Redd Kross, a rock band from Hawthorne, California had their roots in 1978 … Read Full Bio ↴Redd Kross, a rock band from Hawthorne, California had their roots in 1978 in a band called The Tourists begun by Jeff and Steve McDonald while the brothers were still in middle school. With the addition of friends Greg Hetson and Dave Keller on guitar and John Stielow on drums, the band's first gig was opening for Black Flag.

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.

Stoned
Redd Kross Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hey sad girl
Why is it you would do anything
To hang with the bad girls
Committing crimes and doing time
To be in your own world
Fantasies of guns and ammunition
Are possessions that you prize

You're always stoned
Yes, you're always stoned
Always stoned
Always stoned

Hey hippie
Pushing incense and stink love
While you were heaving
Catching Krishna's curse at Govinda's
In Venice town
Where Hecker lived for many years
In Venice town where everyone's on crack

You're always stoned
Yes, you're always stoned
Always stoned
Always stoned

You are really out of it
Every day just like the rest
Live bootlegs recorded
At the Nest, yeah

Punk rock squatter girls from Hollywood
You are so sweet
Except when you're on the speed
You're always stoned

Yeah you're always stoned (always stoned you're)
You're always stoned (always stoned you're)
You know you're always stoned (always stoned you're)
Always

Always stoned you're
Always stoned you're
Always stoned you're
Always

Always stoned
Always stoned
Always stoned
Always stoned
Always stoned

Always stoned
Always stoned

Overall Meaning

In "Stoned," Redd Kross is portraying several types of people who are always under the influence. The song begins with the singer addressing a "sad girl" who is so desperate to fit in with the "bad girls" that she is willing to commit crimes and even go to jail. She is so deep into her own world of dangerous fantasies that guns and ammunition are the only things that make her happy. The chorus of "You're always stoned" reinforces that she is always under the influence of something.

The second verse is about a "hippie" who is pushing "incense and stink love" and seeking spiritual fulfillment in Krishna at Govinda's in Venice town. Life in Venice is tumultuous, and Redd Kross mentions Hecker as someone who lived there for years. The chorus is repeated again, and the song concludes with a refrain of "Always stoned." The implication in both verses is that these individuals are using some kind of substance as a crutch to navigate the world around them.

Redd Kross is known for its humorous and self-aware approach to punk and alternative rock. The lyrics to "Stoned" are no exception, with the band calling out various subcultures and their drug use. However, the song itself is musically straightforward and catchy, with a classic punk rock beat and sing-along chorus.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey sad girl
Addressing a melancholic girl

Why is it you would do anything
Questioning why she would go to any lengths

To hang with the bad girls
To associate with mischievous girls

Committing crimes and doing time
Engaging in unlawful activities and being punished for them

To be in your own world
To escape into her own imaginary world

Fantasies of guns and ammunition
Dreaming of weapons and combat tools

Are possessions that you prize
Considering those fantasies as valuable assets

You're always stoned
Being in a state of intoxication all the time

Hey hippie
Referring to a person with hippie-like mentality

Pushing incense and stink love
Promoting scented aromas and love that is not genuine

While you were heaving
While you were gasping for breath

Catching Krishna's curse at Govinda's
Being inflicted by an unfavorable circumstance

In Venice town
In a district of Los Angeles

Where Hecker lived for many years
Referring to a person who resided there for a long time

In Venice town where everyone's on crack
Describing a place where the majority of people are addicted to drugs

You are really out of it
Being in a state of confusion or disorientation

Every day just like the rest
Experiencing the same thing every day

Live bootlegs recorded at the Nest, yeah
Live performances clandestinely recorded in a particular venue

Punk rock squatter girls from Hollywood
Female squatters in Hollywood with punk rock culture

You are so sweet
Despite everything, being good-natured

Except when you're on the speed
Referring to the drug amphetamine

Yeah you're always stoned (always stoned you're)
Reiterating the fact of continuously being under the influence of drugs

You know you're always stoned (always stoned you're)
Acknowledging the situation of being high all the time

Always stoned you're
Emphasizing the constant state of intoxication

Always stoned
Being perpetually under the influence of drugs

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN LANE REITZELL, EDWARD J. KURDZIEL, GERE FENNELLY, JEFFREY A. MCDONALD, STEVEN SHANE MCDONALD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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