Redd Kross

Although they became better known in the early 1990s, during the grunge boom - more precisely with the album Phaseshifter (1993), Redd Kross had its origins in 1978, when brothers Steve (bass) and Jeff McDonald (vocals), at the time 11 and 15 years old, respectively, formed a band called The Tourists, alongside schoolmates Greg Hetson (guitar) and Ron Rayes (drummer) in the city of Hawthorne, California. 

The Tourists played their first show opening for Black Flag. In 1980, the band changed its name to Red Cross and released its first EP. However, Hetson and Reyes left the group, going, respectively, to the Circle Jerks and Black Flag. Steve and Jeff continued with the band and, with the support of other musicians from the underground scene, recorded their first album, Born Innocent, released in 1981. After this release, under threat of a lawsuit from the International Red Cross, the brothers changed their name to Redd Kross. In 1984, the group released Teen Babes from Monsanto, a collection of covers of artists such as Kiss, David Bowie, the Stooges, the Rolling Stones and The Shangri-Las. 

With the addition of guitarist Robert Hecker and drummer Roy McDonald, Redd Kross released the album Neurotica in 1987, on the Big Time Records label. Although the album was well received by the public, Big Time Records went bankrupt and the band was prevented from recording new material under the name Redd Kross for three years due to a legal process. During this period, when they were unable to use the name Redd Kross, Steve and Jeff created a project called The Tater Totz, which released an album in 1989 called Alien Sleestaks From Brazil, a collection of satirical and surreal covers of songs such as "Give Peace a Chance" (John Lennon), "We Will Rock You" (Queen), among others. 

Also in 1989, The Tater Totz released another album, called Sgt. Shonen's Exploding Plastic Eastman Band Mono! Stereo, which featured collaborations with Cherie Currie (ex-Runaway) and Pat Smear, who later became better known as the guitarist for Foo Fighters, having also played with Nirvana.

In 1990, Redd Kross signed with Atlantic Records, and at that time included Jeff McDonald (vocals – guitar), Steven McDonald (bass – vocals), Robert Hecker (guitar – vocals) and Victor Indrizzo (drums – vocals). That same year, the album Third Eye was released, featuring the singles "Annie's Gone" and "1976".

On the album Phaseshifter (1993), the McDonald brothers were joined by Eddie Kurdziel (guitar), Gere Fennelly (keyboards) and Brian Reitzell (drums). The single "Jimmy's Fantasy" was the highlight of Phaseshifter.

Redd Kross returned with a new album in 1997, when they released Show World. In 1999, guitarist Eddie Kurdziel died of a drug overdose at the age of 38. The band took a long hiatus until 2006, when the McDonald brothers, guitarist Robert Hecker and drummer Roy McDonald returned to performing. A show held in Madrid in January 2007 was released on the DVD Got Live If You Must!.

In 2012, fifteen years after Show World, the band released a new studio album, Researching The Blues. Its successor, Beyond the Door, came out in 2019, followed by Redd Kross (2024).