On the ninth, maybe tenth day, God created The American Teenage Rock’N’Roll Machine and he named it Redd Kross. Founded by two underage brothers just before the 80s arrived, the band quickly evolved from their hardcore punk roots to a pastel-coloured explosion of 60s-inspired psych and 70s powerpop, infused with a near-obsessive affection for pop culture also-rans. They made a few films, they rocked a few arenas, but mostly they followed their own wobbly, starry-eyed path, amassing a devoted fan base along the way.
Forty-something years later, Jeff and Steve McDonald are set to release their self-titled eighth album. They will also be the subjects for both a major documentary and a sprawling biography. Not bad for a couple of wastrels who once formed a Yoko Ono tribute band. In a world gone truly mad, we are blessed to have these affable psychedelic brothers still running amok.
