Great Fucking Song...

[Captain_Obvious]

...but it only gets better when you know the story behind it...

Pull My Strings was a song by the Dead Kennedys, written by DK lead singer Jello Biafra and drummer Ted specifically for the 1980 Bay Area Music Awards. The song would not find its way onto a record until 1987's Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death.

The song, recorded live at the awards show, begins with the band playing the opening chords to "California Über Alles", one of their more famous songs. After the first few bars, Biafra yells out "Hold it!" and sarcastically tells the audience that they're becoming a New Wave band because they "need to prove (they're) adults now". Klaus Fluoride begins to play another bass line, and a new song begins.

Biafra begins singing about his not being able to afford a car thanks to his self respect, and decides to sell out to the record companies to make some money ("I'm tired of self respect, I can't afford a car, I wanna be a pre-fab superstar"). He decides to become one of the cookie cutter new wave acts breaking into pop music at the time. The chorus implies that the musicians in the new wave bands have no minds, large endowments, and are able to be pulled by strings like a puppet because they've sold their souls to the record labels, who basically can now mold them in whatever they want them to be.

One of the targets of the Dead Kennedys in the song appears to be The Knack, who hit big around that same time with "My Sharona". Twice in the course of the song, in its middle and at its end, a bridge is played to the tune of "My Sharona", with Biafra singing the word "drool" to the tune of it and replacing "My Sharona" with "my payola". Another lesser target is Bob Hope, and accuses him of drug use ("And when I'm rich and meet Bob Hope, we'll shoot some golf and shoot some dope").

The song was written because the band was invited to play at the 1980 Bay Area Music Awards (or Bammies), to play their hit California Über Alles. However, they instead wrote this song solely for the show, and were never invited back. Also, this was the only time they ever played the song, despite its popularity.

When they actually played the song, they wore white shirts with the letter S painted on the front. When they began to play Pull My Strings, you can hear the audience cheering when they pull their black neckties from behind their backs in front of them, making the dollar sign.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h299/SquirrelsLikePot/Pullmystrings.jpg

I love that story

[Moxie1]

And because of this one song it was the driving reason that Jello was kick out of the DK. Its funny that at the time he was whining about he so-called New Wave groups being this or that but they were just as much a Cookie Cutter of the type of early 2nd generation American Punk Bands that copy allot of the Pistols/Dead boys style. Plus at this time they decide to start their own record company and were very assholes about who they would let be on them.

As someone who has dealt with Jello for close to 20+ years he is a fucking Jackass as a person and as a so-called Punk Icon, hell he would sell out his mother if he knew that he was going to make a quick buck.

[Captain_Obvious]

And because of this one song it was the driving reason that Jello was kick out of the DK.

WHAT?!?

the Dead Kennedys disbanded in 1986 due to the mounting legal costs..
a trial for "distributing 'harmful matter' in the Dead Kennedys album Frankenchrist."

[Moxie1]

WHAT?!?

That song was recorded in 1980.

the Dead Kennedys disbanded in 1986 due to the mounting legal costs..
a trial for "distributing 'harmful matter' in the Dead Kennedys album Frankenchrist."


Look you really need to read what I said " It was the driving force behind him being kick out of the Band" As for the Legal problems it is because of that song they had all the legal problems they wouldn't let the Bammies use it for any of the Prom stuff they had nor would the folks at the Bammies give up the ownership of the recording both sound and film of said performance.

[-tool-]

And because of this one song it was the driving reason that Jello was kick out of the DK. Its funny that at the time he was whining about he so-called New Wave groups being this or that but they were just as much a Cookie Cutter of the type of early 2nd generation American Punk Bands that copy allot of the Pistols/Dead boys style. Plus at this time they decide to start their own record company and were very assholes about who they would let be on them.

As someone who has dealt with Jello for close to 20+ years he is a fucking Jackass as a person and as a so-called Punk Icon, hell he would sell out his mother if he knew that he was going to make a quick buck.

i think you have your facts mixed up.

[Moxie1]

i think you have your facts mixed up.


No I don't sorry I was there have been part of the whole DK mess from late 80s on.

[thebigother]

You would have to be deaf to refer to Dead Kennedys as cookie cutter american punk. I don't understand the second generation reference either, given that they formed in 1978.

[-tool-]

You would have to be deaf to refer to Dead Kennedys as cookie cutter american punk. I don't understand the second generation reference either, given that they formed in 1978.

my point....so

[thebigother]

No, that was my point. You, as per usual, didn't have one.

