Small Circle of Friends: Germs Tribute

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 27, 1996)
• Original Release Date: August 27, 1996
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Grass Records
• ASIN: B000005B4G
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #352,352 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Forming

2. Sex Boy

3. Lexicon Devil

4. Circle One

5. No God

6. What We Do Is Secret

7. Land of Treason

8. Richie Dagger's Crime

9. Strange Notes

10. Manimal

11. We Must Bleed

12. Media Blitz

13. The Other Newest One

14. Let's Pretend

15. Dragon Lady

16. Caught in My Eye

17. Not All Right

18. Now I Hear the Laughter

19. Lion's Share

20. Shutdown [*]

Editorial Reviews

It's a bit odd to have a full-blown, star-studded tribute to a band that only released one album, especially when that band was better-known for their aggressive, audience-baiting performances than their songwriting abilities. Nevertheless, the Germs were a cult favorite among underground rockers for many years, partially due to the mythology surrounding their self-destructive lead singer, Darby Crash, and partially due to their claim as the first punk rock band in Los Angeles. And that explains why A Small Circle of Friends: A Germs Tribute was created. Allegedly a full four years in the making, A Small Circle of Friends features a full 20 tracks from such alternative rock stars and heavy hitters like L7, Mike Watt & J Mascis, Meat Puppets, Matthew Sweet, Free Kitten, NOFX, the Melvins, Flea, Gumball, Dave Navarro, that dog., D Generation, the Posies, and various one-shot supergroups like the Puzzled Panthers (Thurston Moore, Mike D, Kira Roessler, Dave Markey) and the Holez (Pat Smear with Hole). Nearly every one of the artists deliver passionate, affectionate performances, but they can't quite save the songs from being rather mediocre. After all, what made the Germs compelling were the performances, not the songs themselves -- apart from "Forming" and "Sex Boy," the songs were not that memorable. Still, fans of either the Germs or any of the individual artists involved in the tribute will find something of interest on A Small Circle of Friends. -All Music Guide

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great collection, some very eclectic stuff, recommended, October 3, 2009

By 

Apple-O "[e-mail]" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Small Circle of Friends: Germs Tribute (Audio CD)

This is an inspired tribute that not only serves as a "gateway drug" into the Germs' classic seminal hardcore punk but expands that band's songs with new styles.

Some highlights:

Matthew Sweet takes "Dragon Lady" and turns it into an awesomely smooth new-wavish synth gem.

The Melvins manage to play "Lexicon Devil" even better than the original (in the very least they do it justice!)

The Meat Puppets play "Not Alright" in their sorely-missed hilariously anarchic early style (which was so obviously influenced by the Germs, check out Meat Puppets 1 if you want to hear Curt Kirkwood's best impression of Darby Crash's "singing"). Sadly this tune could have been about the Meat Puppets themselves around this time when Cris Kirkwood was sliding deep into drug addiction and the group fell apart. (Now that they're back, I wish they'd do some more of the dabbling in Germs territory which they're so good at, if only because it's such great fun.)

But the real stand out here for me is the Posies' version of "Richie Dagger's Crime" which they take apart and put back together as three Beatles tunes from different eras (and they nail the sound, it really sounds like something off of "Rubber Soul" and then "My Guitar Gently Weeps"). This track alone is worth the price of the CD and for me earns the Posies their place in the history of true rock greatness (and I'm not even a Posies' fan! I tried to get into their "Dear 23" CD but it was a little... eh. But I shall keep trying, if only because this Germs cover is so damn great. This track alone earns them their place in the new line up of Big Star.)

As a whole this is a good CD, tribute, and intro to the Germs. There are a lot of other great tracks by other artists on here that probably deserve mention, but the above is what sticks out in my memory. I haven't even listened to this CD in like 3 years or more! But even though I don't listen to it every day, it's one of those discs in my collection that will never end up in the trade pile, and without which my Germs collection is not complete.

Apple-O 10/3/09

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Circle of Friends, April 17, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Small Circle of Friends: Germs Tribute (Audio CD)

I loved the Germs when I was in Jr. High School and bought GI on vinyl when it came out. This seminal album has inspired many other bands and is a masterpiece. I picked up Circle of Friends at a used CD store yesterday and it brought back old memories. This is a great CD if you liked the Germs. I found the Posies rendition of Richie Dagger's Crime to be hilarious.

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty decent tribute, March 16, 2010

By 

J.Atkinson (Los Angeles, CA, US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Small Circle of Friends: Germs Tribute (Audio CD)

It's not a bad tribute, but it is just that...a Tribute. If you want The Germs buy a Germs record. The last song is mislabeled though, 'Shutdown' was covered by Hovercraft, not The Monkeywrench.