MDC

Based in San Francisco during the ’80s, MDC trumped the Dead Kennedys by performing politically charged hardcore punk that was arguably more extreme than what got the Kennedys into trouble. Alternately known as Multi-Death Corporation, Millions of Dead Cops, or Millions of Damn Christians, the group formed in Texas in 1980 but moved to the West Coast by the time of their first release, a 1981 7″ titled “John Wayne Was a Nazi.” After their album debut, 1982′s Millions of Dead Cops, the band released a 1983 EP but then was silent for several years. MDC returned in 1986 with their second album, Smoke Signals, a musically mature record which didn’t leaven the political content one bit. MDC aimed their sights at religion for 1987′s This Blood's for You — recorded as Millions of Damn Christians — and began to expand their sound on the album, using acoustic guitar and definite attempts at melody. After releasing some rare and unreleased material on More Dead Cops, MDC returned to their hardcore roots on 1989′s Metal Devil Cokes. Issued the same year, Elvis: In the Rheinland consists of a 1988 show recorded in Berlin. ~ John Bush