Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables

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Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables cover.jpg
Studio album by
Dead Kennedys
ReleasedSeptember 2, 1980 (1980-09-02)
RecordedMay–June 1980
StudioMöbius Music in San Francisco
Genre
Length33:03
Label Cherry Red, Alternative Tentacles, Faulty Products, Manifesto
Producer Norm and East Bay Ray
Dead Kennedys chronology
Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
(1980)		 In God We Trust, Inc.
(1981)
Singles from Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
  1. "California Über Alles"
    Released: June 1979
  2. "Holiday in Cambodia"
    Released: May 1980
  3. "Kill the Poor"
    Released: October 1980

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables is the debut studio album by the American punk rock band Dead Kennedys. It was first released on September 2, 1980, through Cherry Red Records in the United Kingdom, and I.R.S. Records in the United States. It was later issued by Jello Biafra's own Alternative Tentacles label in the United States. It is the only Dead Kennedys studio album to feature drummer Bruce Slesinger and (on one track) guitarist Carlo Cadona.

Contents

Recording and release

The photo on the front cover, showing several police cars on fire, was taken during the White Night riots of May 21, 1979, that resulted from the light sentence given to former San Francisco City Supervisor Dan White for the murder of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. When Biafra ran for mayor, one of his policies had been for a statue to be erected to Dan White, and for eggs, tomatoes and stones to be available nearby for pelting it. [3] In addition, the band's version of "I Fought the Law" has rewritten lyrics making reference to the incident.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
The Great Rock Discography 9/10 [5]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]
PopMatters 8/10 [7]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [8]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Tiny Mix Tapes 5/5 [10]
Uncut Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [11]
The Village Voice C+ [12]

Among contemporary reviews, Jon Young of Trouser Press found that the style and content of the album derived from the Sex Pistols and "will sound dated to the trend-conscious", but concluded that the album "may be the only legitimate companion piece to the Pistols' Never Mind the Bollocks ." [13] Young concluded that the album "works largely because of Jello Biafra, a distinctive and remarkable singer" who "thrives on extreme attitudes." [13] Andy Gill of NME compared the album to music by the British punk group U.K. Subs, writing that Dead Kennedys "hardly come across as anything but smarter, both musically and intellectually ... Despite [the Dead Kennedys'] grasp of dynamics and their highly-ordered arrangements, there's really only one track here which makes effective use of their mannerisms and devices, and that's 'Holiday in Cambodia', already available in single form, and probably the biggest (musical) reason for this album's presence in the charts." [14] Robert Christgau of The Village Voice stated that he found Biafra poor as a vocalist, likening his singing to Tiny Tim's. [12]

The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . [15] In 2013, NME ranked it at number 365 in its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. [16]

Release variations

Track listing

All tracks are written by Jello Biafra, except where noted [27]

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Kill the Poor"music: Biafra, East Bay Ray; lyrics: Biafra3:07
2."Forward to Death" 6025 1:23
3."When Ya Get Drafted" 1:23
4."Let's Lynch the Landlord" 2:13
5."Drug Me" 1:56
6."Your Emotions"Ray1:20
7."Chemical Warfare" 2:55
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."California Über Alles"music: Biafra; lyrics: Biafra, John Greenway3:03
2."I Kill Children" 2:04
3."Stealing People's Mail" 1:34
4."Funland at the Beach" 1:49
5."Ill in the Head"music: 6025; lyrics: Biafra2:46
6."Holiday in Cambodia"music: Dead Kennedys (Ted, Ray, Biafra, Flouride); lyrics: Biafra [28] 4:37
7."Viva Las Vegas" (Elvis Presley cover with altered lyrics) Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman 2:42
Total length:33:06

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Eyeballs

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Eyeballs is the accompanying 55-minute documentary, directed by Eric S. Goodfield, that is included with the Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables 25th Anniversary Edition. [29] It features a brief history of Dead Kennedys' early years up to their first UK tour, never before seen live performances, interviews with Klaus Flouride and East Bay Ray, comments by music journalists, and insights from the key people involved with the recording of Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables. [29] The video omits references to the origins of songs that would include a mention of Jello Biafra, although his 1979 run for mayor is highlighted.

