GI

Will revisit but it's probably a 2

I think this was on the list because of the short-lived maniac history of this punk-band with the infamous end of the lead singer's life. I personally don't enjoy it as much as other hardcore punk albums either.

Muito poluído para mim.

not my thing - did not finish the album

Before: Hmm, Germs + 1979 = Punk or punkish? I do recognize the name but don't think I was a big fan back in the day. During: Well if this on the list I sure hope Dead Kennedys and Black Flag are. Can't say I was ever a big fan of this genre. To me it's similar to rap in that the music in not at all interesting after you've listened to the first song. I mean, it all sounds kind of the same. What's the point of making essentially the same song over and over again. Looks like there is one album each from DK and BF coming up, but I would have chosen a different album from DK which is Plastic Surgery Disasters, which I do like. Now 6 songs in, looks like it's going to be 2. Looking at the reviews, I see a lot of 1's and a lot of 5's, which seems appropriate. I do like, Lexicon Devil, We Must Bleed, Shut Down. After : After doing some research I see this is considered a pretty important album. For that reason I'd say it should be on this list. However, I don't really like this genre that much so it's getting a 2 from me.

Not my cup of tea at all.

107/1001 First listen. Punk music. I don’t get it. Amateur vocals. Weak production. It all sounds so Low effort to me. That could all be forgiven if the songs were there. Sounds like all attitude no substance to my ear. Some punk reviews as well. I gUeSs I’m A sNoB! 3/10

Overall Rating- 5/10 Favorite Song: Richie Dagger’s Crime

Too loud, screaming and drums, but that was the style back then

I appreciate punk music, I like some of it. I didn't care for this.

Felt like I heard the whole thing within 30 seconds

Too much energy, nothing I can cling to and enjoy. It's like they mashed instrument together and thought they could hide their mishaps with more noise.

I like the beats, just can’t understand a word that is being said

Pretty straightforward punk rock. I like the music, but the growling vocals don't do it for me. It sounds like if Dave Mustaine sang for a punk band, and not in a great way. All the songs are fine, but I caught myself feeling bored despite the chaotic music. I usually love punk, especially from this era, but this one didn't do it for me. Maybe it would improve if I heard it at a different time.

pas mon style 😔✊🏼

The first two tracks are genuinely dreadful — proper “turn it off” material. But after that, the album becomes this odd back‑and‑forth: one minute it’s utter rubbish, the next it’s actually not half bad. Chaotic, messy, occasionally brilliant… but mostly chaotic.

Don't mind a bit of punk sometimes. Never heard of these...think I know why

Fine. Didn’t really hit for me.

Typical punk - loud, short songs, all sound the same. It wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever heard, but it wasn’t good.

No thanks but I get it

I’m glad I don’t ‘get’ punk.

Cannot tell what they’re saying, early punk, bit edgy for me

Another genre that’s not really for me. It’s ok but I can’t ever see myself watching this live or choosing to listen to this. Next

Mehhh

It's in-you-face, unappologetic punk. If that's your thing, this album is for you. It's a bit too chaotic for my taste. I like vocals with a tone.

It wasnt super terrible other than the last song

Abrasive, unpleasant

5/10 just not for me

Nothing great here. I'm not the biggest fan of punk.

Не все, что имело влияние на музыку как таковую, всё-таки обязательно слушать...этот альбом в том числе

Tried to get through this many times, I think I mostly did? Not sure what happened with me on that Pink Flag album, was hypnotized for a minute there. Overall though, I think what Pink Flag did that this does not is avoid the monotony of what a punk album can be. Nothing can shine through if its all drenched in distortion. I didn't hate this - just not a full listen type of an album.

Being one of the first hardcore punk albums, this likely packed a bigger punch when it was released than it does today. In a world with more abrasive forms of music, the screechy guitar and unhinged vocals aren't enough to make up for the fact that most of these songs follow the basic hardcore formula. "Lexicon Devil" is probably the best song, but it's not different necessarily, it just has a more interesting vocal melody. The bass is a strong point, especially on the final track. That one does deviate from the formula; it's a nine minute plodding nightmare where the comparatively tame vocals sound more sinister than the shouts on the rest of the album. This is a nice history lesson for punk rock, but it doesn't do any thing unique enough to make it worth revisiting.

Well that was punk music.

I LOVE really loud music (Wonderful Rainbow, on this website's bottom 20 albums, is one of my personal favorites), so it comes as a disappointment when I say that I didn't enjoy this particularly much at all. I feel ridiculous criticizing classic punk rock for lacking dynamics, or having simplistic instrumentation, or having obnoxious vocals, but when every track sounds indistinguishable from one another, then all those traits become impossible to ignore. Maybe it'll hold up better on a re-listen, because from what I've gleamed through research, this is a classic of the LA punk scene. But listen number one was not promising.

i can appreciate how this was super influential to a lot of people i listen to but overall i found his voice super annoying and some parts were hard to listen to

It's noisy punk. The bass has an almost ska-like feel, and the guitar progression does have some melody to it. But the vocals and overall sound is all noise. Not my thing.

