| Wonderful | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1985 | |||
| Recorded | Crystal Studios, Hollywood, California | |||
| Genre | Hardcore punk | |||
| Length | 33:27 | |||
| Label | Combat | |||
| Producer | Circle Jerks, Karat Faye | |||
| Circle Jerks chronology | ||||
| ||||
Wonderful is the fourth studio album by the American hardcore punk band Circle Jerks, released in 1985. [1] [2]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
The Daily Breeze wrote that the album "has the speed and energy that belies [Keith] Morris' disinterest in the punk scene, and the record showcases the band's outrageous sense of humor." [4] The Los Angeles Times noted that "the new rhythm team of bassist Zander Schloss and drummer Keith Clark lends tight support to the slower, more heavy metal-ish tunes." [5]
In an AllMusic review, Alex Ogg wrote: "The Circle Jerks were always a limited band that happened to cover the basics exceptionally well. However, Wonderful is the worst example of the treadmill approach to hard rock/punk that engulfed them in the mid-'80s. Greg Hetson and Keith Morris were trying out yet another rhythm section (Keith Clark and journeyman Zander Schloss), but the real fault lies in their gutless, inconclusive self-production and lackluster songwriting. Dodge this and opt for either their earlier or later work. The one saving grace is the cover artwork by Gary Leonard—featuring your heroes resplendent in tuxedos and cheesy smiles." [3]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Wonderful" | Greg Hetson, Keith Clark, Keith Morris | 2:20 |
| 2. | "Firebaugh" | Clark, Zander Schloss | 1:37 |
| 3. | "Making the Bombs" | Harlan Hollander, Clark, Morris | 3:24 |
| 4. | "Mrs. Jones" | Morris, Schloss | 2:11 |
| 5. | "Dude" | Hetson, Schloss | 2:24 |
| 6. | "American Heavy Metal Weekend" | Hetson, Clark, Morris | 3:22 |
| 7. | "I, I & I" | Chris Desjardins, Tito Larriva | 2:18 |
| 8. | "The Crowd" | Schloss | 1:35 |
| 9. | "Killing for Jesus" | Bob Ricketts, Eddie Muñoz, Hollander | 4:44 |
| 10. | "Karma Stew" | Schloss | 1:32 |
| 11. | "15 Minutes" | Clark, Morris, Schloss | 4:14 |
| 12. | "Rock House" | Hetson, Clark, Schloss | 2:31 |
| 13. | "Another Broken Heart for Snake" | Clark, Mark Free, Las Palmas-La Canada Childrens Choir | 1:15 |
| Total length: | 33:27 | ||
Black Flag is an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. Initially called Panic, the band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter, and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band. They are widely considered to be one of the first hardcore punk bands, as well as one of the pioneers of post-hardcore. After breaking up in 1986, Black Flag reunited in 2003 and again in 2013. The second reunion lasted well over a year, during which they released their first studio album in nearly three decades, What The... (2013). The band announced their third reunion in January 2019.
Keith Morris is an American singer and songwriter known for his role as frontman of the hardcore punk bands Black Flag, Circle Jerks, and Off!. Born and raised in Hermosa Beach, California, he formed Black Flag at the age of 21 with guitarist Greg Ginn and performed on the band's 1979 debut EP Nervous Breakdown. Shortly after leaving Black Flag in 1979, he formed the Circle Jerks with guitarist Greg Hetson; the band released seven albums between 1980 and 1995 and have broken up and reformed on numerous occasions. In 2009 Morris formed the supergroup Off! with guitarist Dimitri Coats, bassist Steven Shane McDonald, and drummer Mario Rubalcaba. Morris has also appeared as a guest vocalist on several albums by other artists.
Jealous Again is the second EP by American hardcore punk band Black Flag, and the third-ever release on SST Records.
Greg Hetson is an American guitarist. He was born in Brooklyn, New York and has lived in the Los Angeles area since he was 2 years old. He is Jewish. Active since 1979, Hetson is best known as the guitarist for the influential hardcore punk bands Redd Kross, Circle Jerks and Bad Religion. He is known for his high energy stage antics which people have coined the term "The Hetson Leap". Hetson was a founding member of and also plays guitar in another supergroup, Punk Rock Karaoke, and the hardcore punk band G.F.P.
