The Dils
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Headquarters | Carlsbad, California , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Chip Kinman, Tony Kinman |
| Products | Punk rock music |
The Dils were a punk rock group from the United States, formed in 1976 and active until 1980, originally hailing from Carlsbad, California. The band was led by brothers Chip and Tony Kinman. They performed as the second band in the "battle of the bands" sequence in the film by Cheech and Chong, Up In Smoke, playing the song "You're Not Blank".
History
Shortly after their formation, The Dils moved to San Francisco, where they became influential in the city's developing punk movement (with bassist Tony Kinman briefly joining The Avengers in 1977). Later, they relocated to Los Angeles and emerged as a significant presence in the early LA punk scene. Their music combined radical left-wing political themes with strong melodic elements, earning them the moniker "punk rock Everly Brothers".
Their first single, "I Hate The Rich" / "You're Not Blank", was released on What? Records, a Los Angeles label, in 1977. The band's peak critical acclaim came with the 1977 release of "Class War" / "Mr. Big" on the Dangerhouse label, limited to 1500 copies under the title "198 Seconds Of The Dils". Their final release during their original run was the three-sided double 7-inch record Made In Canada (1980), produced by Bob Rock, which demonstrated a transition toward roots rock. In 1980, The Dils opened for The Clash in Santa Monica and disbanded later that year following a concluding performance alongside Black Flag.
Material from The Dils, including previously unreleased tracks, continues to be accessible.
Possible Visual Influence
A 2021 article in Guitar World suggested a potential inspiration link between Chip Kinman's guitar decoration and Eddie Van Halen’s renowned Frankenstrat guitar.
Post-breakup
Following their split, the Kinman brothers further developed the roots rock genre and helped pioneer "cowpunk" during the 1980s with their band Rank and File, collaborating with Alejandro Escovedo. After exploring a project combining rock guitar with drum machines called Blackbird, they shifted focus toward "cowboy music" through their group Cowboy Nation during the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2016, they reunited for Chip’s new project Ford Madox Ford, releasing the debut album This American Blues through Porterhouse Records, featuring Chip on vocals and guitar with Tony Kinman as producer.
Tony Kinman passed away on May 4, 2018.
Revival
In 2019, Chip Kinman reformed The Dils, making their comeback appearance at The Grand Star Jazz Club in Los Angeles, followed by a performance at San Diego’s Casbah Club. This lineup featured Kinman alongside his stepson Giuliano Scarfo on drums and Brian Melendez handling bass and backing vocals.
Discography
- "I Hate The Rich" / "You're Not Blank" 7" (What? Records 1977)
- Reissued in 1990 by Gift Of Life Records; both tracks plus a live version of "What Goes On" were included on the compilation LP/CD What? Stuff (Iloki Records 1990)
- "I Hate The Rich"
- "You're Not Blank"
- "198 Seconds Of The Dils" 7" (Dangerhouse Records 1977)
- Side A featured on compilation LP/CD Dangerhouse Volume 1, Side B appeared on Dangerhouse Volume 2 (Frontier Records)
- "Class War"
- "Mr.Big"
- "Made In Canada" double 7" (Rogelletti Records 1980)
- The re-recorded track "Sound of the Rain" was later included on Rank and File's Long Gone Dead (Slash Records)
- "Sound Of The Rain"
- "Red Rockers"
- "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 as a CD (1992) by Damaged Goods Records
- Side A contains eight studio recordings; Side B features live performances from 1978–79
- The Last Goodbye LP (bootleg, late 1990s) – live recording from a 1980 show
- Class War LP (Dionysus/Bacchus Archives 2000) – includes their first single plus ten live tracks from 1980 originally released on The Dils Live 1977–1980 LP
Appearances on compilations
- We're Desperate: The L.A. Scene (1976–79) (Rhino 1993) – Tracks: "I Hate The Rich", "Mr. Big"