If 17 year old me had seen them play at the Old Redmond Firehouse, I probably would have loved it. Nearly-50-year-old me has 3 or 4 songs like this in me before I need a break.

This started out okay but the really mediocre to bad vocals got very hard to listen to by 'Manimal.' & when I saw that was only halfway through this already short album, I knew I couldn't rate this higher.

Lacking in variety, and what I don't like about punk. 2.5 stars

Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers is normally a super wise professor of music and life but his super-fandom of this group and their one and only album is perhaps his greatest character weakness. The guitars are ok in a sloppy skater punk kinda way but the vocals are absolute grot and the 10-minute closer Shut Down is an utmost earachey definition of filler. Time to get out the Dettol.

I quite liked Lexicon Devil but rest of the album was more in the "eh" range.

Original Punk. That just about sums it up. well that and mercifully short. For its time on a par with NWA, so 2 it is.

Not bad for a Punk album, I liked the energy. I have not come across this band before, and I have no idea why. But then again, it was a genre I only dipped my toes into in my teens, then moved onto more musically complex stuff. I doubt I'll listen to it again.

Growling punk. Not my favourite really.

Finally a true punk rock album. Really surprised the first Pat Smear appearance on the list for me is not Foo Fighters. This has the super ugly vocals I think of with punk rock. They sound like they don't give a shit about singing well, they just have something to say, so they have to sing it somehow. I don't enjoy it on most of the songs but there are a few cool ones here.

Well, this is a hard one. I think I would have really appreciated it back then. The energy is great, but it’s not very tuneful. Punk absolutely has its place, but I feel slightly too old for it now. Unless it has the sensibilities of the Buzzcocks or even the sex pistols. They still have a timeless power. This did not reach me in the same way.

So, this was entertaining enough, and if it truly is the first ever LP recorded of hard-core punk, then yes, worthy of inclusion. But... what do I think of it? Hard to say what sets this apart from any number of noisy angry punk bands. The drummer was interesting, the production was pretty lousy. The vocals were less than inspiring, the guitarist had some moments of brilliance. The total package. Whatevs.

Fantastic album cover does not make up for the music.

I'm glad the average track length is like 90 seconds. Surprised it was as early as it was. I think this is actually what I want out of punk since it's not commercial and is focused on doing what it wants. Good to be on the list, not what I like listening to

I don't mind me some punk here and there, but the mixing isn't great on this. Manimal had some okay bits. I get why this would have been influential, just not something I'd listen to much these days.

As chaotic punk noise, this album does just fine. Immediately recognised early Lemonheads in the cacophony, so it’s clearly influential. For me, it lacks the 60s girl band pop chime of the Pistols, the charm of the Ramones, and the arrogant insolence of the best punk. There are some hopeful moments though.

Appreciate the energy and attitude but the guy can’t sing lol. Maybe that’s the whole point but it doesn’t mean I have to like it.

I tried to like this, but no. A couple songs early on stood out as listenable, maybe even likeable, but this isn’t anything I’ll come back to.

It’s quite possible that I wasn’t in the right mood to open my ears up to a fairly hardcore punk album. But I actively disliked listening to it. Cool to learn about Pat Smear’s origins though.

not a huge amount, quite repetitive tbh

The Germs are important. They only released one album, but they would inspire a thousand bands, including Nirvana and Foo Fighters, mainly because Germs’ guitarist Pat Smear played in both. However, many consider this album to be the first hardcore punk album recorded. This album was also produced by Joan Jett because the band were fans of The Runaways. The band was featured in the incredible documentary by Penelope Spheeris, The Decline of Western Civilization. If you haven’t seen it, check it out. Also, The Decline of Western Civilization Part 2: The Metal Years is amazing too. The history is huge with this album, and I appreciate it. But I just didn’t connect to the music. There were certain songs I really dug, but after eating Thanksgiving potluck, I fell asleep about six songs in. I’m listening to it now, by the way, there are 16 songs on the album, but most are barely two minutes long. I’ve now listened to the whole album and not much has changed. I can appreciate how people could have been inspired to create music after hearing this and how ahead of its time it was. However, it’s just not for me. I grew up in the 70’s and mostly listening to pop radio for the first 9-10 years of life, so I like melody and hooks. While I think it is important for history’s sake, it won’t be going in my permanent playlist.

I think part of what I’ve learned from doing this is that I’m just not that much of a punk person. It’s really hard for me distinguish what’s an actually good song from just cool noise. Also idk why but I love the album cover it’s so satisfying. Is it mean to say the singer’s style reminds me of a rabid dog? Fav songs: Richie dagger’s crime, the other newer one

Starting my tennage in teh end of the eighties, I love Punk music. Here I like the drums, even the guitar and the bass most sometimes, but the singer is just putting it all off for me.

Too aggressive. 2/5

Meh, pretty generic punk. I guess this was influential in some way? Didn't love it.