[Moxie1]

You would have to be deaf to refer to Dead Kennedys as cookie cutter american punk. I don't understand the second generation reference either, given that they formed in 1978.


Because they are consider early 2nd Generation American Punk Band as you said they formed in 1978 but didn't release there first album to 1980 as for the lawsuit involving the whole Frankenchrist album cover was just part of the whole reason why the band broke up.

DK are consider part of the 80s Hardcore scene hence 2nd Generation grant it at the very begging of it and at the very end of the 1st Generation stuff that was starting to make its way to the States.

[jonhomeowner]

And because of this one song it was the driving reason that Jello was kick out of the DK. Its funny that at the time he was whining about he so-called New Wave groups being this or that but they were just as much a Cookie Cutter of the type of early 2nd generation American Punk Bands that copy allot of the Pistols/Dead boys style.
Uhm, no?

They have nothing in common with a band that "copies" from the Pistols or Dead Boys style.

They brought surf-rock and experimentation into their sound. WTF are you talking about?

[jonhomeowner]

No I don't sorry I was there have been part of the whole DK mess from late 80s on.
OMG.

U WERE THERE?

That must mean you know everything about the times!

[jonhomeowner]

Look you really need to read what I said " It was the driving force behind him being kick out of the Band" As for the Legal problems it is because of that song they had all the legal problems they wouldn't let the Bammies use it for any of the Prom stuff they had nor would the folks at the Bammies give up the ownership of the recording both sound and film of said performance.
The legal problems CaptainOblivious was talking about had to do with getting sued for putting obscene materials in an album. How does that have anything to do with what you're saying here?

[Moxie1]

The legal problems CaptainOblivious was talking about had to do with getting sued for putting obscene materials in an album. How does that have anything to do with what you're saying here?

Man do I have to give you all Punk History Lesson 101,

Yes the Frakenchrist album cover was part of the reason but that wasn't he only Lawsuit that they had if you go and read what I wrote then you will understand what I've been saying.

Ask yourself why did it take so long for the song to come out on to an album now think about it and read what I put up.

[jonhomeowner]

Man do I have to give you all Punk History Lesson 101,
Oh, revisionism!

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/pocketthesaurus/owned/stalincat-1.jpg

[jonhomeowner]

Yes the Frakenchrist album cover was part of the reason but that wasn't he only Lawsuit that they had if you go and read what I wrote then you will understand what I've been saying.
That's nice. It still wasn't what he was talking about.

[Moxie1]

That's nice. It still wasn't what he was talking about.

And what did I say now go back and read what I type alright before you post another comment. Recall I said that there was legal problem with ownership of the song and who could release it.

[jonhomeowner]

And what did I say now go back and read what I type alright before you post another comment. Recall I said that there was legal problem with ownership of the song and who could release it.
Yeah, and that's not what that guy was talking about.

The end.

[thebigother]

Yet again, that's not what he was talking about.

[Moxie1]

Yes he made a post on the song and how it came about and then I post that because of this one song it started the long and winding Legal problems that the DKs had so yea thats the end of the subject.

Like Ipost the first time Jello refuse to sign away the rights to the song so that it could be used by the folks at the Bammies. The folks at the Bammies wouldn't let them put it on an album do to the fact that it wasn't a record song nor was it a ASCAP or BAM protected song hence they had no legal ownership this was finally resolved in the winter of 1986 along with all the other legal crap.

[Captain_Obvious]

Copy/Paste ala Wikipedia

1986: Break up of band, Bedtime for Democracy

In addition to the obscenity lawsuit and being ignored by the mainstream media (MTV and most radio stations gave such groups scant notice, not to mention airplay), the band became increasingly disillusioned with the "underground" as well. The hardcore scene, which had been a haven for free-thinking intellectuals and downtrodden nonconformists, was increasingly attracting thuglike cretins who came to punk concerts only looking to slam dance and fight to violent music. In earlier years the band had criticized neo-Nazi skinheads for trying to ruin the punk scene, but just as big a problem was the increasing popularity of thrash metal and stereotypical macho "post 1982 hardcore" which brought the group (and their genre) an audience that had little to do with the ideas/ideals they stood for. So in January of 1986, frustrated and alienated from their own scene, the DKs decided to break up to pursue other interests and played their last concert on February 21. The band continued to work on songs, with Biafra penning songs such as Chickenshit Conformist and Anarchy For Sale, which articulated their feelings about the "dumbing down" of punk rock.

