Dead Kennedys formed in June 1978 in San Francisco, California, when East Bay Ray (Raymond Pepperell) advertised for bandmates in the newspaper The Recycler, after seeing a ska-punk show at Mabuhay Gardens in San Francisco.
Dead Kennedys formouse sen xuño de 1978 en San Francisco, California, cando East Bay Ray (Raymond Pepperell) puxo un anuncio buscando compañeiros de banda no xornal The Recycler, despois de ver un concerto ska-punk no Mabuhay Gardens en San Francisco.