pathetic wings, reinforces the idea of someone who is struggling to succeed and feels trapped by their circumstances.
The third verse mentions pimps inspiring teenage dreams and the grandiose disease of orchestration. These lines suggest that the music industry often puts profit and commercial success above artistic merit. The final lines, where the singer has smashed their instrument and turned on people who are no longer there, speak to the sense of disillusionment and loss that can come from pursuing a passion that is not valued by society.
Overall, "Dumb Angel" is a powerful critique of the music industry and the ways in which it can crush people's dreams and limit their potential. The lyrics are poignant and the melody is haunting, making this song a classic that still resonates with audiences today.
Line by Line Meaning
King Arthur he holds his court
King Arthur is presiding over his court
The genius wonders what for
A genius is wondering about the meaning of the situation
Revelations are always ignored
Important revelations are consistently disregarded
Candy in the currant flow
Candy is present in the flow of currants
Telecaster disaster, oh
There is a disaster involving a Telecaster
Is there something only you know
Is there knowledge exclusive to the listener
Dumb angel, can you still fly
A foolish angel is asked if they can still fly
With those ugly wings
Despite having unattractive wings
Pathetic tattered worthless things
The wings are torn and worthless
Now the sound it has become unclear
The sound has become unclear
Fusing with those voices you hear
The sound is combining with other voices
Dumb angel, you're going insane
The foolish angel is going insane
Pimps inspire teenage dreams
Pimps are a source of inspiration for teenage dreams
Symphonies of Napoleon's scheme
Symphonies relate to Napoleon's plans
Orchestrated grandiose disease
There is a planned, large-scale condition like a disease
You've smashed your instrument
The listener has destroyed their instrument
Silence is so soft and sweet
The subsequent silence is relaxing
You turn them on
You re-engage the instruments
But there's no one left to please
Nobody is there to appreciate your performance
Find your head
Regain clarity of thought
Just remember what you said
Recall what was said earlier
What you've gone and done now Dumb Angel
Reflecting on the foolish angel's actions
Going insane
The foolish angel is continuing to lose their mind
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JEFFREY A. MCDONALD, STEVEN SHANE MCDONALD, ROGER J. MANNING, BILL J. BARTELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind