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From The Desk Of Redd Kross’ Jeff McDonald: Rock Bios

Redd Kross just released its first album in 15 years, which we honestly didn’t think was going to happen. Researching The Blues (Merge) is as close to our Platonic ideal of what a rock ‘n’ roll record should sound like: punk-rock fury mixed with power-pop hooks and tinged with a fringe of psychedelia. Researching embodies the best of what the band has done since it started out 34 years ago (during the first wave of L.A. punk) and continued throughout the ’80s and ’90s while taking perpendicular approaches to the prevailing trends of the era. In an age where the tenets of genre conventions and the rigidity that once separated sounds and scenes are no longer relevant, Redd Kross returns as prodigal sons. Brothers Jeff and Steve McDonald, Roy McDonald (no relation) and Jason Shapiro will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our brand new feature on them.

Jeff McDonald: I’m going through a phase or a depression or both because I can’t stop reading rock bios. They’re all over the house. I ingest them so fast I can’t even tell you the titles or the authors for that matter. Some of my favorite subjects for the past few months have been Patti Smith, Sammy Hagar, Steve Marriott, Big Star, Carter Family, Steven Tyler, Bob Dylan, Freddie Mercury, John and Alan Lomax, Keith Richards, Paul McCartney, Johnny Ramone, Lady Gaga and Gregg Allman, to name a few. I go from one to the next like the cheap hookers they are.

Video after the jump.