The Dead Milkmen are my favorite band, and they have been since I was 13 years old. I grew up in a small town, so the only music I was exposed to was what was on the radio and MTV. That is, until I was introduced to the Dead Milkmen by my friend Allen in the 8th grade. They were one of 2 bands (The Cure being the other) I heard at this time that made me go, “oh shit…there’s really great, really interesting, and (most importantly) really different music out there that they don’t play on the radio or on TV.” I was instantly intrigued. And instantly hooked. Ironically, right around the time of my discovery, MTV began airing “underground” music programs which showcased bands including, but not limited to The Dead Milkmen and The Cure.

As for my favorite Dead Milkmen album, it’s definitely their first official release, “Big Lizard in my Backyard.” It’s an album packed with bratty, catchy, punk rock anthems that never took themselves too seriously. They sang about retards, they sang about bitchin camaros, they sang about Charles Nelson Reilly, and they did it with such snotty passion. And they swore. A lot. And as a 13 year old struggling to find his own identity in a redneck town, this was exactly what I needed. I’ve often joked that the Dead Milkmen are the band that made me who I am today, but it really is kinda true. No other band has had such a huge impact on my life, and continues to do so 20+ years later. Hell, I have a Dead Milkmen tattoo, and I named my record label after their first record. To say my life has been slightly impacted by this band would be a huge understatement.