Klaus Flouride
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey Lyall better known as Klaus Flouride, is best known as the bassist
for the San Francisco, California
, punk rock
band Dead Kennedys
from the group's inception in June 1978 until the band's break-up in December 1986, although he also produced four solo albums during the 1980s and 1990s.
Flouride began working on a solo album
following the release of Dead Kennedys' second album, 1982's Plastic Surgery Disasters, coming out with the 12" single "Shortnin' Bread" (with "The Drowning Cowboy" as the B-Side) in 1982 and the EP
Cha Cha Cha With Mr. Flouride in 1985.
After the breakup, Flouride returned to his solo career, releasing Because I Say So in 1988 and The Light Is Flickering in 1991, the latter album including the song "Dancing with Shauna Grant
".
Flouride also works in the studio as a producer and mixer and has done projects with the Hi-Fives
, Ape, and Bad Posture. He and his former band-mates also became embroiled in a protracted lawsuit with former frontman Jello Biafra
over reimbursement for band income and band material, which was settled in 2000 in the favor of East Bay Ray
, Flouride, and D. H. Peligro
.
In 2001, Flouride reunited with Ray and Peligro under the Dead Kennedys
name, taking on Dr. Know
vocalist Brandon Cruz
as a replacement for Biafra. Jeff Penalty
replaced Cruz in 2003.
Flouride wrote one song for the Dead Kennedys, "Dog Bite", which appears on the EP In God We Trust, Inc.
.
.
from 1966 that he has been using throughout the Dead Kennedys early years and still owns and uses today on stage. The bass is covered with stickers, the biggest being the "DK" signs that stands for Dead Kennedys
, and the pickguard is stained with blood. Other basses such as a black Fender Precision Bass
and a blue Fender Bass VI
have also been used.
Flouride used "an Acoustic 150b amp, and an Acoustic 402 cabinet with stock speakers at last thru 'In God We Trust'", before getting a Traynor Mono Block B amp to replace the Acoustic head.
Recent pictures show a Gallien Krueger stack made of a 2x10 and a 1x15 cabinets, powered by a Gallien Krueger 1001 RB II head. An unknown Boss pedal can be seen in the same pictures. According to a recent post on Flouride's website, he uses a Boss Blues Driver and a Boss TU-2 tuner pedal.
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
for the San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
from the group's inception in June 1978 until the band's break-up in December 1986, although he also produced four solo albums during the 1980s and 1990s.
Flouride began working on a solo album
Solo album
A solo album, in popular music, is an album headlined by a current or former member of a band. A solo album may feature simply one person performing all instruments, but typically features the work of other collaborators; rather, it may be made with different collaborators than the artist is...
following the release of Dead Kennedys' second album, 1982's Plastic Surgery Disasters, coming out with the 12" single "Shortnin' Bread" (with "The Drowning Cowboy" as the B-Side) in 1982 and the EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Cha Cha Cha With Mr. Flouride in 1985.
After the breakup, Flouride returned to his solo career, releasing Because I Say So in 1988 and The Light Is Flickering in 1991, the latter album including the song "Dancing with Shauna Grant
Shauna Grant
Shauna Grant was an American nude model and pornographic performer. Born Colleen Marie Applegate, she was sometimes credited as Callie Aimes, Callie Aims, or Colleen Applegate.- Early life :...
".
Flouride also works in the studio as a producer and mixer and has done projects with the Hi-Fives
Hi-Fives
-History:The band was formed in 1994 after drummer Al Sobrante left the previous incarnations, The Ne'er Do Wells and Thee Shatners. Sobrante was replaced by drummer Julie, formerly of Red #9. Julie remained with the band through the recording of the first Lookout! Records album Welcome To My Mind...
, Ape, and Bad Posture. He and his former band-mates also became embroiled in a protracted lawsuit with former frontman Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra is an American musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party of the United States. Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys...
over reimbursement for band income and band material, which was settled in 2000 in the favor of East Bay Ray
East Bay Ray
Raymond John Pepperell , better known by his stage name East Bay Ray is a guitarist best-known for his membership in the San Francisco Bay area-based punk band Dead Kennedys...
