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.
Lady in the Front Row
Redd Kross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But are you too old too be the first in line
Die hard dedication
Would you give me a standing ovation
So bad you stand in her place
You better go now
Oooh you better look out
Someone took your spot
But nobody's gonna knock you off
Jealous thieves
It's invisible the power you keep
So bad you stand in her place
You better go now
Oooh you better look out
The lady in the front row
I know your face but what's your race
Are you a homosapien from space
A barometer of the mob reaction
Simple love everything we know as action
So bad you stand in her place
You better go now
Oooh you better look out
It's show time
It's show time
It's show time
It's show time
It's show time
The lyrics of "Lady in the Front Row" by Redd Kross are about a woman who holds a lot of power at a concert. The singer describes her as someone who others are envious of, as she has managed to secure a spot at the front of the crowd. The lyrics suggest that the woman is someone who has dedicated a lot of time and energy to attending concerts, and that she demands a lot of respect from those around her. The singer seems to be asking whether she would give him a standing ovation, suggesting that he is trying to impress her.
The second verse of the song is particularly interesting. The singer questions whether the woman is human, asking whether she is a "homosapien from space." This could be interpreted as a sense of awe or admiration for her power and influence, or as a humorous riff on the idea of being a devoted concert-goer. Either way, the lyrics engage with a sense of fandom and the intense emotions that can be attached to attending live music.
The repetition of "it's show time" at the end of the song reinforces the idea of the concert experience as a kind of ritual or performance. The song itself is a catchy, upbeat rock track that celebrates the power of music and the communal experience of attending live shows.
Line by Line Meaning
You look so fine
You are beautiful and attractive
But are you too old too be the first in line
Are you too old to be a fan of our music? You should be the first in line.
Die hard dedication
We appreciate your unwavering support for our music
Would you give me a standing ovation
If we perform well, will you cheer us loudly and give us a standing ovation?
So bad you stand in her place
It's unfortunate that you are not at the front anymore
You better go now
You should move to your correct position
Oooh you better look out
Be careful, the lady in the front row might take notice of you
The lady in the front row
The woman in the front is an important person and could affect your career
Someone took your spot
Somebody moved in front of you and took your position
But nobody's gonna knock you off
You won't be pushed out of our music scene
Jealous thieves
There are people who are envious of your dedication
It's invisible the power you keep
The influence and power you wield is not visible but it exists
I know your face but what's your race
I recognize you but I'm not sure of your ethnicity
Are you a homosapien from space
Could you be from another planet?
A barometer of the mob reaction
You are a measure of our audience's feedback
Simple love everything we know as action
The actions of our fans express their simple love for our music.
It's show time
We're about to begin, it's time for the performance
It's show time
We're about to begin, it's time for the performance
It's show time
We're about to begin, it's time for the performance
It's show time
We're about to begin, it's time for the performance
It's show time
We're about to begin, it's time for the performance
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EDWARD J. KURDZIEL, JEFFREY A. MCDONALD, STEVEN SHANE MCDONALD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jason Jarvis
Absolutely love you guys! Electrifying music, fun lyrics, and awesome performances! Lady in the Front Row is one of my favorite Redd Kross hits. I drove Phaseshifter in the ground from playing it so much... Great album!
SerialGothQueens
I did too; I wore out 2 cassettes and 2 CD's!
Jeff Schmitz
one of the most underrated band ever. period.
Hunter Publishers
Correct
IhateGary
Amen Amen
SerialGothQueens
+Jeff Schmitz MOS DEF!!!!!
debgibsonfan
"Phaseshifter"...one of the best albums...EVER.
kurt mcpaul
Saw these guys open for Melvins and HOLY SHIT, better live tbh. Steven is a phenomenal Bassist live, this baseline is soooo underrated!
Jimmy Newark
great band .Saw them live many times London 90,s They are powerfull and will endure regards jimmy
Miranda Yeatts
I never cease to be amazed by how awesome Redd Kross is but I'm telling ya they need to give Steve some more camera time, He's too cute :)