Circle Jerks
Formed by ex-Black Flag vocalist Keith Morris in 1979. Morris's older brother Jeff had been his best friend, teaching him about music before dying in a car accident—a loss Keith carried forever. As a diabetic, Morris had to eat on schedule or risk collapsing onstage. As he told Punknews, describing a Philly show: 'For about the last three or four songs, I was on my knees crouched down in front of the stage...I can just shove the mic down in front and there's gonna be a whole chorus of people willing to sing whatever is necessary.' Circle Jerks epitomized hardcore's speed and brevity—songs often under a minute. Their debut Group Sex (1980) delivered fourteen songs in fifteen minutes, a hardcore manifesto. Morris left Black Flag frustrated by Greg Ginn's control, but Circle Jerks proved he didn't need Ginn to make great music. They were a South Bay staple, one of the scene's most consistent and fun bands—proof hardcore didn't have to be humorless or self-serious.
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Group Sex
Keith Morris's post-Black Flag band delivered fourteen songs in fifteen minutes, a hardcore manifesto of speed and brevity. Released in 1980, Group Sex is relentless—no breaks, no ballads, just aggression. Morris's vocals are desperate, sneering. The guitars are raw. The rhythm section is locked and brutal. Songs like 'Deny Everything' and 'World Up My Ass' are under a minute, punk reduced to its essence. Group Sex proved you didn't need Greg Ginn to make great hardcore. Morris, frustrated by Ginn's control, formed Circle Jerks and immediately delivered one of the genre's defining statements.