(Steven and Jeff McDonald of Redd Kross. Photo by Wanda Martin.)
Redd Kross has had one of the most unpredictable music careers imaginable, so it’s no surprise that they are marking an offbeat milestone like their forty-fifth anniversary in such grand fashion.
With a self-titled double album of new material, U.S. and U.K./European tours, a career-spanning documentary, and an in-depth oral history book, brothers Jeff and Steven McDonald have unwittingly launched the Year of Redd Kross…and it is glorious.
The beating heart of this multifaceted celebration is the song “Born Innocent,” the autobiographical album closer from Redd Kross written for Andrew Reich’s film Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story, and a nod to the band’s snotty 1982 album of the same name—back when Jeff (guitar/vocals) and Steven (bass/vocals) still made the SoCal punk scene as Red Cross.
“We just had fun with ‘Born Innocent.’ I had the riff for the song, so then we just kind of each came up with our own verses and helped each other with their verses,” Jeff told me in a recent interview. “We wrote it very quickly, like in a one hour session.”
That ease of collaboration is a testament to the brotherly bonds that have helped them persevere through five decades as the only consistent members of Redd Kross, starting in the late ‘70s when Jeff was 15 and Steven was 11. Since then, they have been strapped in side-by-side on a twisty music industry rollercoaster that took them from early ‘80s underground releases like the Red Cross EP and Teen Babes from Monsanto to big indie/major label albums including Neurotica, Third Eye, Phaseshifter and Show World in the ‘80s and ‘90s.
In that time, the McDonald brothers cycled through a carousel of musical collaborators including future Circle Jerks/Bad Religion guitarist Greg Hetson, former Black Flag vocalist Dez Cadena, keyboardist Gere Fennelly, and on-again/off-again guitarist Robert Hecker (whose line “I just gotta be new wave” is a show-stopper in the documentary and book).
They’ve also led a parade of drummers including former Black Flag vocalist Ron Reyes, John Stielow, Janet Housden, Victor Indrizzo, Jack Irons, and Roy McDonald (no relation) of The Muffs, to name a few.
“It’s a very lucky thing about our partnership that we have so much shared experience and so many similar likes and dislikes (that help define) the culture of the band and the culture of our brotherhood,” Steven said. “Jeff has always been the predominant lyricist in the band, but we can finish each other’s sentences in a way that is rare.”
Redd Kross went on hiatus after the Show World tours ended in 1997, putting the band in limbo for 15 years. Seemingly out of nowhere, the McDonald brothers made a triumphant return with Researching the Blues in 2012 (featuring Hecker on guitar and Roy McDonald on drums). That album was followed by Beyond the Door in 2019 (featuring former Celebrity Skin guitarist Jason Shapiro and Melvins drummer Dale Crover).
Redd Kross (featuring Shapiro and producer/multi-instrumentalist Josh Klinghoffer) is a career-defining, 18-song collection that effortlessly encompasses the many modes and styles of music the band has experimented with over the decades, all built on a solid foundation of ‘60s garage rock and psychedelia, ‘70s pop trash and punk, and a lifetime of rock and roll experience.
“While we were making it, I don’t think there was ever the intention to make this record sound like our entire career, but that was the first thing I thought when I heard it in its entirety. So, that was a natural, kind of organic thing that happened,” Jeff said.
But the album might not have gotten completed and released this year if it weren’t for the extra urgency created by the documentary’s imminent release. After eight years, Reich was near completing Born Innocent, which lit a songwriting fire under Steven who started sending ideas to Jeff that led to a loose, collaborative approach to the new material.
“Andrew and I went to the Big Star #1 Record 50th anniversary show in 2022 and he told tell me what he was going to do with the movie. And I remember being like, ‘Can you wait a little bit? Just give me a little time to (finish the next record),’” Steven said. “I knew if this movie ended up in festivals or on a streaming platform and we didn’t have a new record out, that’s on me because we do have a history of all sorts of shenanigans and missed opportunities.”
Reich’s personal connection with Redd Kross’ music and his dedication to letting their story unfold organically over the course of 90 minutes makes for a highly-entertaining film that’s sure to thrill fans while turning newcomers into converts.
At the center of the compelling narrative is the interplay between the two bickering brothers who bring their distinct personalities and perspectives to this curated deep-dive on the band’s career.
