-
When the Dead Kennedys came to SLO, and a punk rock riot ensued
By David MiddlecampStolen from here to keep a documentation of the original story in more than one spot. When police and fans of the punk rock band Dead Kennedys met, results were shattering. Lead singer and songwriter Jello Biafra (born Eric Boucher) took his stage name from the ironic juxtaposition of a processed dessert that requires clean water, and the short-lived African nation undergoing famine and a shortage of clean water. Shock value, dark irony, freedom of expression and social justice were recurring themes with the band. The Dead Kennedys gained notoriety with the single “Kalifornia Über Alles.” Mocking Zen and mellow complacency, the song was a churning wave of…