The Dead Milkmen are an American punk band formed in Philadelphia in 1983 and college-radio legends of satirical, snotty, melodic punk rock. Beelzebubba (1988, with Punk Rock Girl) and Big Lizard in My Backyard (1985, with Bitchin' Camaro) are the essentials. Browse The Dead Milkmen vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
The Dead Milkmen formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1983. The classic lineup is Rodney Anonymous (Rodney Linderman, vocals), Joe Jack Talcum (Joe Genaro, guitar, vocals), Dave Blood (Dave Schulthise, bass; 1956-2004), and Dean Clean (Dean Sabatino, drums). The band became a fixture of 1980s American college rock and punk. They disbanded in 1995, and following Dave Blood's death in 2004, reunited in 2008 with Dan Stevens on bass.
The Dead Milkmen play satirical punk rock and college rock marked by sarcastic, absurdist lyrics, lo-fi energy, and catchy melodies. Their humor targeted suburban conformity, politics, and pop culture, earning them a devoted cult following and frequent comparisons to other comedic and politically minded punk acts of the era.
The band's 1980s Fever/Enigma-era albums have been reissued, and original pressings of Big Lizard in My Backyard and Beelzebubba are collected by fans of the era's college punk. Colored-vinyl variants accompany several reissues.
Listeners new to The Dead Milkmen often start with Beelzebubba (1988) or Big Lizard in My Backyard (1985). For related listening, see and .
