GERMS - (MIA) The Complete Anthology 2LP

First edition Black & Blue colour vinyl.

Includes double-sided insert with liner notes, photos, credits and lyrics.

Remastered from the original tapes and includes the entire Germs recorded catalogue:

(GI) LP

What We Do Is Secret EP (in original sequence)

"Cruising" soundtrack plus 7"s

First you don't get it; you don't initially see what all the fuss is about; you can't see the appeal of what seems like the most overrated Hardcore Punk album of all-time.

Then you read Lexicon Devil and you're like, "Whoa! I had no idea that Darby Crash was this dangerous and ridiculously intelligent, charismatic, Scientology-reared evil genius... a Glam-Punk-cum-Hardcore messiah. I thought he was just a junkie, a drunken idiot who couldn't find the microphone when he performed. It was pretty funny when he would write on his face with a sharpie and ask anyone to give him a "bee-uh". Still though, the music itself can't be any good. They sucked live and hardly knew how to play, and besides, it's just basic "Punk Rock" right? Although, I have to say, "that blue circle logo is strangely mesmerising for some reason."

Eventually you actually listen to (GI) in its entirety. "Whoa! How can something sound so powerful and tight yet sloppy and loose, poetic and dangerous yet belligerent and retarded, juvenile and chaotic yet mature and focused?? How did this album manage to give birth to Hardcore Punk while simultaneously surpassing pretty much every other hardcore band that has existed?? Is this supposed to be Avant-Hardcore? What's with "Shut Down" sounding exactly like The Stooges having withdrawals in the Fun House? Why do they sound so much more visceral and real than Minor Threat could ever hope to be?? Do massive amounts of drugs, alcohol AND Hardcore Punk combine to create the only aggregate of true beauty and genius in this shitty world??"