1979? It sounds like the early days of punk, when everything and anything was getting released. How did this manage to avoid evolving? I struggle to think of a single redeeming feature to this. I was elated when it finally ended.

Ahh.. not really

Ground breaking stuff. Basically setting the standard for generations of (US) hardcore punkbands. And I appreciate the energy and aggression but musically there's not an awful lot for me personally. The riffs are more hard working and sturdy than sparkling and exciting. I prefer sparkling. And I find the vocals - the tuneless growling and wailing - quite hard going. I prefer hardcore you can sing along to.

Two stars for being banned from locations and then booking yourself into those same locations under Germs Incognito.

For punk music it sounded OK. Still not my favorite.

God I’m sick of those punk albums. They all the sound the same, and it’s just not my vibe. Simpsons: No

Well it was short

Varmaan ollut taas mullistava levy aikanaan. Ei nyt uponnut oikein. 2,25/5.

Favorite Track: Lexicon Devil

Now wash your hands.

coming soon to the New Cross Inn

Not a genre I'm that keen on but can appreciate it must have been an important album for punk. Didn't realise the Nirvana/ Foos guitarist started out with Germs either.

The music is fine but holy shit the vocals are so so annoying

StraightHardcore- Punk from '79. It is considered as the first of its kind.

This one is a low 2 for me. Everything I dislike about most Hardcore Punk music, only saved by how killer some of the riffs are. This guys voice is just nails on a chalkboard. I know that’s the point of “REAL” Punk Music, but it’s just not for me. If he didn’t sing at all, this would be an easy 3 for me, but his annoying wailing just ruins it entirely. Wouldn’t return to this one sadly, but it’s not a 1. I kind of thought it was going to be a 1 for a while. It’s almost a 1. I kind of want it to be a 1 low key. It didn’t exactly grow on me, but the more I could drown out the sound of the singers voice, the easier it became to appreciate the guitar and other, better aspects of this album. My favorite song on this one was “Our Way”. Gracefully, this one is 38 minutes long. The perfect length for an album. I also really like the album art. It’s simple but very cool. Stands out.

Style over substance

Respect their game but not my thang!

Was hoping to hear something I might love but alas....not for me. 2/5

Punkk not my vibe but worth another listen when I’m feeling that

2/5

I generally like hardcore punk, however this feels like 40 minutes of mostly the exact same song. Just not much unique about it.

Not my bag. Want it to be but it isn’t.

This is hard music for people that only listen to radio

Energetic, grew on me the whole time. Still didn't love it. Unfort

I liked the background story about this album more than the music itself, which was maybe just a little too raw. The fact that the fans had never heard the vocalist sing before, as he did his best to avoid doing so, makes a lot of sense now. Two stars.

Who does this genre appeal to?guitarist and bass player should’ve swapped instruments

2.5

I previously commented on a punk recorded review that my teenage punk phase was apparently just that, a phase. I stand by that comment

It’s okay.

Like DaDaism, punk had a political and artistic statement - it had its moment, but like DaDa it wasn't really a genre and had nowhere to go. Notice, the punk bands worth listening to started incorporating more and more of the traditional musical techniques they "rebelled" against. These guys never got the message - the biggest question was who would barf first, me or the vocalist. This is mostly junk.

i didn’t know this was punk when i put it on i just played it blindly, i wasn’t feeling like listening to punk but there we go, a comment put this quite well “one of those influential but not interesting ones” it sounded okay but not very interesting

Lorna Doom is the star, with able support from Don Bolles. Pat's wall of noise is kept low in the mix so it doesn't detract from her melodies. The challenge is ignoring Darby's bratty ranting. GI ends with 10 minutes of filler that presumably took 5 minutes to write in the studio. Clearly, they were in a rush to get an LP out before the fad was over, but a 28 minute album would have been fine. The band's sound and the dry production were clearly modelled on just such an album, released by Ramones over two years previously, but that one also had good ideas and good songs. Where GI tries to expand on the template, it mostly irritates. The sampled speech on Media Blitz is a nice touch, but the aforementioned mess of Shut Down (Annihilation Man) and the phased cymbals on Our Way show they ought to have stuck to Their Way.

At last, an American band that actually knows what Punk should be. Still sh*te tho.

Punk and Hardcore Punk are not my kind of music, but I must admit that the music was good and well-produced as far as I can tell. Lyrics and vocals, though, are annoying.

Not really my thing but I can definitely appreciate what they were doing here and glad I at least listened. Manimal was pretty good.

While I appreciate how novel this must have been for the time, this was not easy on my ears. A pretty tough listen.

# Album Name: GI # Artist: Germs # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: Nahhhhhhhhhh mate. Not for me. Wasnt the worst thing ive heard on here. but still. # Top Tunes: None # Would I listen to it again? No

Interesting not my cup of tea

Okay, this is sharp, short and punchy. Risks just blending into one distorted mess but I guess this is punk rock! All songs 2 minutes with just enough structure to keep something of a distinctive melody. I guess this is the style but I really do wonder, if you’re a punk fan, how you separate and choose your favourite song?! Kinda get it and over it, easily, by 50% through. Maybe I’m missing something but it’s just okay and of a certain context. That’s not for me or how I appreciate albums. (2.5)

I get why this is on the list, but it didn't really do anything for me. I like this kind of music, but this sounded a little samey to me, even with a relatively short runtime.

