Redd Kross is an American rock band from Hawthorne, California, who had their roots in 1978 in a punk rock band called the Tourists, which was started by brothers Jeff and Steve McDonald while Steve was still in middle school. With the addition of friends Greg Hetson on guitar and John Stielow on drums, the band's first gig was opening for Black Flag. The band changed their name to Red Cross in 1979, and in 1982 changed the spelling due to threatened legal action by the charitable organization International Red Cross. The band has since released eight albums and three EPs. Their style was originally hardcore punk, but they have since branched out to touch on various rock and roll styles.