Biography Wikipedia
from Wikipedia:
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. 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, 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.
