Brothers Jeff and Steve McDonald started playing in Hawthorne when they were just kids, mixing punk with pop and psychedelic touches.
For a quick sense of their range, listen to 'Follow The Leader' and 'Hazel Eyes'. One's all energy, the other leans into melody, and both feel like Redd Kross.
Redd Kross matters because they never fit neatly into any scene. Their 1982 debut 'Red Cross' had catchy hooks and irreverent lyrics, and songs like 'Follow The Leader' kept that punk energy alive while they experimented with melody. They've worked with people like J Mascis and Paul Westerberg, but always on their own terms.
They formed in Hawthorne in 1978 when the McDonald brothers were 11 and 14. Signing with MCA in 1984 surprised some fans, and the 1987 album 'Neurotica' later found a cult following. Through lineup changes, they kept shifting from straightforward punk to more melodic tracks.
Keep it compact: a lyric you come back to, a live memory, or the part of the catalog you would point someone toward first.
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