(MIA): The Complete Anthology

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Formed in 1977, these angry, snotty-boy punks came on like an L.A. version of the Sex Pistols: sneering, shouting, and provoking violence wherever they performed. Leader Darby Crash was genuinely threatening as he railed against the society that had spawned him. Unfortunately, Crash's dark and destructive side would eventually consume him. A mere three years after the band's first gig--and in fitting tribute to his hero and role model, Sid Vicious--Crash died of a drug overdose. This anthology documents the Germs' short but furious reign as the kings of L.A. punk sleaze, from their ascension to their eventual decay. It also manages to break through the myths surrounding the band that often overshadow its legitimate contributions to the L.A. hardcore scene. --Mike Corrigan --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Tracks:

Forming
Sex Boy
Lexicon Devil
Circle One
No God
What We Do Is Secret
Communist Eyes
Land Of Treason
Richie Dagger's Crime
Strange Notes
American Leather
Lexicon Devil
Manimal
Our Way
We Must Bleed
Media Blitz
The Other Newest One
Let's Pretend
Dragon Lady
The Slave
Shut Down (Annihilation Man)
Caught In My Eye
Round And Round
My Tunnel
Throw It Away
Not All Right
Now I Hear The Laughter
Going Down
Lions Share
Forming 2

Customer Reviews:

Legendary punk album.......2006-12-13

This album is special to me, not only because the music is great, but because it was among the first albums that got me into punk rock. Darby Crash's lyrics were nihilistic and meaningful. There's something very dark about the songs too. All the great songs are on this collection, including my favorites (Circle One, No God, Communist Eyes, Lexicon Devil, Our Way, and Dragon Lady). Be warned, this has a much harder sound than many hardcore punk bands of the time.

CLASSIC.......2006-11-16

From the moment I purchased the album years ago, it was clear that it was going to be one of the classics in the punk repertoire. In reality, the Germs might very well have helped spawn the hardcore moviement, and Joan Jett's production lends a razor-sharp immediacy to the songs.

The tunes aren't so much sung as growled, and Darby Crash's lyrics can be among the most expressive I've heard in the punk genre. There's a grueling intensity to the tunes that's exciting even now. While the band won't appeal to everybody, the record left me slack-jawed with amazement the first time I heard it. The band X may have encapsulated the hopes of the L.A. punk scene, but this record still makes the hackles on the back of your neck rise. There's nothing formulaic here. If you're willing to give it a chance (and that means something more than listening to a bunch of twenty second audio samples), it's hard to imagine your not being moved. That's why this is punk music at its very best.

raw, crusty, lightning speed!.......2006-09-10

Now this album is something else. I was laughing because of the one review I saw saying you must have some insane reason to like the germs. This is actually pretty true, you sort of need a different appreciation of music for this collection. It certainly is raw stuff, they don't spare on sounding like they know exactly what they are doing. a lot of songs though really come together like lexicon devil, media blitz, communist eyes etc. then there are songs like "shut down" which is some 8 minutes of mess. vocals range from pretty crusty to completely raspy to inaudible. Caught in my eye has a chorus saying "I got you caught in my eye" and he sounds kind of like an old man coughing up a hairball or a loogee when singing the word 'eye'. so this probably isn't making the CD too appetizing to you but it really is good stuff. straight up late 70's crusty punk. fast drums, muffled rockin guitars, crusty raspy like fast paced vocals. the germs got it all!

silly silly people........2006-07-13

if your idea of "the greatest band in the world" involves NOFX, then you should definitely NOT buy this album. This is for old punk fans or for people who want to get into punk and discover one of the greatest bands of all time. Dont ever compare the germs to NOFX. thats just stupid.

like minor threat. hate the ideology. go with the germs.......2006-07-10

darby crash is a martyr, and a genius. he's one of the most unique punk lyricists, and the germs are truly an original band. if you hate the straight edge movement you'll love the germs.

