CIRCLE JERKS
I think when people think of early classic hardcore bands they most often think of the big three: Black Flag, Minor Threat and Bad Brains, which I think is a shame because the Circle Jerks get overlooked sometimes and I think, unfairly so. I know it’s not like they’re unknown, I just think they’re a bit underrated. Growing up I heard lots of Black Flag and some Minor Threat on college radio in the eighties but no Circle Jerks. I have to admit I was unfamiliar with most of their songs until about ten years ago and now I think I really missed out on something at the time.
I knew they existed in Los Angeles around the same time that Black Flag was starting out, in fact, singer Keith Morris sang for Black Flag at one point before starting the Circle Jerks. I recently mentioned to Bang that I thought that the Circle Jerks were equal or even better than Black Flag and he said he always thought the Circle Jerks were the better band; it’s still a tough choice for me.
Anyways a great band- whatdaya say, let’s check some videos out.
My favorite album by them is called “Group Sex” and the following video has the first seven songs from that album. Considering it clocks in under eight minutes I figured it wasn’t too tough to bear. One of my favorite songs by them is here, “Wasted,” which has been sort of a theme song of mine for quite some time.
1. Deny Everything
2. I Just Want Some Skank
3. Beverly Hills
4. Operation
5. Back Against the Wall
6. Wasted
7. Behind the Door
I’m pretty sure the terrific, English art/punk band Wire invented the “short song” but I think the Circle Jerks might have been the first to popularize the style here. But, whatever, they did it great, here are the remaining seven songs from the album. My favorite song by them is on here, “Live Fast, Die Young,” something I, obviously, failed to do!
8. World Up My Ass
9. Paid Vacation
10. Don’t Care
11. Live Fast, Die Young
12. What’s Your Problem
13. Group Sex
14. Red Tape
“Wild In The Street” was a cover of a hit song by Garland Jeffries, a song from the early seventies. The original is a moderate paced song with a vocal that sounds a bit like Lou Reed. Which is not what you get here!
“When The Shit Hits The Fan,” comes from a favorite movie if mine, “Repo Man,” a very punk rock movie. The images in this video are from that movie. This is a ballad type of song that I think still kicks ass and the lyrics, with its talk about hard times, sounds like it was written today
Gonna round up the little doggies and head for home with some live videos. The first is another song from the Repo Man soundtrack and it’s called “Coup D’Etat”, the second is a live Target Video of “Beverly Hills” and “Wasted” and the last is some songs from the great punk documentary movie, “Decline of Western Civilization.”
1. Red Tape
2. Back Against The Wall
3. I Just Want Some Skank
4. Beverly Hills
5. Wasted
The Circle Jerks continued for a long time until recently when Keith Morris had a falling out with the other guys over what new material to record and broke off to start Off. They’re very good, too, though Keith does tend to ramble a bit (Gee! I hate people like that).
The Circle Jerks I think are easily one of the best California hardcore bands of all time, more than deserving for a video/documentary. Check them out if, like me at one time, you haven’t really heard them.
(Slimedog)
