After the first breakup, singer Gary Floyd formed the band Sister Double Happiness, with drummer Lynn Perko, then later fronted a project called Black Kali Ma.

Their first single "Dicks Hate The Police", released in 1980, brought them much attention and is now regarded as a classic hardcore punk record.

Dicks were among the first punk bands to address issues of homophobia and sexual identity, as in such songs as "Saturday Night at the Bookstore" and "Off-Duty Sailor".

Floyd and Gordon, along with new members Tim Carroll, Sebastian Fuchs, and Lynn Perko (formerly of all-women band The Wrecks), formed a second version of Dicks.

San Antonio's Butthole Surfers had ended their 1984 album Psychic... Powerless... Another Man's Sac with the cowpunk anthem "Gary Floyd" in tribute to the Dicks' bandleader.

Soon after, Chicago noise rockers The Jesus Lizard (three fourths of whom were also from Austin) released their cover version of Dicks' "Wheelchair Epidemic".

At the 2009 Austin Music Awards show, Jesus Lizard singer David Yow joined the band onstage for "Wheelchair Epidemic".