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.
Lovedoll Superstar
Redd Kross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Superstar, lovedoll superstar
I don't know why they left us
Oh god, where did they go
But they'll be back you know
They can't leave us this way
Patch found jesus, bunny was hit
But we will pray and know they will get together someday
Superstar, lovedoll superstar
Superstar, lovedoll superstar
It seems one day patch discovered
Kitty kariall asleep in the gutter
She brushed her off and said she would do it again
Fame and fortune nearly killed me
We can't go on without bunny
But alex is back and she's been off drugs for nearly a year
Superstar, lovedoll superstar
Superstar, lovedoll superstar
No one can stop us now so you don't even try
You can't kill a lovedoll, babe
'Cause superstars, they don't die
Superstar, lovedoll superstar
Superstar, lovedoll superstar
The song "Lovedoll Superstar" by Redd Kross tells the story of a group of lovedolls - life-size, synthetic dolls made to look like humans - who have been abandoned by their human creators. The dolls, who seem to have developed emotions and personalities of their own, are determined to stay together and support each other despite the challenges they face. The lyrics are both melancholy and hopeful, telling of the dolls' struggles with addiction, loss, and grief, but also of their resilience and determination.
The chorus, which repeats the phrase "Superstar, lovedoll superstar" several times, seems to be a rallying cry for the dolls to remind themselves of their worth and value, even though they are not human. The dolls' experiences mirror the experiences of many marginalized groups, including those who have been abandoned, abused, or treated as less than human. The song's message is one of solidarity and resilience, reminding us that even the most unlikely groups can find strength and healing in each other.
Line by Line Meaning
Superstar, lovedoll superstar
The singer sings about being a superstar in the form of a lovedoll.
I don't know why they left us
The singer wonders why some members of their group have left or disappeared.
Oh god, where did they go
The singer pleads to a higher power for answers regarding the missing members.
But they'll be back you know
Despite not knowing where the missing members have gone, the artist is confident that they will return.
They can't leave us this way
The artist expresses a need for the group to stay together and remain united.
Patch found jesus, bunny was hit
The singer shares some unfortunate events, such as Patch finding religion and Bunny suffering an unknown accident or injury.
Kitty quit life 'cause she was through with it
Another member of the group, Kitty, has apparently given up and lost the will to live.
But we will pray and know they will get together someday
Despite these hardships, the artist remains hopeful that the group will be reunited in the future and prays for their well-being.
It seems one day patch discovered
The artist recounts an event involving Patch.
Kitty kariall asleep in the gutter
Patch found another member of the group, Kitty, sleeping in the streets.
She brushed her off and said she would do it again
Patch helped Kitty and promised to be there for her in the future.
Fame and fortune nearly killed me
The artist reflects on the dangers of fame and success.
We can't go on without bunny
The singer acknowledges that the group can't function without Bunny.
But alex is back and she's been off drugs for nearly a year
Despite Bunny's absence, another member named Alex has returned and has been sober for almost a year.
No one can stop us now so you don't even try
The singer declares that their group is unstoppable and cannot be defeated.
You can't kill a lovedoll, babe
The artist metaphorically compares themselves to a lovedoll and asserts that they cannot be destroyed.
'Cause superstars, they don't die
The artist further emphasizes their invincibility and claims that superstars are immortal.
Contributed by Camden N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Stager Lee
I'm 52 years old, I had this album on cassette. Had to order from my local record shop.