, Flouride, and D. H. Peligro
D. H. Peligro
D.H. Peligro was the third drummer for the hardcore punk band Dead Kennedys from February 1981 until their breakup in December 1986...
.
In 2001, Flouride reunited with Ray and Peligro under the Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
name, taking on Dr. Know
Dr. Know
Dr. Know may refer to :*Dr. Know , a punk band from Oxnard, California*Dr. Know , stage name of guitar player Gary Miller from the band Bad Brains*Dr. Know , a TV program on the Discovery Health Channel...
vocalist Brandon Cruz
Brandon Cruz
Brandon Edwin Cruz is an American former child actor and currently a punk rock musician, and also works in drug and alcohol rehabilitation. In the late 1960s, the freckled-faced Cruz came to prominence by playing Tom Corbett's charming and conniving son, Eddie Corbett, in the comedy-drama The...
as a replacement for Biafra. Jeff Penalty
Jeff Penalty
Jeff Penalty is a writer, filmmaker, and musician, known mainly for his documentary work and his position as a former lead singer of Dead Kennedys.- Early life :Penalty was born and raised in Broomall, Pennsylvania...
replaced Cruz in 2003.
Flouride wrote one song for the Dead Kennedys, "Dog Bite", which appears on the EP In God We Trust, Inc.
In God We Trust, Inc.
In God We Trust, Inc. is a hardcore punk EP by the Dead Kennedys; it is now reissued with the Plastic Surgery Disasters album. The thrashing, lightning-fast beats and shouted vocals, on the first six tracks, resembles Washington D.C.'s punk bands of the time; more than on any other Dead Kennedys...
.
Early career
In the late 1960s, Klaus Flouride played in the band Magic Terry & The Universe, which included 1980s rock singer Billy SquierBilly Squier
William Haislip "Billy" Squier is an American rock musician. Squier had a string of arena rock hits in the 1980s. He is best known for the song "The Stroke" on his 1981 album release Don't Say No...
.
Equipment
Main Klaus Flouride bass gear includes a Lake Placid Blue matching-headstock Fender Jazz BassFender Jazz Bass
The Jazz Bass was the second model of electric bass created by Leo Fender. The bass is distinct from the Precision Bass in that its tone is brighter and richer in the midrange and treble with less emphasis on the fundamental harmonic...
from 1966 that he has been using throughout the Dead Kennedys early years and still owns and uses today on stage. The bass is covered with stickers, the biggest being the "DK" signs that stands for Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
, and the pickguard is stained with blood. Other basses such as a black Fender Precision Bass
Fender Precision Bass
The Fender Precision Bass is an electric bass.Designed by Leo Fender as a prototype in 1950 and brought to market in 1951, the Precision was the first electric bass to earn widespread attention and use. A revolutionary instrument for the time, the Precision Bass has made an immeasurable impact on...
and a blue Fender Bass VI
Fender Bass VI
The Fender Bass VI, originally known as the Fender VI, is a six-string electric bass or Scale Baritone Guitar by Fender.The Fender VI was released in 1961, and followed the concept of the Danelectro 6-string bass released in 1956, having six strings tuned E-E, an octave below the Spanish guitar...
have also been used.
Flouride used "an Acoustic 150b amp, and an Acoustic 402 cabinet with stock speakers at last thru 'In God We Trust'", before getting a Traynor Mono Block B amp to replace the Acoustic head.
Recent pictures show a Gallien Krueger stack made of a 2x10 and a 1x15 cabinets, powered by a Gallien Krueger 1001 RB II head. An unknown Boss pedal can be seen in the same pictures. According to a recent post on Flouride's website, he uses a Boss Blues Driver and a Boss TU-2 tuner pedal.
Albums
- Cha Cha Cha With Mr. Flouride (1985), Alternative TentaclesAlternative TentaclesAlternative Tentacles is an independent record label originally based in San Francisco, California and was established in 1979. It was originally used as the label name by the Dead Kennedys for the self-produced single "California Über Alles", and after realizing the potential for an independent...
- Because I Say So (1988), Alternative Tentacles
- The Light Is Flickering (1991), Alternative Tentacles
- Flouride Treatments (2011) - sold via Flouride's web store only