The Germs – “Germicide: Live at the Whiskey”

The Sleeve:

The Liner/Sleeve Notes:
“Shortly after, Kim Fowley hosted a series of new wave nights at the Whiskey, and the Germs managed to be included on the bill. They told everyone they knew to bring some kind of food, and the results resembled a hurricane in a Safeway produce department. Sickening concoctions of salad dressings, beans, sour milk, and Campbell’s soup flew from the balconies onto the stage below as the Germs rammed through their killer version of “Sugar Sugar” and Pat and Bobby emptied two-pound bags of sugar over the stage and the crowd. When the set ended, the Germs were banned from the Whiskey. The club’s manager charged blindly through the halls and dressing rooms, asking people if they’d come to see the Germs. If the answer was affirmative, the patron would be picked up by the scruff of the neck and admonished to “get the fuck down on that stage and clean it up, or you’re out!”
 — P.G., NYR”

Personal Review:
“Germicide” has to be one of the greatest punk albums of all time. To start this review let me give you a brief history of the end of the lead singer of the Germs life. Darby Crash had a 5 year plan, which included killing himself. On December 7th, 1980 he injected himself with heroin and died. The following day, John Lennon of the Beatles is shot and killed. Barely any news of Crash’s death is reported.

So, the album opens with Kim Fowley introducing Rodney Bingenheimer who talks about his radio statio and then introduces Belinda Carlisle, who says she isn’t in the Germs because they’re “too dirty” and “sluts” then she introduces them. (Finally.) Then the Germs open with “Forming” and it’s the fast version, not the one from the single. The song is good (of course it is.) with it’s thick political stance. Oh look, to keep it in good taste, the Germs do “Sex Boy” – which is a lot better version than the one on the single. I like the song when I can actually understand it, (haa.) and an interlude of Darby Crash challenging concert goers to fights, calling them “pussies” and yelling out “fuck you! Come up here!” then comes “Victim” which takes forever to get started because of Darby challenging everyone. I’m not too fond of the song, and I don’t think Darby was either, since he just yells out “STOP!” and then goes to the next song, which is “Street Dream” – and this song isn’t one of the Germs best songs, still better than “Victim“. Then up next is “Let’s Pretend” – which is a lot better on the album “(GI)” and the A-Side ends with Darby shouting “Oh, fuck you.”

aaand the B-Side opens with more of Darby shouting “fuck you.” aaand challenging people. Then the song “Get a Grip” starts, and well… I prefer the next two songs. Next up, is “Suicide Machine” which Darby introduces as being for “Jackie Fox… Ex-Runaway” which makes sense, since Kim Fowley was the manager of the Runaways. Darby references himself in the song too. The song ends, and Darby begins searching for Jackie, he even asks a crowd member to take his place while he searches for her. At this point they seem to get some technical difficulties and they tell Darby to stall, so they begin a cover of the song “Sugar Sugar” – which has to be the GREATEST cover of that song, ever. Simply because Darby’s drone-like drugged up rendition is just so beautifully awful. Darby forgets the lyrics and goes “aaa la la la la you’re all pricks and you know it too.” Pat begins to shout at Darby, “Bobby… Bobby… BOBBY!!” (Yea, Darby credited himself as Bobby Pyn) and next up is “Teenage Clone (Wild Baby)” which Darby dedicates to all the “pricks”. As the song starts someone shouts “Why don’t you get your teeth fixed” to which Darby shouts back, “Why don’t you get your fucking face fixed?” then the song starts! So, basically… Darby shouting, and the not. Then shouting. It basically goes on like that for a bit. The final track, “Grand Old Flag” passes by so quick, you don’t even notice it.

Interesting Facts:
None.

Track Listing:
A1 – Forming
A2 – Sex Boy
A3 – Victim
A4 – Street Dreams
A5 – Let’s Pretend

B1 – Get a Grip
B2 – Suicide Machine
B3 – Sugar Sugar
B4 – Teenage Clone (Wild Baby)
B5 – Grand Old Flag

Label:
Mohawk Records

Catalog Number:
SCALP 001

Studio Musicians & Other Album Credits:
Lorna Doom – Bass
Bobby Pyn – Vocals
Donna Rhia – Drums
Pat Smear – Guitar

Recorded by Mark Anthony
Live Sound by Carl
Mistress and Masters of Ceremonies – Kim Fowley, Rodney Bingenheimer and Belinda Carlisle
Processed and Compiled for Action Industries by Kim Fowley
Editorial Assistant – Ed Smith
Security Supervision – Dave Pierce
Remix by Mano Weber at Kitchen Synk Sound Recorders, Hollywood
Executive Producers – Greg Shaw & Ralph Peer II
Photos by Ralph Peer II, © 1981 PSP, INC.
Art by D.Z.

Other Albums I Own by The Germs:
(GI)
(GI) Manimal / Dragon Lady / Strange Notes
Forming / Sex Boy (Live)
The Whiskey / Hong Kong Cafe ’78 – ’79

Released:
1981

Related Vinyls:

Rikk Agnew – “All By Myself” Blondie – “The Best of Blondie” GG Allin – “Always Was, Is and Always Shall Be” Joan Rivers – “What Becomes A Semi-Legend Most?”