Dead Kennedys played numerous shows at local venues afterward. Due to the provocative name of the band, they sometimes played under pseudonyms, including “The DK’s”, “The Sharks”, “The Creamsicles” and “The Pink Twinkies”. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Herb Caen wrote in November 1978, “Just when you think tastelessness has reached its nadir , along comes a punk rock group called ‘The Dead Kennedys’, which will play at Mabuhay Gardens on Nov. 22, the 15th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assassination .” Despite mounting protests, the owner of Mabuhay declared, “I can’t cancel them NOW—there’s a contract. Not, apparently, the kind of contract some people have in mind.” However, despite popular belief, the name was not meant to insult the Kennedy family, but according to Ray, “the assassinations were in much more poor taste than our band. We actually respect the Kennedy family. . . . When JFK was assassinated , when MLK was assassinated , when RFK was assassinated , the American Dream was assassinated. . . . Our name is actually homage to the American Dream”.
San Francisco Chronicle column about band name
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