Dead Kennedys: From Nihlism to Social Conciousness

At its outset, American punk was not politically motivated, but focused on shocking society through rebellion of any sort. In 1978, the Dead Kennedys embraced a traditionally punk sense of gallows humor and began a politically incendiary career.

The Dead Kennedys name is symbolic of their biggest issue in communicating political messages – their unrestrained use of satire caused misconceptions of their true intent. Their name was meant to provoke thought about the assassinations of President John F. and Robert Kennedy and what they meant for American idealism. However, it was often received as an affront, even inspiring bomb threats against their early public appearances.

When the band launched in San Francisco, the Bay Area was in a state of distress – defined by the mass murder of Jonestown residents in Guyana, the largest loss of American civilian life in a deliberate act until September 11, 2001. Nine days later Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated in city hall. It is against this background that the Dead Kennedys began a harsh critique of the status quo.