Personnel

Dead Kennedys

Additional performers

Production

Charts

Weekly chart performance for Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
Chart (1980)Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) [30] 98
UK Indie Chart [31] 2

Sales

In 2010, it was certified diamond by the Independent Music Companies Association which indicated sales of at least 250,000 copies throughout Europe. [32]

Certifications for Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [33] Gold100,000^
United States (RIAA) [34] Gold500,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

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References

  1. 1 2 Huey, Steve. "Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables – Dead Kennedys". AllMusic . Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  2. ↑ Larson, Thomas E. (2014). History of Rock and Roll. Kendall Hunt. p. 270. ISBN   978-1-4652-3886-3.
  3. ↑ Silvers, Emma (November 4, 2014). "35 Years Ago Today, Jello Biafra Came In Fourth In the S.F. Mayoral Race". SF Weekly . USA. Archived from the original on August 5, 2017. Retrieved August 5, 2017.
  4. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2011). "Dead Kennedys". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN   978-0-85712-595-8.
  5. ↑ Strong, Martin C. (2004). "Dead Kennedys". The Great Rock Discography (7th ed.). Canongate Books. ISBN   1-84195-551-5.
  6. ↑ Mehr, Bob (March 2006). "Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables". Mojo . No. 148. p. 114.
  7. ↑ Schiller, Mike (November 29, 2005). "Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (Special 25th Anniversary Edition)". PopMatters . Archived from the original on June 7, 2015. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  8. ↑ "The 100 Best Punk Albums of All Time – Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables". Q (special ed.). May 2002. p. 136.
  9. ↑ Considine, J. D. (2004). "Dead Kennedys". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p.  221. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  10. ↑ Chadwicked. "Dead Kennedys – Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables". Tiny Mix Tapes . Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Dead Kennedys – Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables". Uncut . No. 69. February 2003. p. 91. Archived from the original on July 24, 2008. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  12. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (May 4, 1981). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice . Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  13. 1 2 Young, Jon (June 1981). "Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (IRS SP70014)" . Trouser Press . Retrieved November 1, 2016– via Rock's Backpages.
  14. ↑ Gill, Andy (September 27, 1980). "Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables; UK Subs: Crash Course" . NME . Retrieved November 1, 2016– via Rock's Backpages.
  15. ↑ Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (March 23, 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN   978-0-7893-2074-2.
  16. ↑ Rocklist.net NME: The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time : October 2013
  17. 1 2 Ogg, Alex. (2014). Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables: The Early Years. p. 119. ISBN   978-1-60486-489-2.
  18. ↑ George Gimarc, Punk Diary: The Ultimate Trainspotter's Guide to Underground Rock 1970–1982. San Francisco: Backbeat Books, 2005. ISBN   0-87930-848-6
  19. 1 2 3 Jello Biafra interview with Goldmine magazine, February 1989, reproduced at AlternativeTentacles.com [ permanent dead link ]
  20. ↑ Dead Kennedys, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, Los Angeles/San Francisco/London: Cleopatra Records/Decay Music/Cherry Red Records, 2002
  21. ↑ Dead Kennedys, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables: 25th Anniversary Edition Los Angeles: Manifesto Records, 2005.
  22. ↑ Neither the 2002 nor the 2005 editions of Fresh Fruit ... were done with the consent or participation of Jello Biafra; various interviews and press releases issued by Biafra stated that the singer/songwriter did not receive royalties from the 2002 edition, possibly due to the legal battle between Biafra and the rest of the band.
  23. 1 2 Nate Goyer (March 14, 2016). "Ep023: Dead Kennedys Klaus Flouride Interview & The Story of the "Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables" LP". The Vinyl Guide (Podcast). Event occurs at 16:06. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
  24. ↑ Dead Kennedys, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, Los Angeles: Faulty Products, 1982.
  25. ↑ Dead Kennedys, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, London: Cherry Red Records, ca. 1981–82.
  26. ↑ Jello Biafra (July 12, 2022). "Jello Says "Buyer Beware" On DKs Fresh Fruit Remix Album". Alternative Tentcles Records. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  27. ↑ Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (liner notes). Dead Kennedys. 1980.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  28. ↑ Ogg, A., 2014. Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables: The Early Years. 1st ed. Oakland, United States: PM Press. p. 87;97. ISBN   978-1-60486-489-2.
  29. 1 2 Schiller, Mike (November 29, 2005). "Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (Special 25th Anniversary Edition)". PopMatters. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
  30. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 85. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  31. ↑ Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980–1989. Cherry Red Books. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  32. ↑ "Color". impalamusic.org. Archived from the original on August 14, 2017. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
  33. ↑ "British album certifications – Dead Kennedys – Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables". British Phonographic Industry.
  34. ↑ "American album certifications – Dead Kennedys – Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved December 18, 2023.
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