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29 giugno: per la 9° voltaa Torino (la prima nel 1984)...
MDC
Millions
Dead Cops
THE
COMPLETE MDC BIOGRAPHY
MDC
(or Millions of Dead Cops) is a fast/hardcore political punk rock quartet
that originated circa. 1980 in Austin, Texas. However, in the early
80s and for quite a while, the band was associated with San Francisco
and San Francisco's peace-punk movement. MDC was relocated to Portland,
Oregon in the early nineties and as is described later on, but now call
Long Island, New York home. The main (and currently the last original
member of MDC) is the singer and primary lyricist, Dave Dictor.
Dave Dictor-vocals
Originally
known to many as the Stains (not the other band of the same name), but
later changed to MDC, MDC put out (when still the Stains) their first
two-song single as a 45 in 1981, containing their first classic hit
and the still ever-popular "John Wayne was a Nazi" plus b-side "Born
To Die."
After
their early 80's start, the MDC boys have released approximately one
album a year, (give or take), continuing recently with full lengths
1993's Shades of Brown and most recently with Now More Than Ever, a
compilation/20 year retrospective of the band's work. What follows is
a history and full explanation of everything MDC is about, from 1980
to today.
MDC,
whether referring to the acronyms Millions of Dead Cops, Millions of
Damn Christians, Morally Decent Christians, Millions of Devout Christians,
Millions of Dead Capitalists, Millions of Dead Congressmen, Millions
of Dead Children, Missle Destroyed Civilization, or Multi-Death Corporation,
(among others) have always known how to make powerful, political statements
that screamed loud and clear in a punk scene often littered with meaningless
personal topical babble. Their originality challenges and (and often
overcomes, in the opinions of the die-hard fans) the Dead Kennedys (whom
were originally fans, mentors, inspiration, and even producers of MDC's
first single/EP/LP compilation which will be described later), due to
MDC's blunt and devout views. MDC's abrasiveness, rawness, and even
speed often far surpasses that of Black Flag or Minor Threat.
Matt Van Cura-bass, backing vocals [also, Thought Crime]
In
their now past-20-year career, MDC did undoubtedly influence bands of
today such as modern anti-government-and-oppression metal-core of Total
Chaos, Propagandhi, or Antischism, and alternative duo They Might Be
Giants even mentions MDC in their song "Rhythm Section Want Ad". In
addition, MDC is thanked in the liner credits of H20's first album,
plus mentioned in a NOFX song entitled "Reagan Sucks" and a Tribe 8
song as well.
In
1981, MDC (then still known as the Stains) released what should be considered
a legendary punk landmark single on 45, "John Wayne Was a Nazi" paired
with "Born to Die." At this point, the band was slower and less polished
than they would become later as MDC. However, the two-song album still
has integrity and merit, and captures the essence of what early, pure
hardcore punk was all about. The angry lyrics, the simple chordings
(mostly all power chords) and riffage ("John Wayne Was a Nazi" has only
three chords, repeated for chorus and verse!!), make this debut single
very outstanding for its time. Its extreme rawness, combined also with
surprising competence and sincerity is what makes these early pieces
so spectacular. What's more, Dave Dictor's harsh, sometimes screamed
vocals serve to add power and persuasion to the intense, controlled
roar that MDC was all about. The debut single's originality and spontaneous
feel would later be overshadowed by other releases, but this preliminary
single retains its purity and classic hardcore status in light of repetitive,
mass-produced smut that litters most hardcore punk of today.
Millions
of Dead Cops was MDC's first LP, and its twelve songs were released
on vinyl with Radical Records in 1982. Millions of Dead Cops developed
as a brilliant album, successfully combining personal rage and angst
with genuine social/political concerns. The song "John Wayne was a Nazi"
and "Born to Die," which both originally appear on MDC's (The Stains')
first single, were released in cleaner, more precise, faster and slightly
lengthier versions on Millions of Dead Cops. Also included were classic
hardcore songs like "Business on Parade," "Corporate Deathburger," "I
Hate Work," and the epics "Dead Cops/America's So Straight," (in which
Dictor wails on cops as being brutalizers, racists, Klan and Mafia members,)
"I Remember" and "American Achievements," --and each song contributed
unique elements toward the eventual heightening of MDC's debut outing
as an essential early piece of punk history. A definite Dead Kennedys
influence is evident even in this early release, but MDC has a style
all their own, and certainly do not rip off the Kennedys (as many have
suggested in several reviews
MDC never tried to be anything, and they never changed their approach
due to pressure. This first album is the one truly considered a classic
landmark punk album by most, and it is well-deserving of such a title.