I've liked me some punk bands in my day, but this is just too much to get behind. They really lost me at the 10 minutes of noise punk at the end. I appreciate that this inspired greater bands, but I'm glad leaving this one behind

Music like this I tend to appreciate more than enjoy, if that makes any sense. I understand the significance of Germs moving the genre of punk forward and being a part of the lionization of the LA hardcore movement, it just took me a little while to get into the same headspace of the songs. Once you lock in, though, you totally get it. I think Darby's unfortunate end really pushes this into the stuff of legend and embodiment of the music's worldview - but in my humble opinion that can only elevate the material so much.

Honestly really struggled to get through this.. not for me

Lexicon devil is good, shut down has a good baseline. Otherwise nothing remarkable for the non-punk fan

I get that these are the first of something, amd thats important, but it doesnt mean it is good. The new sound is a good one, but its done so much better by successive other bands that this just sounds weak.

Thank gods it's short.

alright, but i can think of better punk albums?

Snarling hardcore. All attitude, lacking proficiency.

Tapped out after 4 tracks. Just couldn’t handle the noise … and I’m hard rock / grunge / metal guy

Why are all punk songs two minutes long?

I’m just not a hardcore guy. This album had a few moments of intrigue (the opening riff of Richie Dagger’s Crime, the slower sludge of Shut Down) but overall I didn’t enjoy it.

The absolute hardest, most barbaric shit i've ever heard. No wonder they burnt out so fast. The fact that this kind of stuff was ever published is a testament to anyone having potential to make money in the music industry, or at least, back in the late 70's. Then again, did the band make any money? If they did they probably just wiped their asses with it.

Seems like these guys are rebelling against logic. Doesn’t make a lot of sense and not really my thing but the sound is salvageable.

Some solid very early American punk. Kinda an acquired taste but I liked it. Strangely enough produced by Joan Jett

I do enjoy listening to these seminal albums. Really interesting to see what influenced people. It’s rubbish though.

The 1001 has basically made me hate punk. I basically get nothing from this apart from appreciation for the energy. The last track the only interesting one for me. 1.8/5

Germs: GI: This album has fantastic instrumentals, great production, and awful vocals. They are not harsh, they are just shit and sound like a guy whining or whailing. Its a shame, because they have a great guitar sound and their drummer is excellent. 4/10

I get a little suspicious when you give qualifiers to genres. This is supposedly hardcore punk. As if punk isn’t hardcore. As Jack black rightly sang in ‘school of rock’ ‘You’re not hardcore/unless you live hardcore/ and the legend of the rent was way hardcore.’ I note the lead the singer killed himself. That is a terrible thing. But one wonders if this just goes into the trauma porn fetish this list seems to lean into? If they were still going, would this be considered a classic? It’s energetic. But a bit dull. 2 stars.

Lexicon Devil is great, from the Tony Hawk soundtrack, the rest of the album isn’t remarkable

Respect but not my style

Another garage band that can carry a beat, but that's about it.

Shouty, tuneless, and boring. I still don’t know why we need so many punk albums that all sound the same. At least some women were involved.

1.5*

The only and only album from this American Punk Rock band. Uninspiring - possibly why they only made one album (although that probably has more to do with one of the band members committing suicide). Best track on the album is "Lexicon Devil", but that isn't saying much.

im auto as paleo glost. nöd sooo coole punk aber gern punk dru 2

The aesthetics, culture, and influence of punk? Outstanding, 10/10. A lot of the actual music? Hit or miss....this is more of a miss for me.

I love punk, and I recognise how influential Germs were to a lot of the alternative and grunge bands that followed them … but this is not a good punk album. Yes, a lot of punk’s raison d’etre is to be anti-establishment and part of that is not being technically polished, but there’s not being technically polished and then there’s being a pretty musically shit band. Pat Smear went on to greater things, but Darby Crash was simply not a good vocalist at all, and that really gives the album an even-rougher-than-rough feel. It’s a shame, but there is little to like about this album.

3/10… 70‘s hardcore punk (and on the drums - The Animal)

I can tell it was very influential. 2.

Juzgas a una banda con un solo álbum cuando no es una obra maestra ni tuvo capital influencia y además su líder fallece por sobredosis al poco de publicarse el disco, no es empresa fácil. A mí no me llegan, ni por el estilo ni por la escasa variedad de registros. No son The Clash, ni los Pistols, ni X Ray Spex o Penetration por mucho que Joan jett produjera este debut.

I get that it wouldn’t really be punk if the singing was any good, but it’s just soooo bad. Grating to listen to.

