One of the most underrated bands, but respected no matter what, the Suicidal Tendencies brilliant debut album is an all time classic that shows what real punk rock is, and what real hardcore is. "Institutionalized" remains an all time classic song of vocalist Mike Muir venting so much its unbelievable, while "I Shot the Devil" and "I Saw Your Mommy" are just great punk/thrash songs that you can easily get into. The Suicidal Tendencies are without a doubt one of the most influential bands in the past 15 years, and they make pretenders like Blink 182, Sum 41, and Green Day show how its really done. I strongly recommend picking up this classic as soon as you can, this is what real punk rock is all about.

Suicidal Tendencies remains a comma in a footnote in the history of rock, but they wrote one song, "Institutionalized," which should forever imprint their legacy. There are a few songs which capture the zeitgeist of their decade: "White Cliffs of Dover" in the 40's; "Heartbreak Hotel" in the 50's; "The Times They Are a Changin'" and "My Generation" in the 60's; "Stayin' Alive" in the 70's; and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" in the 90's. The song for the 80's could be "Institutionalized." This punkrock paen to teen angst got sporadic airplay on alternative radio and the band still draws its loyal cult especially in native Southern California, but its canon remains relatively unknown and underappreciated in rock annals. But it will always have "Institutionalized." Twenty years later, I still hear it on KROQ, and I suspect its longevity will in itself increase its importance. But it is the lyrics, arrangement and musicianship that preserves its legacy and enduring relevancy. It is unlike any other rock song in history. Like very few songs ("Seven and Seven Is," "Like a Rolling Stone," and "Purple Haze," come to mind), it explodes out of the speaker. The lyrics are at once humorous, urgent and profound. The brilliantly performed narrative channels J.D. Salinger, Jack Kerouac and Lenny Bruce. The musicianship is amazing, especially the drumming.

Singer Mike Muir and his band have never capitalized on the potential that was demonstrated on "Institutionalized," though many songs in their catalog are vibrant and dynamically performed. But they're still on the road, which is saying something for a band that never compromised its relentless, punk style. If you want to own an important piece of rock history, own any album on which "Institutionalized" can be found.

hey,dave sprague.those "arcs of guitar" you mentioned, were not the works of george & clark. they were those of a lone axe weilder by the name of grant estes (the man!).you must've been reviewing still cyco...if so do yourself a favor , hear this album.i'm a huge s.t. fan & this one started it all.this band was voted worst band of 1982 by a handfull mags of the time (so i hear).i would like to thank them.there is no such thing as bad poblicity.

This record was their first and as far as i'm concerned. . . . their best. The amazon review is incorrect regarding who played guitar on it though. Nothing agains rocky or mike but Grant Estes played ALL guitars on that record. Those other guys did the remake and it's not even close. Don't waste your money. the original kicks azz and was the total precursor to sooooo many bands today it's not even funny. Mike's insane lyrics spoke to a generation trying to find itself and Grant's guitar work was groundbreaking for that genre of music. NOBODY had solos in punk at that time. This record was ahead of it's time and still holds up today. check it out, you'll play the siht out of it like i do.

Essential listening. Nothing can touch it. For those who were born around the time this album came out, or who are only familiar with "Institutionalized", do yourself a favor, and get ahold of this album. It's barely 30 minutes long, and goes by real quick. It will also leave a long lasting impact on your outlook of music, among other things.