Dead Kennedys: The Unauthorized Version (Paperback)

~ (Author), F-Stop Fitzgerald (Editor) "Dead Kennedys" is a great name not only in the sense "Sex Pistols" is a great name, because it is inspired violence of condensed language,..." (more)
Key Phrases: Dead Kennedys, Decay Music, San Francisco (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The Dead Kennedys roared to life in the late 1970s: their left-wing political stance, shock tactics, and messages of rebellion against corruption stirred everybody up, including Tipper Gore and her pack of conservative music-banning buddies. This book focuses on the band from its conception through its breakup in the mid-1980s, and includes reproductions of flyers, promo shots, snippets of interviews, lyrics, and rare photos. Lead singer Jello Biafra's candidacy in the 1979 San Francisco mayoral race is also entertainingly detailed.

Product Details

• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Last Gasp; 3rd edition (March 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0867196068
• ISBN-13: 978-0867196061
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #395,197 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great addition to any Kennedys/Jello fan's collection., June 27, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Dead Kennedys the Unauthorized Version (Paperback)

While this book does not have really great information on the band, it does contain some rare and little-seen photos from the early eighties of the band members, their performances, and their artwork. This is an unauthorized book, and the back cover contains a word from the band telling the reader what they did and did not like about the book. It does not have any information on the band after 1983, so I feel it was written extremely prematurely.

If you are a Dead Kennedys or Jello Biafra fan, you will almost certainly enjoy the pictues in the book and the little bit of accurate/interesting information about the band and their careers

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Punk Morals or Punk Entertainment?, July 9, 2001

By	"princessali1027" (Bedford, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dead Kennedys the Unauthorized Version (Paperback)

This book was, in my opinion, the most interesting compilation of DK info/lyrics/pictures that I've ever seen. Being part of the FOWJB (Formerly Obsessed With Jello Biafra) Club, I know how it feels to pick up this book being a DK fan. I found the book in Tower Records in New York, and I was intensely happy with just looking at the book for at least a week after. It is an incredible find for any DK fan.

However, the question arises when you read the letter on the back cover of the book: Is the band proud of this book? The answer in simple. No. The Dead Kennedys themselves opposed the printing of this book. For various reasons (I won't spoil the good read for you, should you want the book.) they didn't want it to come out. Also, even though it is a punk book, it somehow strikes me as a "very special issue" of "Bop" or something in that line of publications. The book offers no substance at all, really, only rare pictures and articles. Any good punk rocker will feel a twinge of guilt while reading this book.

So it comes down to this: Obsess over the band, or support the band's wishes? Although the band is broken up, and long gone besides, it's still a question that deserves to be considered. So think about this point: is it your principals or your obsessions that rule?

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Band, Mixed Review, November 14, 2008

By	Raven Amorte "This Is My Fake Name Badge" (In the Aether and in the Other) - See all my reviews

Actually I give this five stars for being a unique glimpse at the early Dead Kennedys and the punk rock scene in the Bay Area (pictures of Jello's campaign and wedding alone are worth it, especially if you were around 11 when all of it was taking place). But the unauthorized business is just not right nor in keeping with punkgeist, and for that I have to give it one star. Averaged out, that's three stars. Thanks for the peek into early punk culture, though.