Show World

Brothers Jeff and Steve McDonald formed Redd Kross (originally Red Cross) in Hawthorne, CA in the late ‘70s. Rumor has it that the band name was inspired by a prop from the 1973 horror film, The  Exorcist.  Their  first  show  was  opening  for  Black  Flag  and  they  released  their  debut  record the mythical “Posh Boy” EP in 1980 when they were just 17 and 13 respectively. The “Posh Boy” EP features Black Flag’s 2nd singer, Ron Reyes, on drums and founding member of Circle Jerks, Greg Heston, on guitar.

1982  saw  a  line  up  change  and  the  release  of  Born Innocent,  a  high  water  mark  of  American Punk Rock. Containing nods to Jim and Tammy Faye Baker, Linda Blair, Lita Ford and breakfast cereal as well as a killer cover of Charlie Manson’s Cease To Exist. Redd Kross loves pop culture.

The brothers have kept Redd Kross going through the decades (and line-up changes), releasing 7  studio  albums  and  a  slew  of  EPs  and  singles.  They  have  also  stayed  busy  with  side  projects, production gigs and even occasional acting jobs. What are Redd Kross? Punk Rock? Psychedelia? Heavy  Metal?  Bubblegum?  Power  Pop?  Whatever  they  are  they  are  100%  Redd  Kross,  the  catchiest of catchy, chock full of hooks, melodies and harmonies, impossible to not smile and sing along…..maybe even dance. Their live show just keeps getting better. Redd Kross are one of those rare bands who would be equally at home in a dark punk club and on stage at the Enormodome.

40  years  in  and  hot  on  the  heels  of  their  amazing  2019  album Beyond  The  Door,  Third  Man  Records  is  proud  to  announce  the  reissue  of  two  of  their  beloved  1990s  albums,  Phaseshifter (1993) and Show World (1997).

Phaseshifter line-up intact (Gene Fennelly would soon move on, but plays all the keyboards on the recording), Redd Kross came back at us with amps turned up and smiles on their faces on 1997’s Show World. The album starts off with a spot on cover of The Quick’s L.A. power pop classic, Pretty Please Me, and sets the tone for yet another killer album by the thinking person’s good time band.

Like all RK albums before and since, this one is all killer, no filler, with special highlights Stoned, Vanity Mirror, One Chord Progression and the absolutely sublime Follow The Leader.