SOME PRODUCT

Fuck, I don't know what to think about this one. I ran into an action figure of the Circle Jerks' "skank kid" mascot. They've got a lot of mileage out of that guy. The way they've used the drawing for marketing over the last [gulp!] forty years can seem like it grows against the grain of punk rock, particularly when you consider the era of DIY punk it was created in.

The "skank kid" was drawn by Shawn Kerri, someone I was friends with back in the day. Apparently, after having done the artwork, the Circle Jerks' agent claimed it was property of the band and threatened to sue her. She got sick of the back and forth so she just signed the rights over to Keith Morris, the Cirle Jerks' singer. That was way back at the dawn of the eighties and although it's been used many times since then, this is the first time I can think of that the character itself, sans Circle Jerks product, was the merchandise. Besides it seeming like an un-punk thing to do (in my book it does cross the line), it kinda goes with Morris's pattern of milking his involvement in the L.A. punks scene for everything he can. There might be a good reason for him to be in every L.A. punk documentary that's ever been made, but that doesn't mean I don't fast forward when he comes on the screen.

I may be being overly harsh, but here's another thing. Shawn Kerri at some point in the past few decades had an accident. She fell down some stairs and hit her head, suffering short term memory loss. There were rumors (and still are) that she died. The last update I've heard was in 2004. She was still alive then with some cognitive difficulties, as described by Carl Schneider who tracked her down while making a documentary about Marc Rude. If Morris still owns the rights to this "skank kid" and is the one who licensed it, and if Shawn Kerri is still with us, maybe he can kick some of the profits her way. It'd be cool if he did.

For all of you who skipped the paragraphs above, can't say I blame you. Here's the cover the Circle Jerks did of Garland Jeffrey's "Wild In the Streets". Yes, it was a cover.

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Listen:
Circle Jerks - Wild in the Streets mp3 at Tumblr
Garland Jeffreys - Wild In the Streets (streaming) at YouTube

WILD IN THE STREETS

That unassuming looking guy up there is Garland Jeffreys. He wrote one of the Circle Jerks' signature songs,  "Wild In the Streets". He was a long time pal of Lou Reed's, from before the Velvet Underground. He was buds with Bob Marley, Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen. I saw a photo of him, somewhere online, planting one on Bette Midler's kisser. And he wrote "Wild In the Streets".

His stuff isn't what you'd call exciting, but it is good and has a certain groove that comes in handy when your putzing around the house, at least that's how I get my feet wet. That was meant as a compliment, really.

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Listen:
Garland Jeffreys - Wild In the Streets (via Zippyshare) at Devil's Music
Circle Jerks - Wild in the Streets mp3 at ATumblr (?)
LP Streaming:
Garland Jeffreys - Truth Serum (streaming) at American Songwriter 2012, Jeffreys at 70

IT'S NOT ON

I'm a cynic, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Any band that puts a Circle Jerk (Keith Morris) and a Redd Kross member (Steven McDonald) together would sound enticing to anybody my age. First thought: What kind of way out wacky shit could they be putting out? Then you throw in a former member of Burning Brides and a Hot Snake, and it starts to sound like something that could be the hottest shit in town. Right? Well, what it actually resembles is a retread, bordering on cash in. That's a little harsh, but...[turn to camera 3] Come on guys. Even though you say "we're not a punk supergroup," you know that's what some nuts will say. At least you're going to get a little inventive, right?...wait, what? You mean to tell me that it's going to sound an awful lot like late 70's L.A. hardcore? Have you learned nothing? I'm not saying that I don't like that type of stuff. Hell, just like you, I was practically weened on it. But, c'mon, you're probably only going to be working with this combination of people for a while. How 'bout you blow some old fart minds?! Sure, old farts don't sink their teeth into stuff like kids do, they don't buy as much music. Well, bully for you. I'll take it, and I'll find in interesting, but I, rather we, really could use some help over here. This shit's getting...old.

Getting Ray Pettibon to do the sleeves tells me what I need to know. That's cool and everything, but the dude's in galleries now. Don't you think you could give another guy a chance? And, Keith, you probably don't remember me (we smoked cigarettes and drank beer in a parking lot thirty years ago.), but, about your bobble head, oh, and the Circle Jerks Vans,...(Relax, I really don't take the whole thing that seriously. It all just seems so...off.)

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Off! - Panic Attack mp3 at Vice Records
Off! - Jefferey Lee Pierce mp3 at Rcrdlbl (once there, click on download)
Off! - Upside Down video at YouTube
Interview at Vice Records
Keith Morris Bobblehead commercial at YouTube