Millions of Dead Cops is fast, heavy, grating, and scathingly political,
encompassing everything that is good, wonderful, and downright classic
about MDC.
MDC's
first EP, Multi-Death Corporation, was a sophomore hardcore outing for
MDC. The EP contains four songs. The content of the album as a whole
is well worth it, as the lyrics touch on homelessness, struggling, and
the oppression of large corporations upon the common man.
The
third release of MDC (as MDC) was another EP entitled Millions of Dead
Children. This EP has also been occasionally (albeit, incorrectly) referred
to as the "Chicken Squawk" EP. This EP is an essential for the die-hard
MDC fan, but if one only desires the music and not necessarily the memorabilia
of having the EP itself, these three songs can be found as released
on a later full-length album with the previous EP included as well,
the 1988 compilation (career retrospective at the time) More Dead Cops.
MDC's
fourth release was the less-impressive (to many) Smoke Signals in 1986.
However, Smoke Signals has many different and interesting musical textures,
and should be commended as one of MDC's better cohesive efforts. A political
flyer is included with the LP version, concerning the Big Mountain Elders
(Native American group) Relocation Resistance March.
After
several preliminary and mostly all-hardcore expressions in the forms
of their first four albums (Millions of Dead Cops, the EP Multi-Death
Corporation, the pseudo-EP [single] three-song Millions of Dead Children
and the full-length Smoke Signals), MDC decided to expand their musical
range on their next release. The decidedly less-hardcore fifth album
Millions of Damn Christians : This Blood's For You was released in 1987.
The album begins as an attack on religion, (hence its title).
MDC's
(popular in the world of political punk rock) first LP Millions of Dead
Cops sold out on its first pressing on vinyl. So, in response to popular
demand, that album and various other material was re-mastered and reissued
as the album More Dead Cops, which was released as a rarities/career
retrospective in 1988.
Also
in 1988, MDC put out a live album entitled Elvis in the Rheinland as
a seventh release, which contained a performance recorded live in Berlin
of twenty-five songs. MDC viciously blasts through all twenty-five in
a kind of career-retrospective style. Two of these songs are Michelle
Shocked covers -- both the rendition of the Shocked tune "Fogtown",
and the last song, "Secret to a Long Life." The song "Dead Cops Rock"
is simply a MDC rendition of Elvis' "Jailhouse Rock" in their classic
evil-parody style.
After
the live Elvis, MDC released the album Metal Devil Cokes : It's the
Real Thing in early November 1989.
MDC
recorded a live album in Maribor, Slovenia (the country was called Yugoslavia
at the time) in 1990..
In
1991, MDC released a fifteen-song LP entitled Hey Cop, If I Had a Face
Like Yours. MDC released what was to be their last full-length release
for several years.
In
1994, shortly after Shades was completed, MDC recorded a split 7-inch
with the Capitalist Casualties called the Liberty Gone EP. MDC had two
cuts, a song entitled "Bombs, Not Food" and "Nazis Shouldn't Drive (Cars)",
the latter of which is a different kind of ode to the late singer of
Skrewdriver, Ian Stuart and a really good song.
In
1997, MDC put out a two-song single called "I Don't Want to Hurt You
Dude, I Just Want My Shit Back" with that song itself as the title track,
as well as a b-side in the form of the song "Dark Clouds."
For
the last album (the move was circa. '96 or '97) and any future ones,
MDC was on Honest Don's recordings (which was, at the time, merely a
young offshoot of Fat Mike's [of NOFX] label Fat Wreck). As for an album
in 1998, MDC put out a 7" split single (also on Honest Don's) with the
Repeat Offenders.
