Red Kross’ forthcoming album, can only be described as a collaborative effort between the Macdonald brothers.. Steven wrote a batch of new songs in isolation and sent them over to Jeff, who was honing a clutch of his own tunes. “It was a fit of inspiration,” says Steven. “I put the fire under Jeff’s ass. He realized if he didn’t step up, I’d write the whole album myself.” Indeed, as soon as they were allowed, the brothers began convening in the bijou studio at Steven’s house and began writing a bunch more songs to join the solo tunes they’d already penned. They worked hard, yes, but the emphasis was on fun: they’d spend most of the sessions jamming on favorites by their heroes, or watching YouTube clips of historic moments of musical brilliance (and also copious documentaries about cults).

Tunes written, the brothers were itching to record, but Dale Crover, the legendary Melvins’ drummer who played on Beyond The Door, had recently undergone spinal surgery and couldn’t step up. Instead, Steven reached out to his friend Josh Klinghoffer, perhaps best-known for his years as guitarist with Red Hot Chili Peppers and as a touring member of Pearl Jam and Jane’s Addiction, but hereafter to be most-famed as the drummer and producer of Redd Kross. The pair first met two decades ago, as members of Beck’s backing band, and later played together with the inimitable Sparks. “Josh is 13 years younger than me, and he’s like the younger brother I never had,” says Steven. “He’s a super-talented musician who’s really good at being supportive, and he’s really in-tune with a band’s internal dynamics. And he had us on our best behavior, not wanting to disappoint Josh! His studio is like the most incredible vintage guitar shop – he would take great delight in pulling out some rare instrument or effects box to inspire us.”

In Klinghoffer’s company, the brothers tore through their new batch of songs. And what songs… “I’m usually the one who says our albums have to be ‘ten songs, no more’,” nods Jeff. “But we had all these great songs, and we wanted to let them all breathe. So the album had to be 18 songs.” But if the prospect of these unabashed Beatles-heads delivering an eponymous double-album with a sleeve of a single colour has you expecting a meandering, eclectic set like the Fabs’ ‘White Album’, Redd Kross is all-killer, no-filler, more akin to their Exile On Main Street, their Double Nickels On The Dime, their Zen Arcade: 58 minutes of solid-gold power-pop, driven by melody and dynamic, with a lyric- sheet that’ll reward all your perusing.

Redd Kross opens with lead single “Candy Coloured Catastrophe” and from there tears into the heaviest rock banger of the set, “Stunt Queen,” which Jeff says is “the closest we come to a ‘political song’. It’s about these total fame-whores in politics who’ll do anything to be on TV – people like Lindsay Graham, who doesn’t care how humiliated he gets, as long as he’s on TV. It’s like some weird kink.” Then there’s the “unbearable man” in “Terrible Band,” inspired by Jeff and Josh’s obsession with documentaries about cults, and the number of musicians they know who behave like cult-leaders.

Redd Kross – 2024 Tour Dates

Fri May 24 Las Vegas, NV Punk Rock Bowling
Fri June 21 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain Azkena Rock Festival
Tue July 02 San Diego, CA Casbah
Wed July 03 Pioneertown, CA Pappy + Harriet’s
Fri July 05 Long Beach, CA Alex’s Bar
Sat July 06 Oakland, CA Mosswood Meltdown Festival
Mon July 08 Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern
Tue July 09 Vancouver, BC Biltmore Cabaret
Wed July 10 Portland, OR Aladdin Theater
Fri July 12 Salt Lake City, UT Metro Music Hall
Sat July 13 Denver, CO Marquis Theatre
Mon July 15 Saint Paul, MN Turf Club
Tue July 16 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
Wed July 17 Cleveland, OH Beachland Ballroom & Tavern
Fri July 19 Columbus, OH Ace of Cups
Sat July 20 Pittsburgh, PA Spirit Hall
Mon July 22 Washington, DC The Atlantis
Wed July 24 Carrboro, NC Merge 35th Anniversary Festival @ Cat’s Cradle
Thu July 25 Jersey City, NJ White Eagle Hall
Fri July 26 Brooklyn, NY Music Hall of Williamsburg
Sat July 27 Allston, MA Brighton Music Hall
Mon July 29 Toronto, ON Lee’s Palace
Tue July 30 Detroit, MI El Club
Wed July 31 Louisville, KY Zanzabar
Fri Aug 02 Nashville, TN The Blue Room – Third Man Records
Sat Aug 03 Birmingham, AL Saturn
Sun Aug 04 Atlanta, GA The Earl Restaurant & Lounge
Tue Aug 06 Houston, TX White Oak Music Hall – Upstairs
Wed Aug 07 Austin, TX Parish
Thu Aug 08 Dallas, TX House of Blues – Cambridge Room
Sat Aug 10 Albuquerque, NM Launchpad
Sun Aug 11 Phoenix, AZ Valley Bar
Tue Aug 13 Los Angeles, CA Lodge Room Highland Park

Pre-order Red Kross HERE