Pure Punk Picks
Live Fast, Die Young – Circle Jerks
You know, it seems like the early L.A. scene might’ve started slightly after the New York, Boston and London ones.
I’m not sure of my computations, as Lou Reed once sang- “Besides all the computations, you could just dance to the rock’n’roll station.” Later, changed during that song “Rock’N’Roll” to. “Despite all the amputations!”
Well, he didn’t have a leg to stand on with that line.
Though as I was trying to alter my computations as much as I could, as most of us were during the eighties. I recall that the New York and Boston scenes were first, with the London following shortly after.
But Hey! All the early punk scenes created such incredible stuff- even if we were all incredibly altered! There was great art and music that was being conceived and great times even all though we have no recollection of any of this.
But, as I’ve duly noted before, the England scene tried its best at being the most chaotic- but for me, the L.A. scene wins that award hands down. (And yes, The Germs played no small part in this decision!)
I was aware of the Circle Jerks in the eighties, but never bought an album by them, so I can’t even remember hearing the band!
And it wasn’t until about ten years ago, thanks to you tube, that I’ve since become well acquainted with them.
Now, I consider them one of the best early hardcore bands. They seem to fit neatly in the space between The Angry Samoans and Black Flag, which, the later, their singer was once a member.
And now I consider their singer, Keith Morris, as the best hardcore singer of all time- beating out Ian Mackaye of Minor Threat and maybe, not a popular opinion, but Henry Rollins, too- as runner ups.
This song moves along like rapid waters in a river, dashing forwards on an ongoing thrust of movement and aggression. Spiked with intelligent, pointed anger against society, the world and life.
With Ramones like rhythm guitar rushing past the designated time posts- engulfed with a passion, a drive, an energy, an over-boiling anxiety trying to out run the horrors of everyday life. To try to scream awareness into ecstatic oblivion.
Towards the middle of the song there’s a part where the rhythm section stops and the guitar squeals in a high-pitched, bird like orgasmic, screaming Chuck Berry/Johnny Thunders lick that causes my arm hairs to stand up on end and my ears to explode, ecstatically upon my laptops speakers.
But as I perform the cleanup duty, I reason, this high-falutin’, rootin’ tootin’ tune, has more glorious paths to follow.
“I don’t wanna live to be thirty-four. Go out, get some more. Go on out, to the bar, the market or the liquor store.” This line portrays the futility of life seeing as we all drink and eat to sustain ourselves while we are all, spiritually starving to death.
“Go on, get some more. Go out to your favorite liquor store…Don’t worry about it. Get fucked up. I don’t know what for.”
This song embraces but also, questions the nihilism that we lived in the early punk scene.
“Live Fast, Die Young” seemed like the motto of the early punks, not only within “the stars” of the scene but also with their fans, as well. And it was no different in Boston, one that Andy Bang and I, lived and witnessed and survived.
As I’ve stated before, if people ask me how it’s different from seeing a punk show now than it was in the eighties? I say, “Well, I can look around the room now, and not wonder how many of these faces I will see again next weekend. (As a lot of them seemed about ready to die in the past.)
Right now, I feel there’s a lot of old ideas, old thoughts that need to die off. That the younger folks seem more than eager to stamp out.
The patriarchy, the racism, the sexism, the homophobia- the financial inequality needs to be tossed out in the trash.
Some institutions seem impenetrable, but I predict- will soon be taken out with the tide, will wash out to sea, swept away.
Lots of the old history needs to be swept up and tossed away with the garbage notions and ideas it has sprung from.
But as far as the Circle Jerks go?
I could live and listen to them forever and never die a happy man!
(Slimedog)