Average customer rating:

A True Punk Classic
not good on album but good in person live
darby is the true definition of punk
Amazing
poetry where one least expects it ...

(MIA): The Complete Anthology
The Germs
Manufacturer: Polygram
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Hardcore | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

American Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000057BU
Release Date: 1996-07-30

Tracks:

Forming
Sex Boy
Lexicon Devil
Circle One
No God
What We Do Is Secret
Communist Eyes
Land Of Treason
Richie Dagger's Crime
Strange Notes
American Leather
Lexicon Devil
Manimal
Our Way
We Must Bleed
Media Blitz
The Other Newest One
Let's Pretend
Dragon Lady
The Slave
Shut Down (Annihilation Man)
Caught In My Eye
Round And Round
My Tunnel
Through It Away
Not All Right
Now I Hear The Laughter
Going Down
Lions Share
Forming 2

Amazon.com

Formed in 1977, these angry, snotty-boy punks came on like an L.A. version of the Sex Pistols: sneering, shouting, and provoking violence wherever they performed. Leader Darby Crash was genuinely threatening as he railed against the society that had spawned him. Unfortunately, Crash's dark and destructive side would eventually consume him. A mere three years after the band's first gig--and in fitting tribute to his hero and role model, Sid Vicious--Crash died of a drug overdose. This anthology documents the Germs' short but furious reign as the kings of L.A. punk sleaze, from their ascension to their eventual decay. It also manages to break through the myths surrounding the band that often overshadow its legitimate contributions to the L.A. hardcore scene. --Mike Corrigan

Customer Reviews:

A True Punk Classic.......1999-12-01

This guy was really prophetic in his lyrics. I'll always remember that line "If I am animal then I can do no wrong". This band definitely spawned a cult in the early 80's, it was kinda weird the way it all just vanished and LA started listening to posers like Motley Crue.

not good on album but good in person live.......1999-08-15

they need to release a live video of the germs to get the real feeling of them.the music on cd isn't all that great(punk is better live).i love the germs and darby was a true definition of punk.lorana doom was also a very good bassist.go get decline of the western civilization to see what the germs were like live.

darby is the true definition of punk.......1999-06-18

darby crash went out the way some say he wanted to.he died the day before john lennon and in hopes of his death getting some coverage it didn't.john's death took the glory away from darby.darby was a punk legend.sid viscious gets all the attention for being out of control and destructive.he was a fake.he couldn't play his instrument and was in the band just for show and to make them look good and get more attention.darby lived a sekf destructive life and bascially got laughed at for it.he was seen as a joke.he is best known for never singing into his mic while performing and cutting himself up on stage all while wasted away on drugs.many people know the germs as being pat smears old band before nirvana and foo fighters.pat has said those were the worst years of his life.the germs on cd are not as amazing as they are live.to see them live was a experience(to see what i mean try and find decline of the western civiliztion)the gems even at one point had belinda carlisle of the go go's in the band.darby's spirit will live on forever as being a true punk.-billy dips*it

Amazing.......1999-04-27

Darby's lyrics are a portrait of living in L.A. The man was taking his art to the edge every performance. He lived his art and died for it. In a world of corporate alternative music, i find myself going back to music like this when true artistic expression was as real as a heart attack. Today's bands dont even come close to this type of reality. They wouldnt dare try.

poetry where one least expects it ..........1999-03-20

a little story abt when i first found a copy of gi in nc...

we/d heard tapes of it for a few months, but a copy hadn/t yet come to raleigh. my band was playing in greensboro when my girlfriend and i found a copy of the vinyl in an alternative store (back when alternative was alternative).

as we drove back to raleigh, she read the lyrics, and was *completely* stupified that that was what darby was singng. i doubt she still believes it.

the germs were on such a higher level than the other l.a. bands at the time, except for x. in many ways they and x were peers. mia (gi and all the other stuff they recorded) is an astounding deal. it/s harsh brutal poetry, but it is a must have.