I understand the importance of this record and the band members. I’ve watched “The Decline of Western Civilization”, and the biopic “What We Do is Secret” about the band and Darby Crash. But hard-core punk is just not for me

aint it chief

If I was a more into punk Id probably enjoy this a little more than I did. Its ok but still bit as good as some others and honestly not remotely as other artist in this genre. 2.5 goin down.

I kinda get it but really not my style. Some bits felt like playing a THPS game (a good thing!) but mostly kinda just noise. Would not revisit.

Meh. I can’t give it one because I know it’s helpful.

This was a tough listen. Musically I vibed with a lot of this, but the vocals felt so sloppy and half-assed that it just sapped all the good will I had for these tracks. Not my kind of punk, but I appreciate its rawness and the speed at which this was performed at.

Without the instruments in the background, I wouldn’t be able to tell that this shouting is supposed to be music.

So unpleasant to listen to

I was going to say I’m just getting old, but I didn’t like this when it was new, either.

Also Germy

beurk

I will say this for punk albums. Generally, they don't mess about. They're punk from start to finish, don't usually last too long and they don't try to be too clever. I expected something different from the artwork so it was fun to discover that I was wrong. The fun didn't last that long though. It's fine. I don't really get how it earned its place on this list though.

I think these early punk albums work better as an EP rather than a full length album. I was starting to get a headache by minute 25. There were a couple songs that I did like. I've heard "Lexicon Devil" on a few skate punk playlists before, and I added it to my own. I didn't hate this album, but it's kinda like drinking a bottle of whiskey for dinner rather than eating a full meal.

Ik vind deze genre meestal wel leuk maar ik vond dit album een beetje chaotisch. Het alhum voelde een beetje gehaast ofzo

1.5

GI is often hailed as a landmark of American hardcore punk, but listening to it outside of that context—just as an album, without the mythology—it’s a rough ride. Produced by Joan Jett, the record captures the Germs in their most coherent recorded state, but that still amounts to a lot of messy energy and deliberate chaos. The playing is loose to the point of falling apart, with Pat Smear’s guitars buzzing and collapsing over Lorna Doom’s simplistic but relentless basslines. The songs fly by in under two minutes each, giving you just enough time to register a riff or a hook before the next one slams in. Darby Crash’s vocals are the biggest hurdle here. His guttural delivery is more of a drunken spoken-word performance than traditional singing, with lyrics often buried under the noise or barked in a way that makes them unintelligible. That might be part of the appeal for some—the rawness, the unfiltered aggression—but it can also be exhausting. There’s little dynamic variation between tracks, and the whole album can feel like being locked in a room with someone angrily pacing in circles. You can sense the influence this had on later punk and hardcore bands, but influence doesn’t always equal enjoyment. Ultimately, GI is a piece of punk history that’s probably more important than it is listenable. If you're deeply into punk as a movement, the Germs’ only studio album is a chaotic document of rebellion and collapse. But if you’re looking for tight songwriting, emotional variety, or even just songs that feel fully formed, this isn't likely to do much for you. It’s not without its visceral charm, but for me, it’s just not a sound I connect with beyond the historical value.

All the songs sound the same…

This was just noisy, not a fan of this.

Did not enjoy this.

This may not be for me. I don’t know. Just too much of the same.

Richie Dagger’s Crime: love the intro

Pure punk. Snarling vocals, driving rhythms, exactly what comes to mind when this genre is brought up. In and out in 3 minutes or less, but for my money there's a LOT better punk to put into my playlists than the Germs.

I think I enjoyed the Wikipedia article about this band more than listening to the album... Obviously very influential sound, and true to the punk ethos but not a ton of listenability.

Gear: Dunu SA6 Artwork: ⭕🔵⬛ Production: 💩😘🤌 Music: 🔥⚡🧷 Rating: 🐌🐌/5

Not a big fan

Influential? Sure. Good? Not really.

Mostly sounds alike to me. For punk them seemed to have some talent

It was some hardcore punk

Lexicon devil Manimal

I enjoyed the fast paced nature of the songs with most being under 2 minutes 30 but the songs themselves didn’t do enough really. 2 stars

Nicht so meins.

There are probably some good songs in here if they were slowed down and given a little space to breathe. Going at 100mph doesn't get me pumped up like good punk does and, let's face it, the singer isn't capable of spitting out lyrics at that speed. I get it was influential, but I'm not certain that's a good thing.

This was rough.

I mean they came first so that must be of some value

Sounds like if Donnie from The Wild Thornberries were to record an album

Even when the songs were only 90 seconds long, they still felt just as long and the 9-minute closing track.

En skiva som ofta listas som klassiker så jag hade höga förväntningar då jag ofta gillar tidig punk (77-79). Jag blev besviken då den helt saknar melodier, energi och hooks. Jag gillar manimal som maler rätt bra. I övrigt inget som fastnar !

Proto hardcore punk? Sounds it. Didn't mind it but nothing grabbed me. Probably needs a few more runs. High 2s for the influence

Its saving grace is that most songs are under 2 minutes long. I reserve 1-star reviews for those rare entries that beg the question "what is this album even doing on this list?" I understand this one has some kind of significance as the "first full-length hardcore punk album," so 2/5 stars it is.

