Album of the Day

The Germs emerged from the Hollywood club scene with a string of shows legendary for their chaos, with food, broken glass and performers threatening to fly off the stage at any moment. Naturally they got banned at a lot of places; the quartet used the pseudonym GI (for “Germs Incognito”) to skirt the ban - and as the title of their debut album. The 1979 Slash Records collection was produced by former Runaway Joan Jett, who brings enough discipline to the proceedings that distinctive songs and performances emerge that would've been obscured by concert sound systems. These 16 tracks, including “Richie Dagger's Crime" and the classic “Lexicon Devil,” show frontman Darby Crash to be a visionary lyricist, and future Nirvana/Foo Fighter Pat Smear to be a forceful guitarist. Decades after its original release, L.A. hardcore punk landmark GI retains its contagious excitement.