On October 29, the
Dead Kennedys were scheduled to perform at the "Waking The Dead" show at the
Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles alongside
Suicidal Tendencies,
Germs, Flipper, and
Marky Ramone. However, when they learned that the main sponsor for the event was the Coors Brewery, one of the largest in the USA, they abruptly canceled their performance. The Coors Brewery is known for its conservative political affiliations, particularly with right-wing groups. It financially supports organizations such as the anti-gay "The Moral Majority" and the
Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), which aims to educate parents about "alarming trends in music." This includes claims that rock music promotes violence, drug abuse, and crime among youth, and there is a push for censorship of this type of music.
The
Dead Kennedys attempted to persuade the organizer to find another sponsor. When they saw no chance of success, they withdrew their commitment at short notice. On their
homepage, the band apologizes and sheds some light on the reasons for this decision. Fear will now step in to fill the gap, allowing the show with the remaining bands, who apparently have fewer issues with the sponsor, to proceed as planned.
On October 25, after a quarter of a century, the
Dead Kennedys album "Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables" from 1980 will be re-released in a "Special 25th Anniversary Edition" with a bonus DVD. The 55-minute DVD includes previously unreleased videos as well as old archival material and current interviews.