Longevity is a beautiful thing that most bands can only hope to experience. There are plenty of ways for a young band to etch its name into the history books. Still, those collections of music history are only as good as the people writing them, leaving plenty of room for interpretation on who is classified as a “legend” or “icon” of their genre. The real lasting impact comes from the same place that gives bands the opportunity to grasp fleeting success: the people. Redd Kross, veteran punk rockers, are a shining definition of a band purely fueled by tireless creativity and the energy they’re fed from fans who have been with them since they emerged in 1980.
Formed by brothers Jeff and Steve McDonald while Steve was still in middle school, Redd Kross faced numerous traditional challenges as a punk rock band. These included multiple lineup changes and a notable lawsuit from the International Red Cross, which forced them to change the spelling of their name. The band made a triumphant return in 2012 after not releasing an album since 1997 and has released an LP as recently as 2024 with The Redd Album. In celebration of Redd Kross’s well-earned return, we look back at an exhilarating performance of the band’s legendary cover of The Partridge Family’s “Somebody Wants To Love You.” The moving performance highlights the raw, off-kilter punk that defines Redd Kross’s storied legacy.
