Redd Kross

Red Cross

In April 1979, the band had their first practice in the living room of original drummer, John Stielow's parent's home. They eventually changed the band name to Red Cross, which was allegedly inspired by the masturbation scene in the film The Exorcist. They soon began working on their 1980 debut self-titled EP. Eventually, Hetson left to join the Circle Jerks (and later Bad Religion) and Reyes left for Black Flag. They appeared on the Posh Boy compilation The Siren, and then to complete the lineup on their first full-length album, Born Innocent, they assembled a revolving door of musicians including original drummer John Stielow. Full of the brothers' pop culture obsessions, Born Innocent featured odes to Linda Blair (who starred in a television movie of the same name), a cover of "Look on Up at the Bottom" by the Carrie Nations from Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, and Charles Manson (whose song "Cease to Exist" they covered). The album also contains nods to Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, Tatum O'Neal, and Lita Ford. Not long after the release of the album, the group was threatened with a lawsuit from the International Red Cross and changed the spelling of their name to Redd Kross.

Redd Kross

In 1984, Redd Kross returned with drummer Dave Peterson to record Teen Babes from Monsanto, an album featuring covers. Later that year, lead guitarist Robert Hecker joined the band, as they embarked on tour in support of Teen Babes from Monsanto. In that same year, they were featured on the soundtrack of Desperate Teenage Lovedolls with their cover of the Brady Bunch Kids' "It's a Sunshine Day".

In 1987, Redd Kross released Neurotica.

1990s

On February 20, 1990, Redd Kross appeared on Episode 2 of the cult Public-access television show "Decoupage" with Summer Caprice.

In 1990, Redd Kross signed with Atlantic Records, releasing Third Eye, and appeared with David Cassidy in the film Spirit of '76, and issued several singles, including "Annie's Gone", which had some mild success on college radio.

The album Phaseshifter was released in 1993, with new band members Eddie Kurdziel, Gere Fennelly, and Brian Reitzell. The videos for "Jimmy's Fantasy" and "Lady In The Front Row" were both shown on MTV's 120 Minutes. They toured on Phaseshifter for over a year, headlining their own shows as well as tours supporting The Lemonheads and The Spin Doctors in late 1993 and Stone Temple Pilots in 1994.

In 1997, Redd Kross released Show World, produced by Chris Shaw (who also produced albums for Weezer and Soul Asylum) and toured supporting The Presidents of the United States of America. The band took an indefinite hiatus after the Show World tour, and their future was uncertain after the death of guitarist Eddie Kurdziel on June 6, 1999.

2010s

In 2019, Emmy Award-winning television comedy writer Andrew Reich, best known as an Executive Producer on Friends, was directing a documentary on the band called Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story.

Dale Crover joined Redd Kross on drums fulltime.

2020s

On June 26, 2020, the band reissued their debut EP on Merge Records.

Steven McDonald and Redd Kross were included in a feature article for the 25th anniversary of TapeOp magazine.

The documentary Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story received its Los Angeles premiere at the Don't Knock the Rock Festival on May 23, 2024.

On June 28, 2024, Redd Kross released its eighth studio album, a self-titled double album, featuring singles "Candy Coloured Catastrophe" and "Too Good to Be True."

The brothers released a memoir, Now You’re One of Us: The Incredible Story of Redd Kross, in October 2024, co-written with Dan Epstein and published by Omnibus Press.

The McDonald brothers collaborated with Astrid McDonald (Jeff's daughter with Charlotte Caffey, guitarist for The Go-Go's) and Anna Waronker (Steve's wife, frontwoman of That Dog) on a side project. Performing as Ze Malibu Kids, they released the album Sound It Out in 2002.

Both McDonald brothers appeared with David Cassidy in the comedy film The Spirit of '76.

Redd Kross songs appear on the soundtracks to Desperate Teenage Lovedolls, Good Burger, PCU, Bordello of Blood, An American Werewolf in Paris, and Varsity Blues. Their song "1976" plays over the end credits of the 1990 movie Spirit of '76. They contributed one song "It's a Scream" for the 2000 film Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday The Thirteenth but the soundtrack was never released and the song itself wasn't heard until it appeared on Hot Issue in 2016. The song "Uglier" was licensed and used in the film Hits by David Cross.

Albums

EPs

• Red Cross (Posh Boy) (1980)
• Teen Babes from Monsanto (Gasatanka) (1984)
• 2500 Redd Kross Fans Can't Be Wrong (Sympathy for the Record Industry) (1993)

Compilations

• Hot Issue (Redd Kross Fashion Records) (2016)
• Oh Canada! Hot Issue Vol. 2: Show World Tour Live (Redd Kross Fashion Records) (2016)

DVDs

• Got Live If You Must (Bittersweet)(2008)
• A History Lesson Part 1 - Independent (2010)

Singles

Compilation appearances

• The Siren (Posh Boy) (1980)
  • Includes the entire Red Cross EP
• Public Service EP (Smoke 7) (1981)
  • Includes "Cease to Exist", "Everyday There's Someone New" and "Kill Someone You Hate"
• Hell Comes to Your House (Bemin Brain/Time Bomb) (1981)
  • Includes "Puss 'n' Boots"
• American Youth Report (Invasion Records) (1982)
  • Includes "Notes and Chords Mean Nothing to Me"
• Enigma Variations (Enigma/Virgin) (1985)
  • Includes "Citadel"
• The Melting Pot (SST) (1988)
  • Billed as Revolution 409 performs covers of The Osmonds - Crazy Horses & The Sylvers, Boogie Fever.
  • Billed as Ledd Kross performs a cover of Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven
• The Spirit of 76 - Original Soundtrack (Rhino) (1991)
  • Includes "1976"
• Freedom of Choice: Yesterday's New Wave Hits as Performed by Today's Stars (City Slang/Caroline) (1992)
  • Band covers The Go-Gos song "How Much More"
• Shared Vision, The Songs of the Beatles (Hammer and Lace/Mercury) (1993)
  • Band covers Beatles song "It Won't Be Long"
• If I Were a Carpenter (A & M) (1994)
  • Redd Kross performs a cover of "Yesterday Once More"
• Poptopia! Power Pop Classics of the '90s (Rhino) (1997)
  • Includes "Lady in the Front Row"
• KISS Tribute in Japan (Mercury) (1998)
  • With Kanako Nakayama, Redd Kross performs a cover of "Hard Luck Woman"