Plastic Surgery Disasters

Plastic Surgery Disasters
Studio album by Dead Kennedys
Released	November 1982
Recorded	Hyde St. Studios and Möbius Music, June 1982
Genre	Hardcore punk
Label	Alternative Tentacles
Producer	East Bay Ray, Thom Wilson
Dead Kennedys chronology
In God We Trust, Inc. (1981) Plastic Surgery Disasters (1982) A Skateboard Party (1983)

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Plastic Surgery Disasters is the second album released by Dead Kennedys. It has been reissued with the EP In God We Trust, Inc., which are the last eight tracks on the CD. The cover photo is "Hands" by photographer Michael Wells. The same photo was used by another San Francisco-based punk band called Society Dog for their EP .....Off of the Leash, released in 1981. The inside cover art features Winston Smith's collages.

Musically, many different elements bubble to the surface on Plastic Surgery Disasters, including surf-rock, oddly psychedelic guitar textures, and traditional film music, including sections and guitar fills that resemble Ennio Morricone spaghetti western scores. These elements are not always immediately apparent under the high-speed thrash, but they are an indication of Dead Kennedys' musical uniqueness. Dead Kennedys would further these elements, to some extent, on their next release, 1985's Frankenchrist.

On the 2001 release of the album on Manifesto record label, the beginning of "Government Flu" is a separate track entitled "Advice from Christmas Past". There is also a typing error on the Manifesto CDs so that "Bleed for Me" is entitled "Bleed for". On the original vinyl and cassette releases, the first side was tracks 1-8 and the second was tracks 9-13. On some vinyl reissues, however, the first side is tracks 1-9 and the second is tracks 10-13.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Jello Biafra, except where noted.

Side one

1. "Government Flu" – 3:01
2. "Terminal Preppie" – 1:30
3. "Trust Your Mechanic" – 2:55
4. "Well Paid Scientist" – 2:21
5. "Buzzbomb" (East Bay Ray, Jello Biafra) – 2:21
6. "Forest Fire" – 2:22
7. "Halloween" (East Bay Ray, Jello Biafra) – 3:35
8. "Winnebago Warrior" – 2:09

Side two

1. "Riot" (Dead Kennedys) – 5:57
2. "Bleed for Me" (Dead Kennedys) – 3:24
3. "I Am the Owl" (Dead Kennedys) – 4:51
4. "Dead End" (East Bay Ray) – 3:56
5. "Moon Over Marin" (East Bay Ray, Jello Biafra) – 4:29

Credits

• Jello Biafra – lead vocals, artwork
• East Bay Ray – guitar, producer
• Klaus Flouride – bass, backing vocals, clarinet
• D.H. Peligro – drums
• Dave Barrett – saxophone
• Bruce Askley – saxophone
• Ninotchka – backing vocals
• Melissa Webber – backing vocals (credited as "The Voice of Christmas Past")
• Geza X – backing vocals
• Mark Wallner – backing vocals
• John Cuniberti – backing vocals
• Thom Wilson – producer
• Norm – mixer
• Oliver Dicicco – engineer
• Winston Smith – artwork