The Dils

The Dils were an American punk rock band of the late 1970s, originally from Carlsbad, California, and fronted by brothers Chip Kinman and Tony Kinman.^[1] They appeared as the second act in the "battle of the bands" sequence in Cheech and Chong's film, Up In Smoke, where they can be heard performing "You're Not Blank" (which ends with drummer Buddy Hate complaining that he could not hear anything without stage monitors).

History

Soon after forming in 1977 the band relocated to San Francisco, where they would have a significant influence on that city's embryonic punk scene (bassist Tony Kinman would play very briefly with San Francisco punk band The Avengers during 1977), and then Los Angeles, becoming one of the major bands in the early Los Angeles punk scene too. They were known for their conspicuous radical left politics, and for a strong melodic sense that earned them the nickname "punk rock Everly Brothers".

Their debut single was "I Hate The Rich" / "You're Not Blank" (the latter most famously covered by Minneapolis punk band Dillinger Four), on Los Angeles-based label What? Records (also home to The Germs, amongst others), originally released in 1977 in what collectors refer to as the "Oils" sleeve - the lettering chosen for the band's logo looking more like "The Oils" than "The Dils" at first glance. This was later reissued by the same label in a more easy-to-decipher font. Their next record was their critical high-point, 1977's "Class War" / "Mr.Big" (the former most famously covered by Canadian punks D.O.A., issued on L.A.'s groundbreaking Dangerhouse label, in a pressing of 1500 copies entitled "198 Seconds Of The Dils". The last contemporary release was a three-sided double-7", "Made In Canada", which showed a gathering roots rock orientation. The Dils broke up in 1980.

Music from the Dils (including material unreleased during the band's lifetime) remains available.

In their early years, Stephen Schwartz was manager of the Dils.

Post-breakup

The Kinmans would continue to follow the roots rock direction in the cowpunk band Rank and File in the 1980s along with Alejandro Escovedo,^[1] and Cowboy Nation in the 1990s. This progression drew criticism as a turning from the energy and purpose of early work to evolve into what was described as "music to fall asleep in the saddle by." Other stops on the Kinmans' musical trail included a rock guitar and drum-machine project, Blackbird.

Discography

• I Hate The Rich/You're Not Blank 7" (What? Records 1977)
  • Reissued in 1990 on Gift Of Life Records
  • Both songs + What Goes On (live, prev unreleased) included on V/A LP/CD What? Stuff (Iloki Records 1990)

1. "I Hate The Rich"
2. "You're Not Blank"

• 198 Seconds Of The Dils 7" (Dangerhouse Records 1977)
  • Side A is available on the V/A LP/CD Dangerhouse Volume 1 and Side B can be found on Dangerhouse Volume 2, both albums on Frontier Records

1. "Class War"
2. "Mr.Big"

• Made In Canada 2x7" (Rogelletti Records 1980)
  • A re-recording of "Sound of the Rain" appeared on the Rank and File album Long Gone Dead (Slash Records)
  • 3 slower songs

1. "Sound Of The Rain"
2. "Red Rockers"
3. "It's Not Worth It."

• Live:Dils LP (Triple X/Iloki Records 1987)
• The Dils Live 1977 - 1980 LP (Lost Records, 1990)
• Dils Dils Dils LP (Bacchus Archives 1991) (reissued on CD (1992) Damaged Goods)
  • Side A has the 8 studio songs mentioned above on it.
  • Side B contains live tracks from 1978 and 1979.
• The Last Goodbye LP (bootleg 199?)
  • A live recording from 1980.
• Class War LP (Dionysus/Bacchus archives 2000)
  • Includes the first 7 and 10 live songs recorded in 1980 previously released on The Dils Live 1977 - 1980 LP.

Compilation appearances

• Rat Music For Rat People Vol 1 compilation LP (CD Presents, 1982)
  • This LP includes a 1977 studio recording of one of the band's first songs, "Blow Up".
  • The album was reissued with new art work in the mid 1990s (some copies on blue vinyl) and is still available.

On Compilations

• "Class War" appears on Dangerhouse, Vol. 1 (Frontier Records - 1991)
• "I Hate the Rich", "You're Not Blank", "What Goes On", and "Red Rockers Rule" appear on What? Stuff (Bomp Records - 2000)
• "I Hate the Rich" and "Mr. Big" appear on D.I.Y.: We're Desperate: The L.A. Scene (Rhino Records - 1993)
• "Mr. Big" appears on Saturday Night Pogo (Rhino Records - 1978)
• "Mr. Big" appears on Dangerhouse, Vol. 2: Give Me a Little Pain! (Frontier Records - 1992)
• "You're Not Blank" appears on Faster and Louder: Hardcore Punk Vol. 2 (Rhino Records - 1993)

External links

• [an interview in 3 parts w/ John Silvers, who was the drummer 2/78 to 6/79 http://www.acc.umu.se/~samhain/summerofhate/johndil.html#johndil]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Strong, Martin C. (2003) "Dils", in The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, ISBN 1-84195-335-0