Alongside Jello Biafra's astute lyrics and unique vibrato-based vocal style, East Bay Ray's playing was one of the defining factors of the music of the Dead Kennedys, and by extension, of the "second wave" of American punk.

[citation needed] These experiments included the guitar playing of East Bay Ray, who took cues from sources such as film music (spy movie scores and Ennio Morricone Spaghetti Western scores), instrumental surf rock (the guitar stylings of Dick Dale and George Tomsco of The Fireballs), as well as the psychedelic music of the 60s (especially early Pink Floyd) with his trademark echo effects.

"[citation needed] After Dead Kennedys stopped touring in February 1986, East Bay Ray formed the band Kage with female vocalist Bana Witt.

In 2000, Ray appeared on Hed PE's second studio album, Broke, performing guitar on the song "Waiting to Die",[2] and other nu-metal bands have cited him and the Dead Kennedys as an influence.

Starting in 2001, East Bay Ray headed the legal struggle to win ownership of Dead Kennedys' intellectual property and to secure royalties withheld from the band by Jello Biafra.

East Bay Ray was responsible, along with his ex-bandmates Klaus Flouride and D.H. Peligro, for licensing songs such as "Police Truck" and "Holiday in Cambodia" to major corporations for use in video games and films.