We've Got a Bigger Problem Now (The Dead Kennedys Photographs)

WE’VE GOT A BIGGER PROBLEM NOW is the next in the incredible series of Glen E. Friedman’s books of photographs that he has released from his archives over the last five years. The subject this time is Dead Kennedys, the infamous punk band that has inspired and politicized generations since they released their first record in 1979. Dead Kennedys’s debut was the first punk album to top the music charts after the 1977 punk explosion in the UK, and stateside the name alone threw them into the forefront of controversy. Their outspoken lead singer Jello Biafra’s unique voice, political satirizing, and animated performances made them a must-see.

From 1980–1982, Friedman photographed the band in Los Angeles, which had the largest punk scene in the country. Dead Kennedys were one of the earliest bands he photographed, while he was still making photos for SkateBoarder magazine. Friedman was using color film almost exclusively at this point, not yet realizing that there were no publications that covered punk music that printed in color; the underground periodicals of the time, which were few and far between, were only able to print in black-and-white.

We’ve Got a Bigger Problem Now offers many never-before-seen photographs, along with iconic classics of Dead Kennedys previously published over the years. The book includes text from artist Shepard Fairey, musician Zack de la Rocha, and Jello Biafra himself!