16 songs....I got the gist in 16 seconds. Not interested in more mediocre punk.

It was good but all the songs blended together. I had higher hopes.

i don’t think we needed an answer to the sex pistols 2/5

I found this whole album very grating. This reminds me of the type of music that much better bands (like Nirvana, for example) point to as inspiration but don't really deserve the props.

Somethings are revolutionary at the time and then done way better by others afterwards

Wasn’t that bad, pretty definitive sounding early hardcore record. It just didn’t push the envelope for me in this day and age. Rating: 2.5

Crummy noise

Feels very ahead of it's time. A bit too hardcore for me but still cool to hear some very early, very raw hardcore punk. I don't think I'll listen again but glad I heard it once.

Can’t listen to a whole album of punk

One good song on a well recorded and produced album. Meh.

punk

Yesterday I got Black Flag. They released the Nervous Breakdown EP before this. Much better. This belongs in the bin with Windows 98 and asbestos. Important then, but you shouldn't use it anymore. Not a good introduction to the genre. This is probably on the list because Pat Smear was also in Nirvana and Foo Fighters. Belinda Carlisle (go gos and solo) was also in the band at some point, but not on any records. Favorite song: Lexicon Devil.

Everyone starts somewhere and Pat Smear has definitely done some great things. This one I didn’t much care for.

- I like punk. But I also like melodies. And changing tempos. And being able to breathe for five seconds. So I am probably just a poser. - Rough going for much of this, largely because Crash's vocals are intentionally scrubbing sandpaper on your eardrums. - Did somewhat like the chunk from "Our Way" to "The Other Newest One." - Looked up this band. They sound exhausting.

To be fair I just skimmed through this one, but every song sounded the same to me. Not really a fan

I'm not into punk, it seems.

Very good raw punk power. But punk is not my thing. Played like this, it’s just too repetitive at multiple levels. The pacing and rhythm are one speed. But it’s quality work in that genre, as far as I can tell. A 2.

A tedious punk album that may have at one time been required listening, but is now no longer relevant.

Not for me

Nah

Old school punk might just not be for me

It's kinda fun but sometimes 'fun' just doesn't cut it

I’m aware of the historical significance of the album and its influence on following punk albums and bands in the US. That being said, I’m not sure the music is best served recorded. I think the true value of the band really only came across live. The album was fine, well produced and clean, but that’s not very punk rock, is it?

Sounds like yer local pub band, pretty exciting in person but a bit meh on record

I'm not a racist, but, I just can't understand what he's on about. The band is generic punk band. You could stick Johnny Rotten on here and I'd believe it was The Sex Pistols, but if you stick Johnny Rotten on here it would have lyrics you could hear about some engaging eye rolling guff.

Fast, thrashy and pointed, pretty much what you want from a punk album. I guess if you were part of the late 70s punk scene this would be gold dust, but mid-2020s it just sounds chaotic.

This is an influential work that paved the way for hardcore punk, but at times the bass and drums felt out of place, the snarl of Darby led to some lyrics being unintelligible, he was the star of the show when it was clearer, but that's wasn't always the case. Pat Smear plays some interesting stuff in the album. And the final song feels unnecesary long for what it was. But who says you need to be proficient to be good in music? It might not be the most technically gifted group or the best engineering work, and that's what it gives it a character that pop-punk post 90's does not have. 5/10 It won't join my listening playlist but I respect it for what it is, a group channeling chaos

unbelievably bad. Rip off West coast wannabes. At least they managed to get this out in the 70s and not the late 80s like many other bands who couldn't play their instruments. I like the album cover though. Very modern.

Demasiado punk para mi

Not my type at all.

ugh :/

Really wanted to like this because I usually do like a good punk album, but I just couldn’t. The drums were really good but I couldn’t get over the singing. I can see how this would’ve been an influential album though.

genuinely what is he saying? musically it's alright, but that last track killed any good will i had for this album

Recognised one of these from Tony Hawk’s Underground 2

If the band Skwert would have put out a second album it would have sounded like this: very garage punk. Naturally, I didn’t hate the raw aesthetic, but I also can’t be too complimentary about the musicianship. Key songs for me are Lexicon Devil and Communist Eyes. It was a fun listen but I found myself drifting before the end of the album. There is only so much raw punk I can take in a day now….

Random thoughts: * this was a bit too aggressive for my taste. But props to them for doing their thang. * The first song ended so abruptly I thought something was wrong with my streaming service. * Probably a one time listen for me. Never heard of them and I'll see if I remember that I heard this before.

I have always been familiar with Germa and their story but clearly had never listened to their music. I was shocked to find out they only made one album. Turns out it was one too many. I appreciate their place in the LA Punk scene, but that was a tough listen.

