"millions of dead cops"Year: 1982
Country: US
City: San Francisco
Label: R Radical
Format: CD, LP
Tracks: 14
Time: 20 min.
Genre: rock
Style: Hardcore Punk
Review Summary: For what the hardcore punk documentary "American
Hardcore" represented, "Millions of Dead Cops" encapsulates with a lot
less fluff.
I remember…walking out of the theatre thinking to myself “My God, that film could have been so much better.” It seemed like the documentary American Hardcore was thrown together rather than organized and ended up being a poor amalgamation of acts and actions at the time, though the sentiment was well understood. Among the hardcore punk acts featured were MDC, whose song “I Remember” is symbolic of the reasons that spawned the hardcore movement. It’s the highlight of their 1982 release Millions of Dead Cops, a spitting attack on a modern, ignorant society. For what American Hardcore represented, Millions of Dead Cops encapsulates with a lot less fluff.
MDC hails out of Austin, Texas, a fine launching point for their mission against the “army of the rich” and the “pompous hair shirted sooth sayers.” To MDC, these enemies are tearing down their fellow man by spreading ignorance, racism, sexism, homophobia, and using the law to strip minority groups of their dignity. Equating the KKK, mafia, and the police as the “anti-brotherhood,” MDC instructs its listeners to “…take your stand…There’s no God in heaven so get off your knees.” Their ideas are liberal at a minimum but usually radically progressive when gripping the microphone.
If you’re not turned off by now (or if you’re turned on), you still haven’t passed the album jacket. Once you get past the line of cops on the album cover, or the split drawing of a police officer/clan member holding a gun in your direction, you’re submerged into a stunning hardcore extravaganza. Since a lot of hardcore punk lacks variety, MDCs creative instrumental talents bleed through vocalist Dave Dictor’s snarls, differentiating MDC from average hardcore acts. MDC controls tempo throughout the album with funky breakdowns (“Dick for Brains,” “John Wayne Was a Nazi”) and quick drumroll transitions that ignite the rest of their crew (“Corporate Deathburger,” “Dead Cops/America’s So Straight”). Millions of Dead Cops is unrelenting, disguised as a repetitive freight train of sound, but surrounded by well-constructed grooves and hooks. It storms around with ferocious angst, but maintains a clever approach throughout the album to stay concentrated.
Cleverness and intelligence go hand in hand, hinting wisdom and critical thinking abilities of a higher level. MDC employs very cynical lyrics with a heightened awareness of their surroundings, lending a metaphorical hand to the oppressed and uninformed. Their song “Dead Cops/America’s So Straight” is a dual confrontation of the police and homophobic Americans, questioning “What makes America so straight and me so bent?” The transitions within the song demonstrate significant innovation as the song rotates subject matter with ease. The attacks of Americans are perpetual, whether it’s criticizing John Wayne’s image for legitimizing the Klan’s propaganda, or hammering away at the mindless citizens with “grey buildings, grey people, grey food, grey walls.” There are also the entertaining light-hearted critiques of American lifestyle, with the brutally honest portrayal in “My Family is a Little Weird,” and the common adolescent failures addressed in “Dick for Brains.” It’s fun for the whole family.
Millions of Dead Cops is fast, smart, and creative. It blends a direct hardcore approach with a few twists to become one of the most unique hardcore albums of its time. The majority of its perspectives thrive at their end of the spectrum, with the views founded on a society that prefers “Socialism for the rich, capitalism for the rest of us.” You would be wise to avoid American Hardcore in favor of an album that can sum up the whole deal in less than half the time (*Review by Dscndnts ).
Discogs , Lastfm , Download , Web , Wikipedia , Facebook , Myspace , Twitter I remember…walking out of the theatre thinking to myself “My God, that film could have been so much better.” It seemed like the documentary American Hardcore was thrown together rather than organized and ended up being a poor amalgamation of acts and actions at the time, though the sentiment was well understood. Among the hardcore punk acts featured were MDC, whose song “I Remember” is symbolic of the reasons that spawned the hardcore movement. It’s the highlight of their 1982 release Millions of Dead Cops, a spitting attack on a modern, ignorant society. For what American Hardcore represented, Millions of Dead Cops encapsulates with a lot less fluff.
MDC hails out of Austin, Texas, a fine launching point for their mission against the “army of the rich” and the “pompous hair shirted sooth sayers.” To MDC, these enemies are tearing down their fellow man by spreading ignorance, racism, sexism, homophobia, and using the law to strip minority groups of their dignity. Equating the KKK, mafia, and the police as the “anti-brotherhood,” MDC instructs its listeners to “…take your stand…There’s no God in heaven so get off your knees.” Their ideas are liberal at a minimum but usually radically progressive when gripping the microphone.
If you’re not turned off by now (or if you’re turned on), you still haven’t passed the album jacket. Once you get past the line of cops on the album cover, or the split drawing of a police officer/clan member holding a gun in your direction, you’re submerged into a stunning hardcore extravaganza. Since a lot of hardcore punk lacks variety, MDCs creative instrumental talents bleed through vocalist Dave Dictor’s snarls, differentiating MDC from average hardcore acts. MDC controls tempo throughout the album with funky breakdowns (“Dick for Brains,” “John Wayne Was a Nazi”) and quick drumroll transitions that ignite the rest of their crew (“Corporate Deathburger,” “Dead Cops/America’s So Straight”). Millions of Dead Cops is unrelenting, disguised as a repetitive freight train of sound, but surrounded by well-constructed grooves and hooks. It storms around with ferocious angst, but maintains a clever approach throughout the album to stay concentrated.
