Wild in the mouth

Many artists give canned responses to difficult questions for fear of saying something that could damage their reputation. Top-gun musicians want to stay on top, and those on the come-up can't risk saying the wrong thing to damage a promising future. Thankfully, there's Keith Morris, singer of Los Angeles punk band the Circle Jerks. While neither an A-list celeb nor Next Big Thing, the dreadlocked vocalist never bites his tongue, especially when it comes to the often turbulent situations surrounding his band.

The Circle Jerks formed in the South Bay in the late 1970s after Morris' departure from Black Flag and guitarist Greg Hetson's removal from Red Cross (a.k.a. Redd Kross). The band's first two discs -1980's Group Sex and 1982's Wild in the Streets - are hailed as hardcore classics with spitfire drumming and biting social commentary on issues such as rock journalism and the moral majority. The duo has shared an interesting ride on one of punk's most loop-filled rollercoasters due to stints on numerous indie labels, a fling with Mercury Records during punk's resurgence in the '90s and more lineups than a downtown jail. Add other members' outside projects - Hetson has played in Bad Religion for more than two decades, bassist Zander Schloss plays in the Weirdos and is starting a new group, and drummer Kevin Fitzgerald moonlights in 400 Blows - and it is easy to see why the singer says his band is not atop his to-do list.

"I'm not quivering with anticipation," Morris says. "I'm not the guy jumping up and down, skipping down the street, getting excited over all of this. To me, it's whatever it is. It's a part-time band."

Interviews aren't Morris' sole venue for his outspoken nature. During the Circle Jerks' previous performance at the Ventura Theater, he asked the crowd why people would choose to fly airplanes into buildings. He answered by suggesting that people can take only so much of the United States imposing its views on the rest of the world before fighting back. His diatribe elicited a negative response from approximately 25 people who waited for him outside the venue after the show. "A lot of people believe we're siding with the terrorists," Morris says, "which is not true. The terrorists are just as big of chicken shits as the people who run our country. Some people had a big problem with that, but I can't be concerned with stuff like that."

Another area of contention for Morris and company is the issue of new material. The quartet recorded a new song called "I'm Gonna Live" that gets played on Sirius Satellite Radio and the Circle Jerks' MySpace page. Other than that, there is nothing on the horizon, thanks to Morris' staunch position on quality control. "I'm in a really great position because I hold veto power," Morris says. "The band seems to think we're part of a democracy. I have no problem with that, but if your creativity sucks, I can raise my hand and say so."

Morris describes his band's camaraderie as a working relationship that isn't always pleasant. The singer says Schloss is "nonchalant" and arrived at a rehearsal without equipment because his large amplifier was missing a wheel. Considering the Circle Jerks rehearse as a full band "once or twice" before tours, it is easy to understand the frustration of the aforementioned situation. Morris cuts Schloss some slack in the ordeal, but believes there was a better remedy than showing up empty-handed. "We will call this the Broken Wheel Syndrome," Morris says. "Without that second wheel, it takes an American Gladiator. Let's just say Zander Schloss is not the Hulk Hogan of punk rock."

Getting old sucks, especially for a 52-year-old punk singer famous for singing "Live Fast, Die Young." Touring is increasingly difficult for Morris, whose schedule revolves a strict eating regiment due to diabetes. The singer was diagnosed eight years ago and injects insulin twice daily to keep his body regular, but he says life on the road gets difficult due to the lack of healthy meal choices and long drives. Eating before showtime is part of Morris' new routine, but even that isn't always 100 percent foolproof, as the singer writhed in pain during a performance for the premiere of the punk rock documentary American Hardcore.

"It's so unpredictable," Morris says. "About halfway through our set I was starting to feel it. I doubled up in pain and just dealt with it. Adrenaline is enough to keep me going. I'm the main personality in the band, so I can use hypoglycemia as an excuse to throw tantrums and mood shifts."