Wieder eins dieser typischen Punk Alben. Fand ich nicht überzeugend

Not really

As with most punk, energy and vibe are prioritized over musicality or musicianship. They strike rough and tumble and carelessness on the head. I have always appreciated a punks ability to get in and get out. Many tracks in a short time, painting the picture just right. The bio was a wild read that started with me reading about the lead singers suicide and ended with learning that Belinda Carlisle was the Germs drummer. In the her hit “Heaven is a Place on Earth” Belinda says “in this world we’re just beginning to understand the miracle of living. Baby, I was afraid before but I’m not afraid anymore”. Good for her.

Pönk er farið að valda mér leiðindum. Lögin eru öll afskaplega svipuð og óspennandi. Ég beið bara eftir því að platan myndi klárast og horfði á sekúndurnar í síðasta lagin tikka í átt að betri líðan

Not good. So they're trying to be the Sex Pistols? Ugh, finished so it gets rounded up to 2 stars

ну и пурга...

Punk. Ganska dålig punk dessutom.

Hardcore punk and I weren’t meant to be friends, and that’s okay. I think I found the story of Germs more interesting than their music.

True punk. I'll give them credit there. But every song sounds the same and none of them are all that good.

2.5

Ow

solid 2

Bad

I've not been too hard on punk albums on this list. This one does not make the cut for me though. I also fucked up by having it in repeat. On my second go through I didn't even realise we had started over yet and I started to think "well, this awfully long for a punk album"

Up beat instrumentals. Don't like the vocals.

Felt like I should have been a pinball for this. Not the album for working.

Manimal is the best song on the album. First two songs are the same- convince me other wise. Lyrics- What lyrics? Instrumentals- Great at some times but quite repetitive Overall- Feels like a first draft. but with some drugs it'll be great. but the fact I have so much to say about it, means it is provocative and a solid work of art. Album reminds me of the meme: "Noone knows what it means but it is provocative. Gets the people going"

It's the fuckin' Germs man, the fuckin' GERMS! And it's not as great as the legend suggests. 15 1 to 2 minutes songs that are so hardcore punk, this band can barely play but does speed thrashing, and 1 10 minute long slog that overstays its welcome by about 9 minutes. If not for the expanded lore of the legend of Pat Smear and the knowledge of what could have been with fuckin' Belinda Carlisle on drums, this would be a solid 1 stinker. FUCKIN' GERMS MAN! FUCK-IN' GERMS!

This wasn't bad, but roots/ultra-raw "real" punk isn't for me 2.5

It's fine for "the first hardcore punk" album, I guess.

My two biggest takeaways from this album were: 1. I have no idea what the singer was saying most of the time 2. This sounded like a band that plays in their parents garage and just uses loud sounds as "music" With that said, the music wasn't actually that bad but definitely not something I will come back to. There isn't really anything that made me go "wow, this is worth my time."

Yuck! Only made to 5th song. Too hardcore for me!

But why

I dunno. Maybe this sort of thing broke a mold back in the day. Now it sounds average. 2/5

very ugly music but female bassist plus point

Very high energy, very punk.

Gewoon een punk album. Waarschijnlijk cult status gekregen door Pat Snear en de dood van de frontman. Ik vond het niet heel bijzonder.

Hardcore Punk, just not my jam

If it weren’t for the Wikipedia description I wouldn’t have known who this is and would have chalked it up as generic punk. Cool to hear the birth of a genre

Okay

eh kinda boring as hell!

Aren't we here to hear some amazing music? I've had my fair share of "punk that's pretty awful to listen to but if you read the Wikipedia page maybe you'll go "ah, right"."

Noise.

Hmmm, no :)

Another almost-1

Was excited when this was described as hardcore but it just sounds like regular snively punk. 2.0

Rating: 4/10 Impressed this came out in 1979, sounds quite influential for hardcore punk. I am not impressed whatsoever with the music though.

I like some punk but it’s gotta be more polished than this. This was just a fucking wreck.

Not my thing but I can appreciate

Like the old school punk, but not like something I want to sit down and listen too. Never heard of the band so i read about em, apparently lead singer died of an intentional heroine overdose the day before john lennon.

Punk was kinda fun when I started this list, but man it all sounds the same. This album started over while I was listening and it took me 4 tracks to notice.

He might as well be speaking Arabic. Can't understand a word. Guitar is fun and thrashy, but overall this just sounds like noise to me. I'm usually a punk fan too.

I did not like this album. It's hard punk with very gravelly vocals. The songs mostly sounded the same to me. The instrumentation was ok albeit rather simplistic, but the vocals just ruined any enjoyment for me.

This one's not for me. I couldn't understand a word for the most part. And sometimes that's fine. But then the music itself needs to be interesting, and this wasn't. And I do like some punk stuff too, so it's not that either. The last track, Shut Down (Annihilation Man) was kind of cool, but otherwise I wouldn't revisit anything here.

