UK: cherry red records. bred 10 / 14 tracks / sep 1980

RI: UK: cherry red/goughsound. bred 10 / 14 tracks / 1981

RI (CD + CD5): cherry red. cd sbred 155 / 20 tracks / 1999

US: i.r.s. / faulty. sp 70014 / 15 tracks / nov 1980

RI: US: faulty / alternative tentacles records. virus 1 / ?

RI: US: alternative tentacles records. virus 1 / 1990

S: planet records. bred 10 / 1980

SF: poko international. sputnik 1 / 14 tracks / 1980

D: hafenklang records. 6.24506 ao / 1981

D: hafenklang records. 6.24506 ap / 1981

RI (CD): D: teldec. 246 070-2 zp / 1989

I: cherry red / ariston records. hclp 5000 / 14 tracks / 1981

AUS: cherry red / missing link. link 8 / 1981 (?)

RI: AUS: cherry red / virgin records. b red 10 / 1989 (?)

B: cherry red. rr 9988 / 1981 (?)

ES: cherry red / edigsa. 15l0079 / 1981 (?)

GR: cherry red / music box. smb 40128 / 1981

JAP: trio / cherry red. aw 1055 / 1981 (?)

CAN: alternative tentacles / cherry red. virus 1 / ?

BR: cherry red/continental. 335404002 / 14 tracks / 1986

RI: P: cherry red / polton. lpp-043 / 1987

POR: ?

RI (CD): cleopatra. clp 1198-2 / 14 tracks / 2002

RI (CD): manifesto. 42909 / 14 tracks / 2005

RI (CD): JAP: teci-21138 / 2002

Some versions had a lyric poster (which was available from Alternative Tentacles for the copies that didn’t have one). Pressings: #1 - UK version was released first with 14 tracks, black/white front cover and the complete band photo on the back. A two-sided acetate of this version with Utopia labels was sold on Ebay in 2006. After the initial releases (UK, US, SF, S, D) the 50s band on the back cover sued the band; so on the next UK press the photo was replaced by a note “Stay tuned for further details”, then the subsequent pressings have the original photo again, but with all heads of the band members missing. At this point the UK label (Cherry Red) had licensed the record to a number of other countries, the band was not involved (to put it mildly). A number of different UK pressings follow: One pressing each on yellow, blue, red and white vinyl. Three versions on black, with green, red, and yellow back cover. Regular CD reissues, and a limited CD+CD5 reissue; the extra 6 tracks on the CD5 are from the Holiday in Cambodia, Kill the Poor and Too Drunk to Fuck 7”s. #2 - US was next, with orange front cover, complete band photo and one extra track (Police Truck) inserted before Your Emotions. Test pressings for this versions exist, plain white sleeve, generic A&M labels. The label chose the orange cover to make the record different from the import (UK) version, but the band hated the sleeve color so it was back to black for subsequent US pressings. Next US press on IRS/Faulty had no photo on the back sleeve, then finally a new “Rest Home” photo. Next pressing on Faulty / Alternative Tentacles, with Rest Home back sleeve pic. Finally, the regular US reissue on Alternative Tentacles with lyric poster. Also available on CD, the band logo on the front is now yellow and Rest Home back cover photo. #3 - Swedish press on Planet with booklet. #4 - Finnish press, no poster; there seems to be a repress that adds “Too Drunk to Fuck”. #5 - Two German pressings on Hafenklang: The “AO” version has b&w sleeve, yellow dots on back. “AP” version has black/light blue front sleeve and green dots on back; don’t know which one came first. CD reissue on Teldec. #6 - Italian press. #7 - Australian press on Missing Link. Subsequently, two Australian color pressings on Virgin, one on yellow, one on white - unauthorized by the band. #8 - Belgian press includes bonus track Too Drunk To Fuck. #9 - Spanish pressing on Edigsa. #10 - Greek pressing on Music Box. #11 - Japanese pressing with Obi strip and lyric sheet. #12 - Canadian press with “Rest Home” back cover pic. Another Canadian press on Fringe records(?). #13 - Brazil pressing on white vinyl, green back sleeve, no heads. Allegedly there is also a blue vinyl Brazilian pressing. #14 - Polish press on Polton. #15 - Also heard about an illegal Portugese LP. #16 - Bootleg tape version from Taiwan on Lennon records with Chinese liner notes. #17 - US CD reissue on Manifesto; special 25th Anniversary Edition with color sleeve photo and bonus DVD (“Fresh Fruit For Rotting Eyeballs”, a documentary about the band).

Legendary first LP. This album was a success in the US, but like their first 7” it sold way more copies in Europe - possibly because it offered a viable alternative to bland synth pop and the tired old bands of the first punk wave. The music is still a little “punkier” and slower than on their subsequent records, but there’s already all the cynism and verbal & musical power that made them one of America’s finest bands. And then of course you have the strange little hook lines and guitar chords that might be connected to East Bay Ray’s previous job in a surf pop band. Nothing but hits here. [10]

Die erste LP der DKs war auf Anhieb ein Volltreffer, vor allem in England und Europa entwickelte sich die Platte überraschenderweise zu einem Megaseller. Musikalisch bot die Platte eine interessante Alternative zu den nach dem New-Wave-Sellout einerseits immer glatter werdenden Bands, andererseits aber auch einen intelligenten Ausweg aus dem schneller-lauter-härter-Contest der immer eintöniger und stumpfer werdenden UK-HC-Bands. Die Musik der DKs ist hier noch etwas ruhiger und “punkiger” als die der späteren LPs, aber der für damalige Verhältnisse einmalige Drive und Zynismus wirkt auch heute noch sehr frisch und knallig. Die Songs sind trotzdem allesamt kleine Hits, die sich einprägen, teils schnellere Fetzer, teils langsamere und melodischere Tracks, zum Teil sogar mit einem gewissen schrägen Touch. Legende.

Tracks: kill the poor / forward to death / when ya get drafted / let’s lynch the landlord / drug me / your emotions / chemical warfare // california über alles / i kill children / stealing peoples’ mail / funland at the beach / ill in the head / holiday in cambodia / viva las vegas