Punk's Not Dead is a 2007 documentary film directed by Susan Dynner, an American hardcore punk fan. The filmmakers claims to infiltrate American clubs, malls, recording studios, etc. where they set out to claim hardcore punk and pop punk music is "thriving" from an American perspective. Its content features performances largely from 1980s hardcore bands and MTV skate punk and pop punk/rock acts. It also includes various interviews and behind-the-scenes footage with the bands, labels and fans.
Zander Schloss is an American musician, actor and composer. He is known as bass player for the Circle Jerks, the Weirdos, his many collaborations with Joe Strummer musically and in film and for his contributions to independent feature films.
Mario Rubalcaba is an American drummer from San Diego, notable as a member of numerous rock bands including Clikatat Ikatowi, Thingy, Rocket from the Crypt, Hot Snakes, Earthless, the Sultans, and Off! He has also played on albums by The Black Heart Procession and Pinback and was formerly a professional skateboarder.
Group Sex is the debut studio album by American hardcore punk band Circle Jerks. It was released on October 1, 1980, by Frontier Records. The album consists of 14 songs in 15 minutes and is considered to be a landmark album in hardcore punk. It was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
Oddities, Abnormalities and Curiosities is the sixth studio album by American hardcore punk band Circle Jerks, released June 20, 1995 by Mercury Records. It is the band's last studio album to date.
Wild in the Streets is the second studio album by American hardcore punk band Circle Jerks. It was released on March 4, 1982, by Faulty Products, a sub-label of I.R.S. Records.
American Hardcore: The History of American Punk Rock 1980–1986 is a documentary directed and produced by Paul Rachman and written by Steven Blush. It is based on the 2001 book American Hardcore: A Tribal History also written by Blush. It world premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and was released on September 22, 2006 on a limited basis by Sony Pictures Classics. The film features some early pioneers of the hardcore punk music scene including Bad Brains, Black Flag, D.O.A., Minor Threat, Minutemen, SSD, and others. It was released on DVD by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on February 20, 2007.
Golden Shower of Hits is the third studio album by American hardcore punk band Circle Jerks, released July 21, 1983, by the labels Allegiance and LAX Records. It was the band's last album to feature the band's original bassist Roger Rogerson and their only release to feature drummer John Ingram, who briefly replaced Lucky Lehrer. After the album, the band's music took a different direction on their next studio album, Wonderful (1985).
VI is the fifth studio album by American hardcore punk band Circle Jerks, released in 1987 by Relativity Records. Taking into account the Circle Jerks' contribution to the documentary and soundtrack The Decline of Western Civilization, VI is the band's sixth major body of work. It was the band's last album before its five-year hiatus from 1989 to 1994. This album's lineup later reunited in 1995 to record its final studio album to date, Oddities, Abnormalities and Curiosities.
Gig is a live album by American hardcore punk band Circle Jerks, recorded in the late 1980s and released by Relativity Records in 1992.
This is a comprehensive discography of the Circle Jerks, a California-based punk rock band. They have released six studio albums, one live album, one compilation album, and one video album.
Ron Reyes is an American musician most noted as the second singer for the Los Angeles punk rock group Black Flag.
Off! is an American hardcore punk supergroup, formed in Los Angeles, California in late 2009 by Circle Jerks/Black Flag singer Keith Morris, Burning Brides frontman Dimitri Coats, Redd Kross bassist Steven Shane McDonald, and Rocket From The Crypt/Hot Snakes drummer Mario Rubalcaba. In 2021, it was announced that the line-up changed, with McDonald and Rubalcaba replaced by Autry Fulbright II and Justin Brown, respectively. The band are known for playing short, intense punk songs, with Pitchfork describing the band as "a vital blast of classic hardcore."
Circle Jerks are an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1979 in Los Angeles, California. The group was founded by former Black Flag vocalist Keith Morris and Redd Kross guitarist Greg Hetson. To date, Circle Jerks have released six studio albums, one compilation, a live album and a live DVD. Their debut album, Group Sex (1980), is considered a landmark of the hardcore genre.
