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: