Live At The Starwood Dec 3, 1980 (White & Blue Vinyl)

LPA

1. Circle One
2. Manimal
3. Caught in My Eye
4. Lion's Share
5. No God
6. Our Way

LPB

1. Strange Notes
2. What We Do Is Secret
3. Richie Dagger's Crime
4. Land of Treason
5. My Tunnel

LPC

1. Media Blitz
2. Communist Eyes
3. The Other Newest One
4. Let's Pretend
5. Forming
6. Lexicon Devil

LPD

1. Shut Down (Annihilation Man)
2. Public Image
3. American Leather
4. We Must Bleed
5. Richie Dagger's Crime [Reprise]

The Germs were a punk rock band from Los Angeles, originally active from 1976 to 1980. The band’s early line up consisted of singer Darby Crash, guitarist Pat Smear, bassist Lorna Doom and drummer Don Bolles. They released only one album during their short tenure – 1979’s “G.I.” produced by Joan Jett and were featured in Penelope Spheeris’ 1980 documentary film, “The Decline of Western Civilization” which chronicled the Los Angeles punk scene. Crash and Smear decided to form a band after getting kicked out of high school for allegedly using “mind control” on fellow students. Their original band name was “Sophistifuck and the Revlon Spam Queens” but they decided to shorten the name as they could not afford that many letters on a t-shirt! The Germs initially drew musical influence from Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Ramones, the Runaways, Sex Pistols and New York Dolls. Early on, Smear was the only musically experienced member; Doom survived early performances by sliding a finger up and down the fretboard of her bass while Rhia generally kept a minimal beat on the bass drum, periodically bashing the cymbal. Early performances drew raucous crowds made up of the band’s friends. As a result their gigs became notorious for being rowdy and usually verged on a riot. The band eventually developed a sound that was very influential while maintaining a reputation as a chaotic live band, delivering intense, theatrical and increasingly musical performances.

Following the release of their only studio album 'G.I.' in 1979 on Slash Records (produced by Joan Jett), the Germs recorded 6 original songs with producer Jack Nitzsche for the soundtrack to the film 'Cruising' starring Al Pacino. Only one of the 6 tracks found its way onto the soundtrack but the others were later released on 'MIA: The Complete Anthology'. In 1980, Darby Crash contacted Pat Smear about doing a "reunion" show to put punk in perspective for the punks on the scene. On December 3, 1980, an over-sold Starwood hosted a final show of the reunited Germs. At one point, Crash told the audience "we did this show so you new people could see what it was like when we were around. You're not going to see it again." Crash committed suicide on Dec. 7, 1980 at age 22, overdosing on heroin.

Rhino Handmade officially released Live at the Starwood, Dec 3 1980 in 2010 on CD. The live set was previously unavailable in its entirety. ROG is issuing this classic live punk album on vinyl for the first time. It is pressed on 180 Gram solid white and solid blue mixed coloured vinyl at Record Industry and come in a tip-on style gatefold jacket that will also include a fold out poster and mini fanzine.