List of Circle Jerks band members
The Circle Jerks were an American punk rock band whose most recent lineup consisted of vocalist Keith Morris, guitarist Greg Hetson, bassist Zander Schloss, and drummer Kevin Fitzgerald. The band was formed in Southern California in 1979, and originally comprised Morris on vocals, Hetson on guitar, Roger Rogerson on bass and Lucky Lehrer on drums.
Circle Jerks | |
|---|---|
 Circle Jerks lead singer Keith Morris performing live in 2006. | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Hermosa Beach, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Hardcore punk, punk rock |
| Years active | 1979–1990 1994–1995 2001–2010 2020–present |
| Members | Keith Morris Greg Hetson Zander Schloss |
| Past members | Roger Rogerson Lucky Lehrer Earl Liberty Chuck Biscuits Keith Clark Kevin Fitzgerald |
The first Circle Jerks lineup released three albums (including their 1980 debut Group Sex), before Rogerson and Lehrer were kicked out of the band in 1983 and replaced by Earl Liberty and Chuck Biscuits respectively. This lineup lasted only a year, and the Circle Jerks hired Zander Schloss and Keith Clark as Liberty and Biscuits' replacements. The new lineup, consisting of Morris, Hetson, Schloss and Clark, recorded two more albums before the Circle Jerks split up for the first time in 1990, when Hetson left to concentrate on Bad Religion, which he had joined a few years before.
A long period of inactivity ended in 1994, when the Circle Jerks, with the 1984-1990 lineup, reunited and signed a major label deal with Mercury Records, a move that had a few business complications: Hetson was still with Bad Religion, who had signed a long-term contract with Atlantic Records, while Schloss had been part of a band contracted to Interscope. After ironing out these difficulties, the band recorded Oddities, Abnormalities and Curiosities and released it in the summer of 1995, but broke up once again. Reasons for this breakup were essentially the same as they were in 1990.
A second Circle Jerks reunion occurred in 2001. Participating this time were Morris, Hetson, Schloss and Kevin Fitzgerald, who filled in on drums for Clark, who at that time had retired from the music business. Tensions among its members and failed attempts to record the follow-up to Oddities, Abnormalities and Curiosities resulted in the Circle Jerks breaking up yet again in 2011. The band announced in November 2019 that they would reunite in 2020 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Group Sex with live shows.[1]
Former members
- Keith Morris
- Active: 1979–2010
- Instruments: lead vocals
- Release contributions: all Circle Jerks releases
- Greg Hetson
- Active: 1979–2010
- Instruments: lead guitar, backing vocals
- Release contributions: all Circle Jerks releases
- Roger Rogerson
- Active: 1979–1983
- Instruments: bass, backing vocals
- Release contributions: Group Sex (1980), Wild in the Streets (1982), Golden Shower of Hits (1983)
- Lucky Lehrer
- Active: 1979–1983
- Instruments: drums, percussion
- Release contributions: Group Sex (1980), Wild in the Streets (1982), Golden Shower of Hits (1983)
- Earl Liberty
- Active: 1983–1984
- Instruments: bass, backing vocals
- Release contributions: Repo Man soundtrack (1984)
- Chuck Biscuits
- Active: 1983–1984
- Instruments: drums, percussion
- Release contributions: Repo Man soundtrack (1984)
- Zander Schloss
- Active: 1984–2010
- Instruments: bass, backing vocals
- Release contributions: Wonderful (1985), VI (1987), Oddities, Abnormalities and Curiosities (1995)
- Keith Clark
- Active: 1984–1995
- Instruments: drums, percussion, backing vocals
- Release contributions: Wonderful (1985), VI (1987), Oddities, Abnormalities and Curiosities (1995)
- Kevin Fitzgerald
- Active: 2001–2010
- Instruments: drums, percussion
- Release contributions: I'm Gonna Live - single (2007)
Timeline
References
- "Circle Jerks reforming for 40th anniversary of 'Group Sex,' playing Punk Rock Bowling". Brooklyn Vegan. November 22, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2019.