Franconian Christian

Franconian Christian
Dead Kennedys studio album
Publication (s)	1985
Label (s)	Alternative tentacles
Format (s)	CD, LP
Genre (s)	punk
Title (number)	12
running time	45 min 7s
occupation	Singing: Jello Biafra Guitar, synthesizer: East Bay Ray Bass: Klaus Flouride Drums: DH Peligro
production	Jello Biafra
Studio (s)	Hyde St. Studios in San Francisco
chronology Plastic Surgery Disasters (1982) Franconian Christian Bedtime for Democracy (1986)

Frankenchrist is the third album by the Californian political punk band Dead Kennedys . It came out in 1985 under the label Alternative Tentacles .

background

The album title consists of Frankenstein and Jesus Christ . The original LP was accompanied by a poster of HR Giger's painting Penis Landscape (actual title: Work 219: Landscape XX ), which shows several intertwined vaginas and penises engaging in sexual intercourse. One of the penises has a condom on it. The painting, created in 1973, excited the hearts of the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), which put the album at risk and accused lead singer Jello Biafra . In 1986 a girl bought the record for her brother. After finding the record case, the mother informed the PMRC, which in turn called the prosecutor. This had the house of Jello Biafra searched and sought a trial against the Dead Kennedys. The charge was "distribution of harmful matter to minors" (California Penal Code Section 313.1, roughly comparable to the "distribution of media harmful to minors " in the German Youth Protection Act ). The maximum penalty would have been one year in prison and a fine of $ 20,000  for each of the four people involved. The subsequent process drove Biafra, who pleaded for freedom of art and expression , largely to financial ruin. The Dead Kennedys recorded the subsequent Bedtime for Democracy album, but the lengthy process eventually led to the band's breakup.

In the end, Biafra won the process, but the PMRC had ensured that some record dealers did not include albums by the Dead Kennedys and comparable bands in their inventory. It was the first trial initiated by the PMRC, others against the 2 Live Crew , among others, were to follow.

Music genre

Compared to its predecessor, the album is much gentler. The angry hardcore punk interludes were pushed back in favor of a variable, sarcastic vocal style by Biafra. However, the punk elements continue to predominate, alongside influences from pop music , rockabilly and hard rock .

Track list

1. Soup Is Good Food - 4:18 (Jello Biafra / Dead Kennedys)
2. Hellnation - 2:22 ( DH Peligro )
3. This Could Be Anywhere (This Could Be Everywhere) - 5:24 (Jello Biafra / Dead Kennedys)
4. A Growing Boy Needs His Lunch - 5:50 (Jello Biafra / Dead Kennedys)
5. Chicken Farm - 5:06 (Jello Biafra / Dead Kennedys)
6. Mach-O-Rama (Invasion of the Beef Patrol) - 4:06 (Jello Biafra)
7. Goons of Hazzard - 4:25 (Jello Biafra / East Bay Ray )
8. MTV - Get off the Air - 3:37 (Jello Biafra)
9. At My Job - 3:41 (East Bay Ray)
10. Stars and Stripes of Corruption - 6:23 (Jello Biafra / Dead Kennedys)

Song content

Soup Is Good Food deals with unemployment as a result of increasing technology in factories and the ambivalent attitude of the unions . The text uses ironic , exaggerated formulations. Musically, the song makes use of the 1960s rock & roll .

Hellnation is an angry reckoning with the politics of the United States of America . The song was later the inspiration for the naming of a crustcore band.

This Could Be Anywhere (This Could Be Everywhere) reports on the decay of cities, the increasing gang culture and the American propensity for vigilante justice . The musical style on this song is comparable to the Sex Pistols .

A Growing Boy Needs His Lunch is another attack on American politics, and consumption in particular. Liqueur-filled statues of Elvis Presley are used as an example in the lyrics , followed by the sarcastic question "Will Elvis take the place of Jesus in a thousand years" (German: "Will Elvis take Jesus' place in thousands of years?"). The cartoon character Jiminy Cricket from Pinocchio and the author Laurence Harvey are also mentioned in the text. It also mentions pesticides that deform babies. The situation in America is contrasted with starvation in other countries. The keyboard was played by Tim Jones.

Chicken Farm is about the effects of the Vietnam War and specifically the use of Napalm and Agent Orange .

Mach-O-Rama (Invasion of the Beef Patrol) is about the top athletes of the American colleges and the sports mania in America using the example of American football . In particular, the macho traits of the athletes are criticized. After the star quarterback injured himself during a game and is likely to remain paraplegic , his teammates get drunk and drive drunk. However, the paternal police officer lets them drive on. Musically, the song is a mixture of hardcore, rockabilly and a short march in the style of an old soldier's song . The song begins with cheerleading chants.

The title Goons of Hazzard is an allusion to the American series Ein Duke seldom comes alone (original title: The Dukes of Hazzard). The text attacks the redneck culture.

MTV - Get off the Air is an attack on the American music television company MTV . The introduction is in the style of an MTV commercial . The song is divided into three parts, the beginning is kept poppy, while the middle part offers fast hardcore and leads to the rocking end. At the end a trumpet can be heard, which was played by John Leib. In the text, the excesses of the 1980s music video popular culture are portrayed ironically.

At My Job is East Bay Ray's contribution to the album. The short, monotonous number is about a worker and his job.

Stars and Stripes of Corruption is another reckoning with US politics. The song deals with Biafra's view of America and everything that he considers wrong about it. The song also offers exemplary solutions, for example the legalization of drugs, the promotion of communication offers, theater and art lessons in schools and the introduction of a tax for religious associations.

Web links

• Frankenchrist at musicline.de

Individual evidence

1. ^ Inlay of Alternative Tentacles' CD release
2. ↑ Peter Prischard: Don't hear this! on online time , December 14, 2007
3. ^ Ted Drozdowski: Bullshit detector. Jello Biafra cuts to the politics of pop . ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. dated July 17, 1997 
4. ↑ ^{a b c d e f} The album in the All Music Guide