Circle One / Shutdown

"Circle One / Shutdown" is a split single by the American alternative rock band Hole and the supergroup The Monkeywrench, released in November 1994 on the independent label Gasatanka Records. Both tracks are cover versions of songs by the Los Angeles punk group the Germs. On the single, Hole is credited as "The Holez," a nominal homage to "The Germs."

"Circle One / Shutdown"
Front cover art, featuring Hole
Single by Hole and The Monkeywrench
from the album A Small Circle of Friends
ReleasedNovember 1994 (1994-11)[1]
Recorded
  • "Circle One": December 18, 1992 (1992-12-18)
    in Los Angeles, California, U.S.
  • "Shutdown": 1992 in Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Genre
LabelGasatanka Records
Songwriter(s)
Hole singles chronology
"Doll Parts"
(1994)		 "Circle One" / "Shutdown"
(1994)		 "Violet"
(1995)

Pat Smear, an original member of the Germs, performed as a guest musician on Hole's cover of "Circle One," with frontwoman Courtney Love playing bass guitar—at the time of the track's recording in 1992, Hole had not yet hired a new bassist following the departure of Caroline Rue.

Both of the band's tracks were later issued on the Germs tribute album A Small Circle of Friends (1996).[2][3]

Recording

Hole recorded their cover of "Circle One" on December 18, 1992 in Los Angeles with producer Brian Foxworthy.[4] Pat Smear, an original member of the Germs, played guitar on the track with Hole, while frontwoman Courtney Love played bass guitar.[4]

The Monkeywrench recorded their cover of "Shutdown" in Seattle in 1992 with producer Conrad Uno.[4]

Reception

A retrospective review of Hole's cover of "Circle One" by The Harvard Crimson declared it the group's second-best cover song, describing it as a "cacophony of scribbling guitars... Hole harnesses the song’s frantic energy, somehow making it sound adorable, yet just as powerful as the original. Love's scream resounds loudly throughout the song...screaming should sound terrible, but Love somehow makes it a gorgeous expression of pure joy."[5]

Track listing
  1. "Circle One" by Hole (Darby Crash, Pat Smear) – 2:58
  2. "Shutdown" by The Monkeywrench (Crash, Smear) – 3:10

Personnel

Hole

Guest musicians

(credited as "The Holez")

The Monkeywrench

References
  1. Newman, Melinda (November 19, 1994). "Germs' Influence Continues to Spread; Pearl Jam on Vinyl; Rundgren's New Score". Billboard: 16. ISSN 0006-2510.
  2. A Small Circle of Friends (Media notes). Hole, Melvins, The Monkeywrench, et al. Gasatanka Records. 1996. DRA 485441 2.CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. Newsweek Staff (October 13, 1996). "Germ Warfare". Newsweek. Archived from the original on January 20, 2020.
  4. Circle One / Shutdown (7" vinyl liner notes). Hole, Monkeywrench. Gasatanka Records. 1993. DEI9037-7.CS1 maint: others (link)
  5. Eisenman, Danielle L. (April 12, 2018). "Top Five Hole Covers". The Harvard Crimson. Harvard University Press. Archived from the original on January 20, 2020.
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