Multiple people in my life have told me that I have Darby Crash energy which is why I should probably start going to therapy again

i'm sure this was formative and important for early punk. and i was very sorry to read about the tragic history behind this band's short-lived career. but i did not like it.

rockstar burgers ahh music

Surrounded by bottles of Domestos we survived this onslaught. Grinding raucous nonsense with rare moments of almost a tune. Bizarrely the final track fractured and off the wall that it is turned out to be the most interesting.

high school jimi and today jimi are at odds over this could i write poetry to this? n

Revolutionary for its time, I don’t think it holds up all that well. I can see how some of my favorite Punk bands were influenced by the Germs, but I doubt I’ll listen to it again.

Didn’t hit. Too messy and samey.

Eh. This sub-Pistols punk doesn’t do it for me anymore. Maybe I’m too old.

This really isnt for me

Some time ago I checked my old school friend's social media page and saw a song he wrote for some art project. It sounded exactly like Communist Eyes, with the only exception being my friend singing much quieter. And he's not a musician, he's a painter

Never heard it before. Sounds like pretty great, raw punk. Featuring future Foo Fighters guitarist, Pat Smear, who seems cool.

So this is the punk that horrified your parents. Abrasive, subversive, hard on the ears. True pioneers apparently but too raw for me. I prefer Sex Pistols to Black Flag; more melody. And these guys make Black Flag sound like a church choir. Darby Crash on vocals is just too much for me even if the rest of the band isn't bad at playing instruments.

Painful drivel.Not worth the electrons un what ever devices it's stored on

High enegery and great start with what we do is secret. Hearing that set the scene for an hour of punk. After a while it all got very same! I couldnt understand a lot of the lyrics as they got taken over by screaming. That said the sound is great. Favourite song: every song was the same and average Least favourite: same again Album artwork: I love the cover art

Not for me.

Not a fan of this one.

Interesting - raw unpolished punk. Nothing I'd listen to again, but I've heard worse stuff.

Yep, not my cup of tea.

My for me

Deec punk. Wasn't feelin it yesterday.

A very monochromatic album. I appreciate the sound, but nothing makes it stand out to me compared to other artists of that time, and the songs themselves have a hard time standing out from each other.

This is just not for me. There were honestly better melodies than I expected, but ultimately not something I’d ever want to listen to again.

Album 443 of 1001 Germs - GI Rating : 2 / 5 There are many punk albums I enjoy. This isn't really one of them.

好吵的朋克

Yikes, tough listen. Not being a fan of punk certainly doesn't help but oof, those vocals. One song would end and I would sigh in relief only for the next song to start right back up where the last left off- screetching and yelling. 3/10 (1.5/5)

Not my thing but I get it.

No ha estado mal escuchar la banda Punk en la que estuvo Pat Smear. Interesante referencia a escuchar.

Felt like I was listening to someone have a panic attack and a breakdown whilst singing. I have a headache. The instrumentals are alright though, pretty average punk sound for the time period.

very bland

Most of this was pretty awful, but a few tracks and the guitar work (Pat Smear from the Foo Fighters) save this from being a 1. A group that was probably fun to see live in the early grunge era.

I must have listened to this before because “Lexicon Devil” is marked as liked on Spotify—three times, actually, from different releases. Still love that one. The rest are ok.

Rough and ready which I think was absolutely their intention….

I can hear some influence on other stuff to come, but it's a very messy album itself.

Low quality punk

Pretty shitty punky.

Urgh.

Not the greatest release from my birth year. Punk has been done much better.

Annoying

Okay. Not great.

3/10 - I do not think I understood a single word he has said in this album. Lexicon Devil went kinda hard. In the background of Shut Down someone just randomly smacked a piano a few times. Overall pretty bad.

Fuck off album generator 3/10

Old punk albums like this are hilarious to me. Like okay if you're hearing this in 1979 I can imagine it's a trip. But today? I've heard fast sloppy music like this played in every dive bar across the world. Never once have I thought this is the peak of musical experience. It's just fast one-note shouting. As a fan of metal, this type of music turns me into the people I don't like that say "You can't even understand what they are singing about", but in this case I can't even understand what they are even playing for.

Really chaotic and noisy, as expected. I'm sure punks would enjoy it way more, but it's not for me.

I generally like punk and that's exactly what this is. Thing is, there are lots of other bands that did it better.

I couldn’t do the whole thing

mange punk album man skal høre før man dør tydeligvis... Kunne godt død før jeg hørte dette egentlig.

Too hard core for my tastes, but a blessedly short album with short songs, except for the last one.

According to Wikipedia, this is "considered the first full-length hardcore punk album", so I guess I'll add a point for historical relevance. It's terrible though. No need to listen to this.

Thought this was gonna be a long one being 16 songs, but like some other punk songs we have listened to, it is only about 2 mins per song. Pretty terrible way to start the morning. Basslines are pretty sweet though. Singer sucks and is constantly off beat. Take him out and we maybe have a 3 star album? Strange Notes actually goes hard and then he just spews some incoherent noise all over the track. The mixing in Our Way sounds like the band is underwater. idk what's up with that. low 2. the voice was irredeemably bad.