Plastic Surgery Disasters

Plastic Surgery Disasters is the second full-length album released by punk rock band Dead Kennedys. Recorded in San Francisco during June 1982, it was produced by the band's guitarist East Bay Ray and punk record producer Thom Wilson. The album is darker and more hardcore-influenced than their debut album Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables as a result of the band trying to expand on the sound and mood they had achieved with their 1980 single "Holiday in Cambodia".[1] It was the first full-length album to feature drummer D.H. Peligro, and is frontman Jello Biafra's favorite Dead Kennedys album.[2]

Plastic Surgery Disasters
Studio album by
Dead Kennedys
ReleasedNovember 1982
RecordedJune 1982 at Hyde St. Studios and Möbius Music in San Francisco
Genre
Length42:56
LabelAlternative Tentacles, Faulty Products
ProducerEast Bay Ray, Thom Wilson
Dead Kennedys chronology
In God We Trust, Inc.
(1981)		 Plastic Surgery Disasters
(1982)		 Frankenchrist
(1985)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic link

According to Jello Biafra, the main musical influences that contributed to the album were Bauhaus, Les Baxter and The Groundhogs.[3]

It has been reissued with the EP In God We Trust, Inc., which are the last eight tracks on the CD. The cover photo is "Hands" by photographer Michael Wells. The same photo was used by another San Francisco-based punk band called Society Dog for their EP .....Off of the Leash, released in 1981. Most pressings of the album include a booklet containing lyrics and pieces of collage artwork by Biafra and Winston Smith that thematically tie in to the lyrics of each song on the album. On the 2001 release of the album on the Manifesto record label, the beginning of "Government Flu" is a separate track entitled "Advice from Christmas Past". There is also a typing error on the Manifesto CDs where "Bleed for Me" is entitled "Bleed for". On the original vinyl and cassette releases, the A-side is tracks 1-8 and the B-side is tracks 9-13. On some vinyl reissues, however, the A-side is tracks 1-9 and the B-side is tracks 10-13.

After "Moon Over Marin" the album revisits "Advice from Christmas Past", this time as an outro with different lyrics.

Track listing
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Advice from Christmas Past"0:55
2."Government Flu"2:04
3."Terminal Preppie"1:30
4."Trust Your Mechanic"2:55
5."Well Paid Scientist"2:21
6."Buzzbomb" (Jello Biafra, East Bay Ray)2:21
7."Forest Fire"2:22
8."Halloween" (Dead Kennedys)3:35
9."Winnebago Warrior" (Dead Kennedys)2:09
Side two
No.TitleLength
10."Riot" (Dead Kennedys)5:57
11."Bleed for Me" (Dead Kennedys)3:24
12."I Am the Owl" (Dead Kennedys)4:51
13."Dead End" (Ray)3:56
14."Moon Over Marin" (Biafra, Ray)4:29
Total length:42:56

Personnel

Additional performers

  • Dave Barrett; Bruce Askley – saxophone on "Terminal Preppie"
  • Melissa Webber – backing vocals (credited as "The Voice of Christmas Past")
  • Ninotchka; Geza X; Mark Wallner; John Cuniberti – backing vocals
  • Thom Wilson; East Bay Ray – producers
  • John Cuniberti and Oliver Dicicco;– engineer
  • John Cuniberti;– mixer
  • Winston Smith; Jello Biafra – artwork

Charts
Chart (1982) Peak
position
UK Indie Chart[4] 2

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[5] Gold 100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "Jello Biafra - Songfacts Interview". Retrieved 2018-07-31.
  2. "Jello Biafra Walks Us Through his Entire Discography". Retrieved 2018-07-31.
  3. Ray Flores (1 July 2000). "Jello Biafra". Juice Magazine. p. 52. Archived from the original on 10 October 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014. Interviewer: "Who else influenced you?" Jello Biafra: "...When I wrote Plastic Surgery Disasters, the main stuff I was listening to was Bauhaus, Les Baxter and The Groundhogs."
  4. Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980-1989. Cherry Red Books. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  5. "British album certifications – Dead Kennedys – Plastic surgery disasters". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Plastic surgery disasters in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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