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.
Ghandi Is Dead
Redd Kross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I will tell you why now baby
She is my best friend
She jerks off to rock-n-roll
That's all right with me
A flower can not see
It's like folk music from Bulgaria
It makes no sense to me at all
But that's all right with me
Buffy St. Marie
You tell me that you need to flirt
But why that stupid haircut jerk
You gotta talk to some ass in my face
Do me a favor and show some taste
You sleep with me and I know your mind
I'll just laugh and watch him waste his time
Papaya sweet papaya
Steven says Papaya
He says papaya yeah!
It's not teen babies
I will will tell you why now baby
I hate paintings
She jerks off to rock-n-roll
That's all right with me
Tell me what to be
What if this bird had to fly
Would you even care would you cry
This ain't no Norwegian Wood
Just let this be understood
You sleep with me and I know your mind
So I'll just laugh and watch him waste his time
Ghandi is dead my sweet baby
And I'm the cartoon
Yeah I'm the cartoon man ...
The lyrics to Redd Kross's song Gandhi Is Dead are a combination of seemingly unrelated phrases and concepts that seem to convey a sense of frustration and disillusionment with the world. The singer speaks of a female friend whom he describes as his best friend, but who also apparently masturbates to rock-n-roll music. He seems to accept this fact about her, but also suggests that it is related to the idea that a flower can't see - perhaps implying that some things are just inexplicable or beyond understanding.
The song then shifts gears and references folk music from Bulgaria and Buffy St. Marie, suggesting a broader interest in music that is perhaps not easily categorized or understood. The singer seems to challenge someone who wants to flirt with him, but who he finds unappealing and lacking in taste. He seems to enjoy watching this person waste their time, while he remains above it all. A brief reference to papaya adds a touch of whimsy to the song.
The song then returns to the idea of the female friend who enjoys rock-n-roll, and reveals that the singer hates paintings. He seems to be rejecting traditional forms of art and instead embracing something more unconventional - perhaps a reference to the punk rock scene that Redd Kross emerged from. The song closes with a reference to Gandhi's death and the singer positioning himself as a cartoon - suggesting a sense of not being taken seriously, but also perhaps a sense of rebelliousness in not conforming to societal expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
She's still my best friend
Despite everything, we're still close.
I will tell you why now baby
Let me explain my reasoning, my dear.
She is my best friend
I trust her more than anyone else.
She jerks off to rock-n-roll
She finds pleasure in music, and that's okay by me.
That's all right with me
I'm accepting of her various quirks and interests.
A flower can not see
Sometimes things cannot be helped or changed.
It's like folk music from Bulgaria
To me, this type of music is weird and hard to understand.
It's like folk music
It's a type of music that is traditional and generally not mainstream.
It makes no sense to me at all
I don't understand this music whatsoever.
Buffy St. Marie
A reference to the Canadian-American singer-songwriter and activist.
You tell me that you need to flirt
You're letting me know that you crave attention from others.
But why that stupid haircut jerk
Why do you feel the need to be with someone who has a bad haircut?
You gotta talk to some ass in my face
You're saying things to me that aren't very respectful.
Do me a favor and show some taste
Please try to be more discerning in your choice of partners.
You sleep with me and I know your mind
I can read your thoughts and emotions when we're intimate.
I'll just laugh and watch him waste his time
I find amusement in the fact that the person you're flirting with is not a good match for you.
Papaya sweet papaya
A light-hearted expression or exclamation about the fruit.
Steven says Papaya
A reference to an individual named Steven who enjoys papaya.
He says papaya yeah!
He expresses a positive sentiment about his love for papaya.
It's not teen babies
It's not the type of music that's popular with teenagers.
I will will tell you why now baby
Allow me to explain my reasoning once again, my dear.
I hate paintings
I have a dislike or distaste for works of art.
Tell me what to be
I'm searching for guidance or direction in life.
What if this bird had to fly
What if I had to leave this place and move on to something new?
Would you even care would you cry
Would you be upset if I left and didn't come back?
This ain't no Norwegian Wood
This isn't the type of situation described in the Beatles' song 'Norwegian Wood.'
Just let this be understood
Let's make sure we're on the same page and understand each other.
Ghandi is dead my sweet baby
A reference to the historical figure Mahatma Gandhi and the fact that he is no longer living.
And I'm the cartoon
I feel like I'm not quite real or don't fit in with the world around me.
Yeah I'm the cartoon man
I identify more strongly with the world of fantasy and imagination than reality.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: MCDONALD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind