One of the finest punk bands of all time - The San Francisco-based Dead Kennedys have remastered and remixed their classic punk album "Fresh Fruit for Rotten Vegetables". It's received mixed reviews from critics and punters.
Jello Biafra wasn't too happy with the rerelease and said "It was not 'overseen by the band. I was deliberately locked out. Not one person from the band or the labels reached out to me at all. Nor did Chris Lord-Alge, who did the remix. I guess he didn’t care, or value anything I brought to the band at all. Without me, those songs wouldn’t exist."
Adding to the sound of the remix he said "adding depth without losing any of its original energy," Jello adds "Not to my ears! Sure, the sound is a little fuller, a little warmer, with a little more bottom end. But the top-end presence and power, so crucial to full-on in-your-face Punk, sounds rolled off and smoothed over, even muffly, "It just sounds weak to me, I’m sorry."
Dead Kennedys Merchandise
Biafra also asks why they chose Chris Lord-Alge "Yes, Lord-Alge has mixed or remixed Springsteen, Madonna, Celine Dion, the Stones, Linkin Park, Donny Osmond, The Jonas Brothers, even Rascal Flatts. A closet full of Grammy awards, and patents on some serious studio gear.
Major label Pop Punk too - a Bad Religion, some Green Day, Good Charlotte, SUM 41; and our favorite OG pioneer, Avril Lavigne.
But Dead Kennedys?? Why??!? Because Raleigh and the Lord-Alge brothers go way back to Cleveland?? I admit I’d had thoughts about remixing “Fresh Fruit..†too, way back when. Catch it up to “FrankenChrist†and “Plastic Surgery Disastersâ€.
Jello ends his rant with "But is it, “A revolutionary must hear experience� You decide. Just LISTEN BEFORE YOU BUY. Please."
The new mix gives the drums and bass a little more clarity but other than that, I can't really tell the difference. I will still play my old copy on vinyl, and when the whole album pops up on Spotify I might chuck it on a few times, or play them at the same time on my home stereo.
Here's the two versions of 'Kill The Poor' What do you think?