Live at the Deaf Club is a live album released by the Dead Kennedys in 2004 and had a limited edition re-release 2013 in the UK on Let Them Eat Vinyl. The actual performance took place at the San Francisco Deaf Club on March 3, 1979.

Live at the Deaf Club
Live album by
ReleasedJanuary 27, 2004
RecordedMarch 3, 1979
GenreHardcore punk
Length39:29
LabelManifesto
ProducerEast Bay Ray
Dead Kennedys chronology
Mutiny on the Bay
(2001)
Live at the Deaf Club
(2004)
Milking the Sacred Cow
(2007)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

The performance was unique in that this was the last time their rhythm guitarist 6025 performed with them. It also includes original drummer Ted, later replaced in February 1981 by D.H. Peligro. Also, the song "Gaslight" and their covers of "Back in the U.S.S.R." and "Have I the Right" are not found on any other DK album (The Deaf Club recordings of "Short Songs" and "Straight A's" are featured on the compilation album Give Me Convenience Or Give Me Death and the hard-to-find Can You Hear Me? Music From The Deaf Club along with "Police Truck"). "Back in Rhodesia" is an early version of "When Ya Get Drafted" with a different chorus than the final version. "Kill the Poor" is also a "disco" version minus the introduction.

The album has drawn criticism from former lead singer Jello Biafra, who lost control of the Dead Kennedys name after being found guilty of civil fraud and malice for withholding full royalties from his bandmates for several years.[2] However, several critics have given the album good reviews, for example PopMatters[3] and Punknews.org.[4]

Track listing edit

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Introduction by DJ Johnnie Walker"Johnnie Walker0:20
2."Kill the Poor" (disco version)Jello Biafra, East Bay Ray3:57
3."Back in Rhodesia" (early version of "When Ya Get Drafted")Biafra1:31
4."The Man with the Dogs"Biafra3:22
5."Gaslight"60252:40
6."California über alles"Biafra, John Greenway1:03
7."Ill in the Head"Biafra, 60253:25
8."Straight A's"Biafra, 60252:13
9."Short Songs"60250:31
10."Holiday in Cambodia"Dead Kennedys4:33
11."Police Truck"Biafra, Ray2:54
12."Forward to Death"60251:53
13."Have I the Right?"Alan Blaikley, Ken Howard2:16
14."Back in the U.S.S.R."Lennon–McCartney2:31
15."Viva Las Vegas"Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman3:31

Personnel edit

References edit

  1. ^ Zupp, Adrian (January 27, 2004). "Allmusic review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
  2. ^ "Jello Biafra drops Kennedys suit". Los Angeles Times. July 14, 2004.
  3. ^ Kalet, Hank. "Dead Kennedys: Live at the Deaf Club – PopMatters". PopMatters. Archived from the original on May 18, 2011. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
  4. ^ "Dead Kennedys - Live at the Deaf Club (2004) - Punknews.org". Punknews.org. May 25, 2004. Retrieved August 20, 2012.