The Circle Jerks

I bring you a American punk rock band named after the sexual act:

"1.) When a group of males sit in a circle, jerking each other off. "

FORMED IN 1979 FROM HERMOSA BEACH CALIFORNIA
CALIFORNIA BEING A LEGENDARY PLACE FOR THE GENRE

Past and present band members include:

• Keith Morris - lead vocals (1979–present)
• Greg Hetson - guitar (1979–present)
• Zander Schloss - bass (1984–present)
• Kevin Fitzgerald - drums, percussion (2001–present)

And the discography includes:

• 1980: Group Sex
• 1982: Wild in the Streets
• 1983: Golden Shower of Hits
• 1985: Wonderful
• 1987: VI
• 1995: Oddities, Abnormalities and Curiosities

and according to wikipedia the band was organized by the original man o' black flag, Mr. Keith Morris along with his buddy who would later go on to be in Bad Religion Greg Hetson

'The band broke up and reformed twice, sometimes with different bass players and/or drummers. They disbanded for the first time after the release of their fifth album, 1987's VI, as Hetson decided to continue touring and releasing a number of albums with Bad Religion. However, they reunited around 1994 and recorded a reunion album, Oddities, Abnormalities and Curiosities, in the following year, then a tour followed. After that, the Circle Jerks once again parted ways as Hetson was still involved in Bad Religion, but reunited again around 2001. The band has continued touring ever since.'
So yeah thats right, they started out like this-

And kept playing until now they've all turned into old farts.
The thing about the circle jerks is that they've always had a incomprehensible amount of energy
which is what makes there stuff real music.

'To date, the Circle Jerks have released six full-length studio albums, one compilation, live album and live DVD. Their last studio release, Oddities, Abnormalities and Curiosities, came out in 1995 and is the only reunion album the band has released to date. Rumor has it that the Circle Jerks are supposedly gearing up for a new studio album, but nothing has surfaced and little is known whether they have begun work on it. If it is released, this will be their first album of new material in 14 years.'

'Their debut album, was released in 1981 on theFrontier Records label; its 14 songs totaled out at 15 minutes. It featured some songs that Morris had written while in Black Flag (Black Flag claimed the songs were "theirs"). That same year, the group was one of several California punk bands to be immortalized in the Penelope Spheeris documentary ''The Decline of Western Civilization''; live versions of five songs from ''Group Sex'' appear on the movie's soundtrack.

They signed a management deal with War producer/manager Jerry Goldstein's Far Out Productions, and recorded their third album, Golden Shower of Hits, in 1983, the album was released on Goldstein's LAX label. The title track is actually a medley of six cover versions (of artists as diverse and unexpected as The Association, The Carpenters, and Tammy Wynette) strung together to create a story line of two people who fall in love, have an unplanned pregnancy, rush into marriage, and end up divorced. Another song from the album, "Coup d'État", was used in the soundtrack of Alex Cox's early film Repo Man, and the band makes an appearance playing an acoustic/lounge version of "When The Shit Hits The Fan".

Not long after Repo Man had concluded its first-run release schedule, Rogerson and Lehrer left the band. They were replaced by Zander Schloss (who also appeared in Repo Man) and Keith Clark respectively. The band also changed labels for the fourth time, signing a deal with Relativity Records' metal imprint Combat Records, which had started a punk sublabel, Combat Core. The newly revamped group recorded Wonderful, and released it in 1985. Their newfound stability allowed the lineup to record a second album for Relativity, VI, not long afterward. One track from VI, "Love Kills", had been commissioned by Cox for the soundtrack of the movie Sid and Nancy, and can be heard early on in the feature.

Chris Poland played with them briefly after being fired from Megadeth. Zander Schloss had left the band.'

Best way to put it the band took a BRB break in the ninties:
'The Circle Jerks dissolved around 1989 as Hetson left the band to continue playing guitar and release a number of albums with Bad Religion. Live recordings made during what would be their final tour at the time were immortalized in the live album Gig in 1992, their third and last release for Relativity.

During the hiatus, Hetson would continue playing in Bad Religion; Schloss played guitar and bass with various acts; Clark initially retired from music; Morris worked menial jobs, battled health problems, and kicked a longtime dependence on drugs and alcohol.'

The long period of inactivity ended in 1994.

They got there asses back in gear with Mercury Records.

Recorded Oddities, Abnormalities and Curiosities and released it in the summer of 1995

Morris got diabetes in 2000 and the touring had to take a break,

Morris, Hetson, and Schloss continues to tour to the present day, and the hetson guy is also still active in Bad Religon.

Crucifix

Crucifix was a hardcore punk band in the eighties, from San Fran USA.
They played with the influence of crust and the lyrical Ideology of Anarcho-punk.

