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Circle Jerks

Golden Shower Of Hits
1983
Avenue

Circle Jerks - Golden Shower Of Hits (Cover Artwork)

Review by: joeg
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Published on January 18th 2005

The front cover of a stream of urine landing on a bunch of records in a urinal and a punk skanking on the back cover sums up what the Circle Jerks are all about: a bizarre, juvenile sense of humor in songs that makes punks do strange and violent dances. While the Circle Jerks' (led by the duo of lead vocalist Keith Morris and guitarist Greg Hetson) first two records Group Sex and Wild In The Streets are regarded as seminal hardcore records, this one, albeit not quite up to par, still upholds the Jerks' M.O. of obnoxious and snide punk rock played loud, fast, and with reckless abandon. They change up the pace a bit with more songs that breach the two minute mark - a foreign concept for the Jerks and their fans for sure. While the results are mixed for the most part, you should be satisfied with Golden Shower Of Hits as it's got plenty of classic Circle Jerks songs present.

First the mediocre. The few “experimental” songs they try are commendable but nonetheless don’t seem to fit the flow of this record very well. The stuttering, pounding pace of “Bad Words” doesn‘t really go anywhere. The lyrics are typical Keith Morris fare as he examines the art of using bad words where “they come in all shapes / they come in all sizes / from the rich to the poor.“ Only a guy like Keith could almost get away with it. Almost. The sleazy “Rats Of Reality” is a foray into 70’s classic rock which comes out sounding totally out of place sandwiched in between the faster hardcore tracks. But then again, we are talking about the Circle Jerks here, so them throwing us something totally off the wall may not be all that surprising.

And now the good - and there’s plenty of i. They have slowed down a bit since the Group Sex days, but come on, they were playing 30-second songs back then, so there was only one way they could go. They still play damn fast though. Enjoy the 41-second hardcore blitz of “In Your Eyes” right off the bat. “Coup D’etat” and the excellent “High Price On Our Heads,” among others, are perfect for surefire monster slam pits the Jerks are known for. One thing that will never change (and thank God for that) is Keith’s sarcastic outlook on life and politics, as in one of the most catchiest songs they‘ve ever written, “When The Shit Hits The Fan.” He screams “10 kids in a Cadillac / stand in lines for welfare checks / let‘s all leach off the state / gee! The money is really great!”

The last track is called “Golden Shower Of Hits,” and it’s a merry medley of cover songs from uh, some artists I don‘t know (I’ll get back to you on that one). It’s got a little bit of everything: Keith crooning, someone belching and making random farting noises, peppy background vocals, Keith testifying “Having my baby, what a lovely way of saying what you think of me!“ Covering songs like “Afternoon Delight” and “Love Will Keep Us Together,” you can’t help but smile as this is all coming from a hardcore band that’s written songs like “I Just Want Some Skank” and “World Up My Ass.” That’s why you and I love the Circle Jerks.

And that’s how it ends. It’s the last solid outing from the Southern California punk legends. Subsequent records would find them moving further away from the hardcore label and into newer territory with more mixed results as would others from the class of 1981. But go ahead and slap this one on and sit still if you can. It’s still the Circle Jerks, and it’s still pretty good.

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Posted by lushj on 2005-01-23 13:37:02
My Score:

Aw shucks... If you want more out of print or rare stuff, go to my e-bay store at stores.ebay.com/Jesse-Luscious-Presents-Punk-n-More

After posting here a couple days ago I pulled out "VI" again- there's some pretty decent tunes on that- "Patty's Killing Mel" "Beat Me Senseless" "Casualty Vampire"... I'd forgotten about the awesome "All Wound Up" song too...

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 23, 2005 at 1:03 AM (EST)
My Score:

"yeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaahhhhh You Stupid Fuk!"

-ken

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, January 21, 2005 at 5:05 PM (EST)
My Score:

I'm really into golden showers, I enjoy pissing in some guys face while he licks it up and rubs it into his chest.
-Gay Zack

Posted by joeg on 2005-01-21 16:23:08
My Score:

hey lushj, so you used to be in the criminals? that's cool. i really liked the split you guys did with aaa. good stuff.

Posted by lushj on 2005-01-21 12:17:07
My Score:

This is pretty darn good, with some classic songs "Bad Words" "Parade of the Horribles" "High Price on my Head" the fast version of "When the Shit Hits The Fan" and "Coup d'Etat," but it doesn't stand up next to "Group Sex." I really like "Wonderful", the one after this and before "VI", but maybe that 'cause it was the 2nd one I heard after "Group Sex" and I was a wee punker.

If you've never heard the Circle Jerks, you should get their records in this order:

1. Group Sex (fucking crucial!)
2. Wild In the Streets (mostly classic)
3. Wonderful (a little more rock, but still some speedy stuff. If you like this, you'll be open to "VI" etc.)
4. Golden Shower of Hits (a little more uneven but some classics)
5. VI (almost all rock, pretty monotone but some good good tunes)

Haven't heard the major label one with Debbie Gibson. I think the first 2 are on a single cd now, so that'll make it easy.

Personally, I like "Wonderful" more than "Wild in the Streets (Runnin Runnin!)" but I'm in the minority there. If you've never heard CJ, that's the order to go in.

Not sure if "Wonderful" is still in print. It's the forgotten record from the 80s for them, I think. I really like the bombastic (sorry) "Making the Bombs" and "American Heavy Metal Weekend"... "Killing for Jesus" "Firebaugh" (I always sing this song when I pass that place on Interstate 5) the title track, and of course, "Dude"! I gotta go dig that up now...

