
Keith Morris
Keith Morris (born September 18, 1955) is an American singer and songwriter known for his role as frontman of the hardcore punk bands Black Flag, Circle Jerks, and Off!. Born and raised in Hermosa Beach, California, he formed Black Flag at the age of 21 with guitarist Greg Ginn and performed on the band's 1979 debut EP Nervous Breakdown. Shortly after leaving Black Flag in 1979, he formed the Circle Jerks with guitarist Greg Hetson; the band released seven albums between 1980 and 1995 and have broken up and reformed on numerous occasions. In 2009 Morris formed the supergroup Off! with guitarist Dimitri Coats, bassist Steven Shane McDonald, and drummer Mario Rubalcaba. Morris has also appeared as a guest vocalist on several albums by other artists. In 1976, Morris co-founded Black Flag (then-known as Panic) along with guitarist Greg Ginn. Their work ethic proved too challenging for some early members; Ginn and Morris had an especially hard time finding a reliable bass guitarist, and often rehearsed without a bassist, a factor that contributed to the development of Ginn's distinctive, often low-pitched guitar sound. The band went through three bass players before Chuck Dukowski joined and then Robo answered a Pennysaver ad and became their drummer. After a number of line-up changes, Morris recorded vocals for the first Black Flag EP Nervous Breakdown. After two years in the band, Morris left the band citing, among other reasons, creative differences with Ginn and Dukowski and his own "freaking out on cocaine and speed." Morris stated in his autobiography he had also become disillusioned with what he saw as Black Flag's "militaristic" approach to practicing, despite not getting many shows at the time, and being left "out of the loop" on decisions for the band After leaving Black Flag in 1979, Morris founded the Circle Jerks, along with former Redd Kross guitarist Greg Hetson. They were soon joined by Roger Rogerson (bass) and Lucky Lehrer (drums). In contrast to the top-down decision-making of Black Flag, the Circle Jerks agreed on collective decisions for material and performances. Morris and the band increased their global popularity after being featured in the Penelope Spheeris 1981 documentary The Decline of Western Civilization. Cited as one of the most important hardcore punk groups, the Circle Jerks were active until 1990, when Hetson left the band to continue playing guitar and release a number of albums with Bad Religion.
Known For
Credits
- 2026 · The Decline of Western Civilization Part III as Self
- 2025 · Butthole Surfers: The Hole Truth and Nothing Butt as Self
- 2025 · 40 Watts from Nowhere as
- 2023 · Free LSD as Keith
- 2019 · Punk as Self
- 2018 · The Icarus Line Must Die as Keith
- 2017 · Poison Idea: Legacy of Dysfunction as Himself
- 2017 · The Outhouse: The Film 1985-1997 as
- 2017 · Scumbag as John Stevens
- 2016 · Sticky: A (Self) Love Story as Self
- 2015 · The Damned: Don't You Wish That We Were Dead as Self
- 2015 · Records Collecting Dust as Himself
- 2013 · Filmage: The Story of Descendents/All as Self
- 2013 · The Art of Punk as
- 2012 · Circle Jerks: My Career as a Jerk as
- 2011 · Taking Punk to the Masses: From Nowhere to Nevermind as Self
- 2010 · We Were Feared as Himself
- 2007 · Punk's Not Dead as Self
- 2007 · Plate o' Shrimp: Punk Rock, Sci-Fi and the Making of Repo Man as
- 2006 · American Hardcore as himself
- 2005 · We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen as Himself
- 2005 · Circle Jerks: The Show Must Go Off! Circle Jerks Live at the House of Blues as Self
- 2001 · 25 Years of Punk as Self
- 2001 · The Best of Flipside Video Vol. 1 as Himself (as Circle Jerks)
- 2001 · The Best of Flipside Video Vol. 1 as Performers (as Circle Jerks)
- 1996 · Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood as Dave the Crackhead
- 1984 · Repo Man as Nightclub Band Member
- 1984 · Another State of Mind as Himself
- 1983 · Flipside Video Fanzine Number Two as
- 1982 · The Slog Movie as
- 1981 · The Decline of Western Civilization as Self
- 1981 · Urban Struggle: The Battle of the Cuckoo's Nest as Himself
- Future · Flipside Video Fanzine Number 1 as
- Future · I'd Rather Be Turned Into Cat Food as Officer Rational (voice)