During the summer they recorded these songs for their final album, Bedtime for Democracy, which was released in November. The artwork, depicting a defaced Statue of Liberty overrun with Nazis, media, opportunists, Klan members, corrupt government officials, and religious zombies, echoed the idea that the punk scene was no longer a safe haven for "your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free". The album, a double LP, contains a number of fast/short songs interspersed with jazz (DMSO), spoken word (A Commercial) and psychedelia (Cesspools of Eden). The lyrical focus is more introspective and earnest (Where Do Ya Draw The Line?), with an anti-war, anti-violence (Rambozo The Clown) bent, moving away from the violent imagery of their early records, while remaining as subversive as ever (I Spy, DMSO). In December, the band announced their split. Biafra went on to speak about his political beliefs on numerous television shows and he released a number of spoken-word albums. Ray, Fluoride, and Peligro also went on to solo careers.

[jonhomeowner]

BUT, BUT... Was the person that wrote that on Wikipedia THERE WHEN IT HAPPENED? Because Moxie was!

[Moxie1]

BUT, BUT... Was the person that wrote that on Wikipedia THERE WHEN IT HAPPENED? Because Moxie was!

Did I state I was their please show me where I said "I Was Their" no I stated that because of this one song it was the long and winding road to the whole DK Jello mess that end with the break up and many lawsuits on both sides.

But for the record no I wasn't at the Bammies that year hell I was still in High School, the first time I say the DK was the summer of 81 in Boston when they played at the Old Channel Club.

[Captain_Obvious]

BUT, BUT... Was the person that wrote that on Wikipedia THERE WHEN IT HAPPENED? Because Moxie was!

haha...awesome... I wish I was.

[Captain_Obvious]

Did I state I was their please show me where I said "I Was Their"

Hmm

No I don't sorry I was there have been part of the whole DK mess from late 80s on.

No, wait, lets see that again...

No I don't sorry I was there have been part of the whole DK mess from late 80s on.

[jonhomeowner]

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/pocketthesaurus/owned/crucowned.jpg

[BEERnBRATWURST]

And because of this one song it was the driving reason that Jello was kick out of the DK. Its funny that at the time he was whining about he so-called New Wave groups being this or that but they were just as much a Cookie Cutter of the type of early 2nd generation American Punk Bands that copy allot of the Pistols/Dead boys style. Plus at this time they decide to start their own record company and were very assholes about who they would let be on them.

As someone who has dealt with Jello for close to 20+ years he is a fucking Jackass as a person and as a so-called Punk Icon, hell he would sell out his mother if he knew that he was going to make a quick buck.

Man do I have to give you all Punk History Lesson 101,


Right after you take English 101. Run-on sentences make my eyes water.




http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h217/beernbratwurst/myspace%20adds/speak_n_spell.gif

[Moxie1]

Hmm



No, wait, lets see that again...

I guess you can't read now can you I said I was involved with the whole DK mess from the LATE 80s hence means anything after 1986. So yea I was around them when the band broke up and the various infighting over the ownership of the DK name and logo, big difference between 1980 Bammies and the Summer of 1986 when the whole Legal battle started to heat up over ownership of music and names.

[jonhomeowner]

YOU.

CAN'T.

READ.

CaptainObvious IS NOT TALKING ABOUT THE BAMMIES. This entire discussion stems from the post where he mentioned lawsuits. In that post, he was talking about the lawsuit over Frankenchrist, which WAS in the mid-80s, if I remember correctly (since Frankenchrist was released in 85, it'd have to be in the mid-80s).

NOW STFU.

[Moxie1]

YOU.

CAN'T.

READ.

CaptainObvious IS NOT TALKING ABOUT THE BAMMIES. This entire discussion stems from the post where he mentioned lawsuits. In that post, he was talking about the lawsuit over Frankenchrist, which WAS in the mid-80s, if I remember correctly (since Frankenchrist was released in 85, it'd have to be in the mid-80s).

NOW STFU.


And you can't read either I stated that that one recording was the start of the legal problems that the DK had hell the Frakenchrist stuff didn't happen to 1986 six years after the Bammie show. In the spring of 1981 Dk want to release the song as a B-Side Release on Holiday in Cambodia for their UK release but the folks at the Bammies threaten to sue the DKs and there record company hence the song was never released till 1987. Like I said it was because of this one recording that the legal and personal problems with in the Dk started.

East Bay Ray want to sign a deal with the Bammies splitting the earnings but Jello was against it, this along with Jello stating that if they signed with a major(Polydor) then he would leave started the whole mess.

[jonhomeowner]

You still don't get it.

[Captain_Obvious]

...I don't think he will...