P.S.- Ripping off Black Flag and Red Cross? They were members of those bands! Keith Morris on the "Nervous Breakdown" 7 inch is awesome! When Rollins' Black Flag tribute came to Frisco, Keith tore it up for the first 8 songs or so before Rollins came on. What a great, expressive voice Keith has. Very recognizable too, like Milo's.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, January 21, 2005 at 10:25 AM (EST)
My Score:

Coup d'etat!!

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 20, 2005 at 3:52 PM (EST)
My Score:

"i read something about the Circle Jerks ripping off Red Cross and Black Flag riffs....like to the point where they didn't write their own music."

Their guitarist and drummer were in Red Cross, but I don't think they were ever accused of stealing music from them... Early on, they played a lot of Black Flag stuff that Keith hadn't written, but never recorded that stuff. The Flag songs they do "cover" sound totally different than how Black Flag played them... Compare the choppy two chord "Wasted" from the "Nervous Breakdown" EP with the version on "Group Sex"... Or the ploddy Black Flag "Don't Care" VS the Circle Jerks version... I think it was completely appropriate for them to do those songs... The only thing that remained the same was the lyrics, and Keith had written them.

-BSD

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 20, 2005 at 2:47 PM (EST)
My Score:

Wild in the streets and Group Sex are must haves for every serious punkrocker or hardcorepunk fan

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 20, 2005 at 12:33 PM (EST)
My Score:

i read something about the Circle Jerks ripping off Red Cross and Black Flag riffs....like to the point where they didn't write their own music.

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 20, 2005 at 1:59 AM (EST)
My Score:

Yeah, keep the oldies coming dudes.

Next up - Jerry's Kids "Is this my world" LP. It gets a fucking ten in my book.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 at 5:35 PM (EST)
My Score:

I love circle jerks!!!
uh... i mean THE circle jerks. yeah that's it. that's what i meant.

i like all their stuff, the only one i don't have is IV... plus i saw them a year ago or so and for a bunch of old fuckers they rocked HARD and FAST.

Posted by housewrecker on 2005-01-19 11:47:43
My Score:

I LOVED this album. When the shit hits the fan was my 7th grade skateboard anthem. And the way they combine those 4 or 5 oldies on Golden Shower of Hits (Jerks on 45) into a chronology of a love story is nothing short of PURE brilliance.

To the guy who asked which album for an introduction: Get VI and get Group Sex, everything else is sounds somewhere between those two albums. Or get the live album Gig and get a sample of everything.

Posted by dazed on 2005-01-19 02:22:32
My Score:

I haven't heard this, just Group Sex and Wild in the Streets. If it's half as good as those albums, though, it's a fucking classic. I think I'll have to look out for this...

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 at 12:39 AM (EST)
My Score:

Odities, etc...was actually the first Circle Jerks album I got in 95 or so. I like it a lot, to me the songs are a little catchier and better produced, but not so much in your face punk rock. Perhaps I just like it because I first heard it when I was really young, but I think it's definately a solid album.

Posted by joeg on 2005-01-18 22:15:48
My Score:

"Joeg is on a roll"

somebody's gotta review the old shit on here, right?

"Just out of curiosity, did anyone else like the last Circle Jerks album, "Oddities, Abnormalities, and Curosities"? I did. It wasn't as good as the old stuff, but it had the same attitude, I thought. Everyone seemed to pretty much hate it, though"

eh, alright but i haven't listened to it in a long time.

Posted by TheOneTrueBill on 2005-01-18 21:19:18
My Score:

I don't hate it, but it's not the greatest. I pull it out about once a year to listen to it.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 at 9:15 PM (EST)
My Score:

Just out of curiosity, did anyone else like the last Circle Jerks album, "Oddities, Abnormalities, and Curosities"? I did. It wasn't as good as the old stuff, but it had the same attitude, I thought. Everyone seemed to pretty much hate it, though.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 at 8:58 PM (EST)
My Score:

Yes! Great band, good album.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 at 6:33 PM (EST)
My Score:

the scene in repo man where when the shit hits the fan comes on is fucking rad

this score's for repo man

- the other scott

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 at 5:53 PM (EST)
My Score:

I think it's: Group Sex, this, then Wild In the Streets... Most of their other stuff is either bad or just okay. Their first three are the essentials. Group Sex makes almost everything out of DC seem tame, but is also much more clever.

-BSD

Posted by TheNightProwler on 2005-01-18 17:06:28
My Score:

This is my personal favorite Circle Jerks release, better than Group Sex.

Posted by TheOneTrueBill on 2005-01-18 16:58:18
My Score:

Joeg is on a roll.

Posted by gladimnotemo on 2005-01-18 16:17:45
My Score:

Not as good as Group Sex, but nothing can be. Still a solid CD (and better than anything else reviewed this week, by a long shot).

Posted by joeg on 2005-01-18 15:11:42
My Score:

"whats a good record to introduce me to the circle jerks"

just go in chronoligical order: group sex (essential), wild in the streets, then this.

Posted by swingline on 2005-01-18 14:51:34
My Score:

wild on the streets... running... running

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 at 2:49 PM (EST)
My Score:

whats a good record to introduce me to the circle jerks?

Posted by punkpirate on 2005-01-18 13:58:54
My Score:

I like this album... ... it is good.

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