People to play in Crucifix for it's four year life included:

Sothira Pheng (Vocals)


Jimmy Crucifix (Guitar)



Matt Borruso (Bass)


Christopher Douglas (Drums)


As well as Drew Bernstein (Guitar) Jake Smith (Guitar) and Bryce Kanights (Bass on Self-titled EP) Who I had a shitload of trouble finding pictures of.

Crucifix was the child of the a different
and short lived band called 'Subsidize Mess'
featuring Sothira on bass, Matt on guitar, and Chris on vocals.

Sothira: Crucifix's sing was Cambodian-born,
and his family had fled the country when the
Khmer Rouge seized power and came to america.

Jake Smith played guitar on this 'Dehumanization EP'
Later Drew Bernstein (founder of Lip Service Clothing)
formerly of America's Hardcore replaced Smith on guitar.
(Isn't it sort of ironic that a guy in a poltical punk band later went off too create a huge clothing company like lip service in the spirit of mindless consumerism)

There first full album to come out and the one there most remembered for was called 'Dehumanization' widely considered to be their definitive work.


The sound of this album is said to sound really influenced by Discharge, a very classic band.
And can be seen as a essential " A cornerstone of political punk"

The band split up after a lengthy tour of US/Canada/Europe on July 13 1984. A posthumous compilation album of singles and live tracks entitled "Exhibit A" was released on Kustomized Records in 1997.

DISCOGRAPHY:
* 1981: Crucifix (EP, Universal)
* 1982: Nineteen Eighty-Four (single, Freak)
* 1983: Dehumanization (album, Corpus Christi)
o CD released in 1995 by Southern Lord
* 1992: Split with Patareni (Psycho Mania Records)
* 1997: Exhibit A (compilation, Kustomized Records)

COMPILATIONS:
Rat Music for Rat People, Vol. 2 (CD Presents, 1984)

I leave you with the first song I ever really started listening to by crucifix, 'Indo China'

I sort of chose to do an informal article on this band to learn more about them, and have motivation to download there main album,

enjoy.

Dayglo Abortions

I'd like to write about Dayglo Abortions because they're so close to home, right from my home town Victoria, British Columbia. They started in the eighties when the punk scene in Victoria was in it's prime and a few of the members fathered kid's I've gone to school with. Bonehead even runs a head shop downtown called "Old Nick's" and went to my highschool.

I recently bought my ticket to see Dayglos play in early April with Ninjaspy (another local band)
Even though there a bunch of old farts' I feel it's crucial to listening to punk rock in Victoria to see them live. And I figure it's a good reason to research a bit more into there history.

(Recent live photos of Dayglos)

Considered to be Hardcore Punk/Crossover Thrash, formed in 1979 and are still technically a band. Dayglo's first album wasn't released until later in 81'. They worked for two labels Fringe Product and God Records.

"Their lyrics are informed by a complete disregard for societal norms." -wikipedia

Current Members include "Jesus Bonhead" on drums who has been with band since 79', Murray Acton on Guitar and as vocals who has also been apart of the group since 79' and "Willy Jack on Bass.

However past members include "Nev" a guitarist, "Wayne Gretzky" another guitarist who left the band in 89', "Squid" yet another guitarist who also wrote lyrics for Dayglo Abortions, "Mike Anus Jak" guitarist / songwriter, "Hung Jak" on Guitar and last but not least "Gymbo Jak" on vocals.

They've produced a total of nine albums: Out of The Womb (1981) Feed us a Fetus (1986) Here today, Guano Tomorrow (1987) Two Dogs Fucking (1991)Little man in the canue (1995)Corprate Whores (1996) Stupid World Stupid Songs (1998)Death race 2000 (1999) and Holy Shiite in(2005)

(Good reveiws on Dayglo Abortion Albums)

One of the things I personally find makes Dayglo's unique is that they don't just stick to that classic hardcore punk sound, but have been known to experiment with metal which gives them a unique sound.
And also that though there lyrics have always been counter culture, profoundly honest and crude with time and age they have become increasingly more politically 'correct' and aware.

They've created alot of politcal controversy in there time, for example both Last FM and Wikipedia mentioned this:

Two albums featured in the resulting trial; the covers and the lyrical content being showcased by the prosecution. Here Today, Guano Tomorrow had a cover showing a picture of a hamster eating from a box of chocolates on nice satin sheets, along with a glass of wine. A gun points at the hamster, and the back cover shows a depiction of the resulting carnage.

The previous album, Feed Us A Fetus, was perhaps a little less graphic, with a depiction of a baked fetus on the table in front of Ronald and Nancy Reagan.

This resulted in the criminal prosecution of Fringe Product, their label at the time, for distribution and possession with intent to distribute of obscene material—the first such prosecution since the offense entered the criminal code in 1959. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.