“The most satisfying responses to the documentary so far have been from the people who came to the film knowing absolutely nothing about Redd Kross. So many of them have told me how they fell in love with these two brothers and their incredible story and that the first thing they did after leaving the theater was to start streaming every Redd Kross record. That’s the greatest response,” Reich said.
“I also have loved hearing from die-hard fans who come out of the movie saying, ‘I didn’t know about (that).’ However big a fan of the band you are, I can pretty much guarantee you will learn something new.”
To date, the documentary has screened around the globe in Barcelona, London, Minneapolis, Austin, Calgary, Orlando, San Francisco, Brooklyn, Madrid, Los Angeles, Bethlehem, PA, Ljutomer, Slovenia, and Perth. Reich said the film will be getting a US theatrical release with screenings in major markets in late 2024.
In 2023, music journalist and author Dan Epstein embarked on a separate series of interviews with the McDonald brothers for Now You’re One of Us: The Incredible Story of Redd Kross (Omnibus Press).
The comprehensive oral history book, which exclusively quotes the McDonald brothers along with some important contextual narration by their experienced co-author, is a fantastic complement to the documentary.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen the stars line up like this for a band I loved, and I certainly couldn’t have predicted it when we first began talking about doing a book together (in 2022),” Epstein said. “I’m so happy that we were able to get the book done in time for this year’s Redd Kross re-appreciation festivities, and so proud that I’ve actually played a part in the renaissance of one of my all-time favorite bands.”
Taken all together, the new album, documentary and book might give fans the impression that this is a fabulous farewell from Redd Kross, but the McDonald brothers say nothing could be further from the truth. Inspired by a 20-year-old Jane Fonda autobiography he recently listened to, Steven claims that 2024 is the start of their “third act.”
“Some people see the record as our final statement. You open the cover and it’s childhood photos of us, and then the last song on the record (‘Born Innocent’) is this, like, history of the band. And you could put a bow on it and say, ‘Okay, that’s it. We did it,’ Steven said.
“But if you continue and stay honest to what you do, it’s a ‘fuck you’ to people who question you for managing to survive into the later years of playing music,” Jeff said, adding to his brother’s ‘third act’ thoughts. “Being a rock and roll musician past 35 used to be taboo, but anyone who’s going to criticize it can fuck off, because it’s a ballsy thing to do when you’re older.”
The band’s live show is a real testament to that.
I caught the last stop of their U.S. tour at the Lodge Room in Los Angeles and was blown away by the high-energy performance. Opening with “Switchblade Sister” from their 1993 EP 2500 Redd Kross Fans Can’t Be Wrong, the Jeff/Steve/Jason/Dale line up of the band treated the sold-out crowd to a career retrospective set including four tracks from the new album: “Stunt Queen,” “I’ll Take Your Word For It,” “Candy Coloured Catastrophe” and “Born Innocent.”
“The new songs are getting a great response live, which is kind of rare, especially with a veteran band like us. People want to hear the new album, which is great. They really like what we’re laying down, so it’s been really fun,” Jeff said.
The encore for the LA show consisted of four tracks from their legendary debut EP—“Annette’s Got the Hits,” “S&M Party,” “Standing in Front of Poseur” and “Cover Band”—as well as two covers, The Osmonds’ “Crazy Horses” and KISS’ “Deuce.” It’s those two poles, snotty teen punk and earnest ‘70s camp, that continue to define the core Redd Kross sound 45 years after they played their first show with Black Flag.
“(Today) there’s this longevity thing that’s been set by not just The Rolling Stones, but by any band that’s kind of survived. The bands that were our peers during the punk rock days, like Circle Jerks, are bigger now than they’ve ever been. But, you know, rock and roll was always about rebellion. It’s about freedom. It’s a statement against the system,” Steven said.
“It’s really important that it’s authentic at this stage or we could never pull it off. It would be total humiliation. But because it’s a natural part of us, we’re able to go on stage and do something that was originally meant for much younger people,” Jeff added.
I think I speak for fans of all ages when I hope out loud that Redd Kross keeps doing it as long as The Stones. However their third act ultimately unfolds, I can’t wait to see what comes next for the McDonald brothers (and whatever drummer they pick up next).
