Lexicon Devil
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Contents
Background
Germs were already gaining notoriety ever since the release of their first single, "Forming", and their early live performances. However, their increasing success was not without some roadblocks. They did not have a permanent drummer at the time, Donna Rhia having long left the band. X drummer D.J. Bonebrake filled in at a few gigs, but The Weirdos drummer Nicky Beat ended up being the band's first semi-permanent drummer (The Weirdos were still a going concern at the time). Also, Pat Smear owned a Rickenbacker electric guitar at the time, but did not own an amplifier.
The band's second single came about when the publishers of Slash punk zine made an offer to Germs to release a record on their newly formed label Slash Records. The group agreed.
Production
Smear's non-ownership of an amplifier at the time actually led to the unique guitar sound on the record. Producer/engineer/musician Geza X was supposed to lend Smear an amplifier for the recording session, but had forgotten; instead Smear strung together some effect pedals and plugged directly into the studio's mixing board.
A few days before the recording, drummer Don Bolles came down to Los Angeles from Phoenix, Arizona to audition for the group. He got the job, but it was too late for him to learn the songs in time to go into the studio.[1] Instead, Nicky Beat kept the drum seat warm for the session. Bolles still participated, however, helping chant "Non deus, non deus, non deus" and clapped his hands along with the rest of the band on "No God".
Release
Lexicon Devil was released by Slash Records in May 1978, on 7-inch vinyl disc.[nb 1] The record was available strictly through mail-order.
Cover art
The cover art of Lexicon Devil is notorious for its contentious imagery. The front cover features a painting by Hubert Lanzinger from ca. 1935, portraying Adolf Hitler,[2] while the back cover reproduces a political cartoon by Arthur Szyk from 1942,[3] portraying Hermann Göring, the Grim Reaper, Benito Mussolini and Hirohito, featured as alter egos of Darby Crash, Lorna Doom, Drummer (Nicky Beat)[nb 2] and Pat Smear, respectively.[1] The illustrations and typography of the EP were printed in black on one of four different background colors, namely red, pink, and yellow.
Reissues
Long out of print in its original form, the entire Lexicon Devil EP was later included in the posthumous 12-inch vinyl disc EP What We Do Is Secret from 1981 and in the CD anthology (MIA): The Complete Anthology released in 1993.
The version of "Lexicon Devil"[4][5] released on this EP is featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto V.
A rare alternate mix of "No God" was issued on Yes L.A.,[nb 3] a compilation EP released by Dangerhouse Records in August 1979.
Re-recordings
A faster "Lexicon Devil" was re-recorded, this time with Don Bolles on drums, for the Germs first and only studio album (GI) from October 1979. This version of the song is featured in the video game Tony Hawk's Underground 2.
Trivia
The song "Circle One" is where Darby Crash's stage name originated; originally, he had taken the stage name Bobby Pyn.
Nicky Beat told the authors of Germs' biography Lexicon Devil that he had stolen the opening drum beat on "Circle One" from the Allman Brothers' song "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed".
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Darby Crash and Pat Smear.
| Side A | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 1. | "Lexicon Devil" | 2:06 |
| Side B | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 1. | "Circle One" | 1:48 |
| 2. | "No God" | 1:54 |
|
Total length:
|
5:48 | |
Personnel
|
|
Notes
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- Reviews
- Deming, Mark. ""Lexicon Devil" Review by Mark Deming". allmusic.com. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
- Lyrics
- "Lexicon Devil", lyrics. allmusic.com. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
- Images
- Germs, cover art. recordcollectorsoftheworldunite.com. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
- Lexicon Devil, cover art. discogs.com. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
- Databases
- Lexicon Devil. discogs.com. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
- Lexicon Devil. rateyourmusic.com. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Mullen, Brendan (December 27, 2000). "Annihilation Man". laweekly.com. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
- ↑ "Der Bannerträger ("The Standard Bearer"), by Hubert Lanzinger, circa 1935". ushmm.org. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
- ↑ "Arthur Szyk, Il Duce . . . (1942)". americanartarchives.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
- ↑ Deming, Mark. ""Lexicon Devil" Review by Mark Deming". allmusic.com. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Lexicon Devil", lyrics. allmusic.com. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
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