Customer Reviews

Millions of Dead Cops

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

There is a review below, "Millions of Dead Californians," that claims MDC were part of some sort of (liberal/PC) "California thing."

That's odd, considering the band is from Austin, TX, where it got its start as THE STAINS. It was during their Austin, TX, period as THE STAINS that most of the material was written: "John Wayne Was a Nazi," etc. Far from being a "California thing," MDC were actually a "Texas thing," playing with Texas hardcore legends like THE DICKS ("Bourgeois Fascist Pigs," "Dicks Hate the Police," etc.), another "PC/liberal" band that I'm sure the "Millions of Dead californians" reviewer below also hates.

MDC also had a release on CRASS Records -- home to CRASS, CONFLICT, RUDIMENTARY PENI, and other bands, as well. In light of this, to say that MDC were part of some sort of "California thing" -- or that their lyrics are particular to some kind of California zietgeist -- is just dead wrong. In fact, their lyrics reflect much of the trend in hardcore that began in the early 80s as bands became increasingly political. MDC helped spearhead this trend, and this album is one of the seminal documents of that era.

The band did eventually move to California, and from there up to Portland, Oregon, where they exist currently. This, their first album, brought a heightened political awareness that was also reflected in the pre-eminence of bands like the DEAD KENNEDYS, THE SUBHUMANS (UK), and others. Anti-racist, anti-fascist, anti-capitalist, anti-religion, anti-right wing in general -- MDC's lyrics cover it all. The music is blisteringly fast, the musicianship is adequate, hovering on the brink of some sort of chaotic abyss, trying to charge ahead before everything collapses -- and the vocals are passionate.

While not as good as contemporaries MINOR THREAT or BLACK FLAG, there is an emphasis on sheer, unadulterated speed here that sacrifices melody and catchiness in the process (save for two or three songs). If you're just getting into 80s US hardcore, there are other bands one should check out first, but this release is definitely in the top 40 hardcore albums of the 1980s.

Interestingly, MDC's first album in 11 years, "Magnus Dominus Corpus," was released at the end of 2004 [with the original lineup no less] and is worth owning as well. It's their best release since this seminal LP, and even improves upon the original by infusing a bit of melodic catchiness here and there.

If something positive could be said about the Reagan era, it was that it was the reason music like this existed. This is some of the the angriest hardcore ever, and some of the best protest music as well. These guys were pissed off, disgusted, and enraged, and you can really hear it. The classics are all on this disc, the Millions of Dead Cops LP, the Multi-Death Corporations EP, and the Millions of Dead Children EP. 'Death of A Nun' is here, but re-titled 'Peking Order.' It's the same studio recording, but with a different vocal track and lyrics. I preferred Death of A Nun. Once again, this is an absolute must-have for those who are seeking out the cream of the early hardcore scene crop, when "punk" referred to a true social movement, not just another genre of watered down music on the radio.

Blistering paced tunes about the f'up world we live in...This CD got played at least ten thousand times in my teens...At the time MDC were the KIngs of Hardcore punk...every song on this offering is GREAT, a classic!!! If you only own 1 MDC cd it should be this one. If you only want to own 1 hardcore punk cd, this one is arguably the best choice...

Includes such classics as "corporate deathburger" and "john wayne was a nazi" here is maximum rock n' roll's old poster children with a nice slab of music for you. Ripping buzzsaw guitar, fiercely biting political lyrics, and everyone's favriote gay Texan Dave Dictor as the mouth piece. This them in their at finest, because later they would fizzle and get mediocre and uninteresting like alot of those old bands did...

This is a great CD first because it compiles a bunch of MDC's early releases onto one disc. Secondly, the Millions of Dead Cops half really is a classic, early 80's old school punk staple. "Corporate Deathburger," "Dead Cops," "My Family's Just a Little Weird," and "John Wayne Was a Nazi," all punk classics. The More Dead Cops half, though, I like even more, because I like to see a band experiment, or see a band mix humor, a message, and punk together... "Radioactive Chocolate" and "Chicken Squawk," for example. Also, there's a slower, more funky version of "John Wayne Was a Nazi." Sometimes I like one better, sometimes the other. Get this disc for some real punk.

If you wish to experience the energy of four truly angry voices, speaking out aganist problems faced in America in the early 80's, this is a CD you cannot aford to pass up. For all you new school punks who wish to catch a glimpse of the era gone by, never to return again this is it. MDC helped to shape differences between punk and hardcore. Yes, there is a big difference. Go find out for yourself what it is like.

i get blown away everytime i hear this record. dave dictor's droning, yet interesting vocals and brutally true lyrics make this band so great. musically, they are pretty good too. short songs, mostly about a minute. this compiles the first lp, millions of dead cops, the john wayne was a ..., multi-death corporations, and millions of dead children 7"es with two fairly disposable classic rock covers.

The songs sounds all the same, but that's cool this way, the only that came out from the plot is the essential JoHn Wayne was a nazi!

Along with Dead Kennedys' "Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables", MDC's "Millions of Dead Cops" stands out as the best US hardcore punk album ever. Other top US HC bands like Minor Threat, 7 Seconds, Misfits, Agnostic Front, COC, Circle Jerks, Gorilla Biscuits or Soulside produced some great stuff, but never equalled these two masterpieces.

Listening to MDC's incredible, raging political statements, you can relive the anger, the energy, but also the humour and hippie feel that was so typical of anarchist squats all over the world during the eighties.

If you want to discover some of the best European hardcore of that same period, I would advise you to check out albums by bands like Crass (Stations of the Crass, Penis Envy), Conflict (The Ungovernable Force), the Ex, Spermbirds (Something to Prove), Larm, Gore (Hart Gore, Mean Man's Dream), Chumbawamba (Anarchy) or Heibel (Yeah! Everything's great); you won't be disappointed!

MDC-Millions Of Dead Cops/More Dead Cops ****1/2

Millions Of Dead Cops/More Dead Cops is one of the few truly essential hardcore punk albums from the early 1980's Reagan era American youth. Led by Homosexual lead vocalist David and drummer Alshvitz MDC was force to be scared of. As in your face as every other offensive punk band there ever was and maybe more so. Smart and Intelligent lyrics and serious subjects (but with actual knowledge of the subject unlike most artists) MDC was a truly great Hardcore band and Millions Of Dead Cops/More Dead Cops is their strongest testament to this.

'Dead Cops' is a classic anti-police brutality track, and 'Born To Die' is maybe the most important song of the entire movement. 'Corporate Deathburger' is laughable satire years before the cult movie, 'Super Size Me.' 'John Wayne Was A Nazi' is bold and there is no way around it.

For the hardcore movement and this sub-genre of punk it doesn't get much better than Millions Of Dead Cops/More Dead Cops, MDC nailed it with this one.