The Dayglos had musical revenge in the title song of their next album, Two Dogs Fucking, in which the priggishness of Ottawa’s public officials leads directly to the extinction of the human race.


Over all they are a very interesting band, and well worth a good listen. I leave you with there most popular song. It goes along the lines of "Proud to be a Canadian pass me another beer, Proud to be a Canadian pass me another welfare check"
Listen to this and sing along:

Scott Sturgeon (Johnny Stza)

(Photo By: Doug Glass)
Scott Sturgeon is a musician who has been apart of several punk/ska bands since 1990. He's known by the stage names Johnny Stza, Stza, Stza Crack, Osama Stiz Laden etc.

Bands Scott has been apart of Include 'No Commercial Value' 'Choking Victim' 'Leftover Crack' 'Crack Rock Steady 7' and 'Star Fucking Hipsters'

His first band started out as No Commercial Value in 1990 and evolved into Choking Victim which eventually in turn became Leftover Crack.

According to the wikipedia article on Scott, he has been the only steady member of the bands he's been in, while other members seem to have come and gone. Over all I'd say his voice has played a big part in the awesomeness of all the music he's helped make.

The band he's currently working with 'Star fucking Hipsters' started up in 2005 and released two albums. 'Until Were Dead' and 'Never Rest in Peace'
He's got to be around 33 years old now, He was born on March Fourth of 1976.

In an interveiw Scott was asked what he thought about music that sung about the world coming to an end and I thought what they wrote down as being his answer was sort of interesting. (They could of modified what he said this just what was posted as being his words)
"Stza: I'm down with apocalyptic worldviews, it's like I'm not a Satanist, but I still think Satan is [cool]. It's like the idea of it is cool, you know? You can reads books about stuff, but you don't have to necessarily agree with it. It's fantasy in a way; it's good stuff. Because it teaches people to think a certain way, to be more open minded. Maybe if you think that the apocalypse is going to come, then you'll think about who's helping it a long. Maybe if you don't want it to happen, you'll start thinking about the corporations and politicians that are fucking up the world. And people doing that is really the only thing that's going to do something. "

This interview also quotes him saying that he doesn't think he can change society, and that it will eventually destroy itself which I agree with.
" I think that world is going to continue going down hill, until humanity ceases to be, and then it might be nice for a while, until something else takes over. It's just a cycle."
For earlier music he was apart of I found the song 'My own god' by 'No Commercial Value

The description for the video said a bit about the band:

No Commercial Value was a Punk/Ska band that existed on the Lower East Side from 1990 to 1993. In 1990, Alec Baillie (Choking Victim Leftover Crack) met Scott "Stza" Sturgeon (Choking Victim, Leftover Crack) at their N.Y.C. public high school. They shared not only a love for punk and ska music, but also an intense hatred of white people and their pathetic milk-drinking, Gap-wearing, R.E.M. listening, 90210 watching culture along with a healthy disdain for authority and the wicked atrocities perpetrated by the U.S. government. Alec played bass and the Stza played guitar and sang, so they decided to join-up and play some music together. Eventually they got a drummer and a female singer who also shared their active political interests and started the punk/ska band No Commercial Value. They self-relesed a cassette demo in 1991 or 1992 and did not apparently play many shows. The shows they did play, took place primarily at C-Squat and the ABC No Rio. Not much information other than this exists though, No photos or tourdates of the band have surfaced, and the only reason that No Commercial Value has not faded into the past is because of Scott Sturgeon and Alec Baillie mentioning it in interviews. No Commercial Value broke up in 1993 when their vocalist left for the west coast,Sturgeon went on to form Choking Victim later in 1993.

And this is a live video of early choking victim:


And some '500 channels' in the well known version and demo version from Choking Victim's better known album 'No gods No Managers'


Leftover Crack is probably what he's best known for maybe even more than there recent band Star Fucking Hipsters
Apparently this is there from there demo CD, the song is called 'Ya cant go home'
It's slow but still rather decent.


AND the best of the best known Leftover Crack amazingness 'Gang Control' there song 'Rock the 40 ounce' is also really well known and has a crazy intro.


Last but not least I'll leave you with two songs from SFH one from there first album and one from there most recent.

Older Album, Never rest in peace. This song was the name of the album as well. And a bit less sell-outy sounding than there more recent stuff.


This songs called two cups of tea, its mellow and sounds a bit different than there other stuff. Sort of seems like a big sell out but none the less it's still genius and the song sort of talks about disassociation and false friendship which is an amazing lyrical topic.



Thanks for reading this, feel free to comment or message me on any of this info.
Sources:
•His Myspace page can be found here.
•Wiki article on scott.
•Image I used was found on flickr.

•Article/Interview written by an asshole that thinks Leftover Crack doesn't know what there talking about.
•youtube videos from these accounts: http://www.youtube.com/user/mrnetosanchez666 ,