But
now, things have changed and are on the up and up for MDC. Their newest
release is a 20-year retrospective of their work entitled Now More Than
Ever : MDC 1980-2000. This record has 20+ songs, highlighting many of
MDC's albums and includes some rare material and a really great new
song called "More Squawk" -- an offshoot of that crazy early single
"Chicken Squawk". Featured on this recording was Matt VanCura, MDC's
newest find for a great bass player, plus John Soldo (formerly of NY
hardcore band Crackdown) on drums, and another John on guitar.
Dave
continues to contribute his column "Millions of Dead Columnists" (a
joke pertaining to Ben Weasel, I believe) to the legendary punk 'zine
MaximumRockNRoll, and has done so for many years now. MDC is active
in a number of good causes, recently one for jailed anarchist Chris
Plummer, and many more.
MDC's
very newest lineup consists of Dave Dictor plus newcomers Matt VanCura
(bass), Dave Hahn (guitar) and Al Batross (drums). They had been playing
a lot of shows in NYC, surrounding area like Philadelphia, Baltimore,
and more. Most recently and as was documented for the duration of 2000-2002
on the website, MDC has been touring again. They kicked off a Brazilian
tour earlier in 2001, so please enjoy the pictures section (will be
updated soon) and Dave's tour log, courtesy of the band.
In
2000, MDC released a new record retrospective of their 20-year career
entitled Now More Than Ever (Millions of Dead Cops Anthology 1980-2000).
This album documents their achievements so far and includes 30 great
tracks which include songs chosen from most all of their past LPs and
some rare singles like "My Dog Has No Girlfriend" from the MDC/Repeat
Offenders split, an unreleased Submissives song "I Was An Infant" plus
Michelle Shocked cover "Secret To A Long Life" and a live version of
"Nazis Shouldn't Drive". Also included on this great and diverse record
is a newly recorded MDC song, "More Squawk" which has apparently been
a live favorite and really rocks in my opinion.I't's a great taste of
what MDC has meant over the 20 years they have been around.
John
Wayne Was a Nazi single R Radical Records 1981 -----------------------------------------------------
Millions of Dead Cops LP R Radical/Boner Records 1982 ----------------------------------------------------
Multi-Death Corporations 7" EP R Radical/Boner Records (Brutal in UK)
1983 ------------------------------
Millions of Dead Children (Chicken Squawk) 7" EP R Radical/Boner Records
1984 ---------------------------------------------------------- Smoke
Signals LP We Bite Records 1986 -----------------------------------
Millions of Damn Christians : This Blood's For You LP R Radical/Boner
Records 1987 -----------------------
More Dead Cops (1981-87 A Retrospective) 1 LP / 2 EPs / Rarities R Radical/Boner
Records 1988 --------
Elvis in the Rheinland live LP German Destiny Records 1988 -----------------------------------------------
Metal Devil Cokes : It's the Real Thing LP R Radical/Boner Records 1989
---------------------------------------------------------------------------MDC
Live in Maribor live LP Sephamore Records 1990 --------------
Hey Cop, If I Had a Face Like Yours : Millions of Dead Cops II LP R
Radical Records 1991 ---------------------------------------------------Shades
of Brown LP New Red Archives 1993 -------------------------------
Thanks For Giving Me What I Didn't Want single New Red Archives 1993
----------------------------------------------------- Liberty Gone MDC
/ Capitalist Casualties split 7" single Slap-a-Ham Records 1994 ------
V.M. Live Presents MDC - Issue #35 live 7" VML Recordings 1996 ----------------------------------------
Pig Champion : I Don't Want To Hurt You Dude, I Just Want My Shit Back
single Honest Don's Records 1997 -----------------------------------------------------------
My Dog Has No Girlfriend MDC / Repeat Offenders split 7" single Honest
Don's Records
1998 Now More Than Ever (Millions of Dead Cops Anthology 1980-2000)
LP
+
DA
NEW YORK, torna il trio punk che più assomiglia ai GERMS!!!
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