Cleverness and intelligence go hand in hand, hinting wisdom and critical thinking abilities of a higher level. MDC employs very cynical lyrics with a heightened awareness of their surroundings, lending a metaphorical hand to the oppressed and uninformed. Their song “Dead Cops/America’s So Straight” is a dual confrontation of the police and homophobic Americans, questioning “What makes America so straight and me so bent?” The transitions within the song demonstrate significant innovation as the song rotates subject matter with ease. The attacks of Americans are perpetual, whether it’s criticizing John Wayne’s image for legitimizing the Klan’s propaganda, or hammering away at the mindless citizens with “grey buildings, grey people, grey food, grey walls.” There are also the entertaining light-hearted critiques of American lifestyle, with the brutally honest portrayal in “My Family is a Little Weird,” and the common adolescent failures addressed in “Dick for Brains.” It’s fun for the whole family.
Millions of Dead Cops is fast, smart, and creative. It blends a direct hardcore approach with a few twists to become one of the most unique hardcore albums of its time. The majority of its perspectives thrive at their end of the spectrum, with the views founded on a society that prefers “Socialism for the rich, capitalism for the rest of us.” You would be wise to avoid American Hardcore in favor of an album that can sum up the whole deal in less than half the time (*Review by Dscndnts ).
Year: 1984
Label: R Radical
Format: CD, LP
Tracks: 14
Time: 20 min.
Genre: rock
Style: Hardcore Punk
Discogs , Download
Year: 1986
Label: R Radical
Format: CD, LP
Tracks: 13
Time: 30 min.
Genre: rock
Style: Hardcore Punk
Discogs , Download
Year: 1987
Label: R Radical
Format: CD, LP
Tracks: 14
Time: 30 min.
Genre: rock
Style: Punk Blues
After three albums of fast, simple, direct and orthodox hardcore punk,
MDC guys recorded this amazing "Millions of Damn Christians", which
became in a mix of different music styles such as: punk rock, hardcore,
heavy metal and also some kind of blues and acoustic guitar.
The lyrical temes continues to be as always (social issues, politics,
anarchism, anti-war, etc.) but strictly musical the album is rich in
different music sources, high technical level and clean sound. One of
the best MDC album but the best.
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Year: 1989
Label: Boner
Format: CD, LP
Tracks: 16
Time: 30 min.
Genre: rock
Style: Hardcore Punk
Live record - messy, but not too messy! A nice
addition to any fine punk collection. Has about twenty tracks including a
couple of Michelle Shocked tunes (apparently MDC played on one of her records,
too, but I haven't heard it), but not enough good stage patter for my discerning
ears. I mean, there's the bit where Dave cusses out a guy for getting mad
at the slamdancers around him, but that's about it. I wish they talked more
about what it's like to be in a punk band and what kind of dog they really like.
Probably a Weimeraner or Yellow Lab. Those are cute. So are Dalmations, but
they tend to get really fat, for some reason. Like homeless people. Bastard
lazy pieces of duodenum brown!!!!
Year: 1991
Label: R Radical
Format: CD, LP
Tracks: 14
Time: 28 min.
Genre: rock
Style: Hardcore Punk
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"shades of brown"Year: 1994
Label: Red Archives
Format: CD, LP
Tracks: 14
Time: 29 min.
Genre: rock
Style: Hardcore Punk
Perhaps this is the most unknown and forgotten MDC album. In fact when it was hardly anyone realized. I
myself bought this CD in 2000 and after I realized that was recorded in december 1993.
Frankly does not matter much if the disc was very popular or not ,
and that popularity does not always indicate that something is good or
bad. I've
heard it many times over 10 years and came to the conclusion that it is a
good album , but it can not compare to the debut "Millions of Dead
Cops" nor with the third album "Millions of Damn Christians". I think that these 2 albums are the best in the MDC discography, no doubt. But we stand before these three initials MDC and always mean quality music and a deep political and social background. As
a small comment that all tracks are accompanied by a psychedelic
keyboards, somewhat reminiscent to The Damned goth era or obviously to
the sixties garage-rock bands. Besides keyboards, the rest of the record
, the 90% , is still
pure and total hardcore punk as ever.
Year: 2004
Label: Sudden Death
Format: CD, LP
Tracks: 18
Time: 40 min.
Genre: rock
Style: Hardcore Punk
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Year: 2017
Label: Primordial
Format: CD, LP
Tracks: 12
Time: 35 min.
Genre: rock
Style: Hardcore Punk
Discogs , Download , Review
Year: 2020
Label: Twisted Chords
Format: CD, LP
Tracks: 12
Time: 40 min.
Genre: acoustic
Style: Folk Punk
Discogs , Download
Year: 2023
Label: Cleopatra
Format: CD, LP
Tracks: 14
Time: 28 min.
Genre: rock
Style: Hardcore Punk
