Customer Reviews

Small Circle of Friends: Germs Tribute

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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

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.

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.

The late Drew Blood, a good friend of mine submitted the hidden track which follows the final track of 'Shutdown'. It is a spoken word poem he wrote about Darby, The Germs and LA Punk in general. It doesn't get credit but is audible if you wait for the last track. I really love the diverse versions each artist brought to show the influence The Germs had on them in whatever way they did. Darby you are missed and so are you Drew.

I never really ever cared for buying tribute albums , but I only really bought this to hear NOFX's cover of "Forming" , but the rest of the CD has some pretty descent material , especially White Flag's cover of "Manimal" . It is descent , but I wouldn't really recommend unless you really like the Germs , or you like some of the band's on this.

If I wanna hear covers, I'll go to see a concert
but doing covers of the greatest band in punk history? you just can't do that.