thegerms_ - Profile (original) (raw)
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Band: The Germs (1977-1980)
Band Members:
Darby Crash (Paul Beahm) - Vocals
Pat Smear (George Ruthenberg) - Guitar (Later on played for Nirvana, and the Foo Fighters)
Lorna Doom (Terri Ryan) - Bass
Belinda Carlisle - Drums (early 1977, later on played for the Go-go's)
Donna Rhia (Becky Thatcher) - Drums (1977)
Don Bonebreak - Drums (1977, later on played for X, The Eyes, 45 Grave, and Auntie Christ)
Nicky Beat - Drums (1978, also played for The Weirdos)
Don Bolles - Drums (1978-1980, also played for the Exterminators, and later 3 Day Stubble, 45 Grave, and Celebrity Skin)
Releases:
Forming/Sex Boy (Live) 7" (1977, What? Records)
Germicide LP (1977, Mohawk Records)
Lexicon Devil 7" EP (1978, Slash Records)
Yes LA LP (1979, Dangerhouse Records)
(GI) LP(1979, Slash Records)
Musical Malice DLP (1980, unknown record label)
What We Do Is Secret 12'' (1981, Slash Records)
Lion's Share LP (1985, Ghost O' Darb Records)
Rock'n'Rule LP (1986, XES Records)
What God Means To Me/Manimal/Lion's Share 7'' EP (1991, Bootleg)
(DCC) 7'' EP (1992, Gasatanka/Rockville Records)
What We Do Is Bootleg LP (1992, Bootleg)
(GI) 7'' EP (1992, Crash! Records)
10 Years of Losing Money Box Set (1993, Gasatanka Records)
Cat's Clause LP (1993, Munster/Gasatanka Records)
(MIA) CD (1993, Slash Records)
Media Blitz CD (1993, Cleopatra Records)
Biography:
Formed in Los Angeles, California in 1977 by Paul Beahm and long time friend George Ruthenburg, The Germs would become legendary in the genre of punk music, despite their short life. Beahm and Ruthenburg had been friends since 8th grade, and spent their youth cutting classes, experimenting with drugs, and generally causing trouble. They had been attending Santa Monica Community College in the year of '77, but were expelled when Paul had a good part of the girls there truly believing that he was Jesus, and George was God.
Heavy influence from bands such as David Bowie, Alice Cooper, and Iggy Pop mixed with the recent invasion of popular British punk music, and soon Paul and George set out to form a band. For a short time calling themselves Sofistifuck and the Revlon Spam Queens, Paul and George (now called Bobby Pyn and Pat Smear), though lacking any real musical talent or ability at all, started a band with Lorna Doom and Belinda Carlisle. Carlisle quit the band, and would later become an American pop music icon as a member of the Go-go's. Belinda was replaced by Donna Rhia, and after very little rehearsal, the newly-formed Germs had already begun playing shows. Drawing small crowds of mostly friends, The Germs were quickly gaining a reputation for raising hell at their shows. Their quickly gained notoriety soon got them into larger shows, with bigger crowds, and even more chaotic performances.
One particular event which stood out was the offer for them to record one of their songs for a scene in Cheech and Chong's "Up in Smoke," in the prestigious Roxy. After a very literally destructive performance, The Germs had a recording they saw fit to put on their next release, although they never appeared in the film.
After a few more changes in drummers, The Germs would soon gain a member who would remain in the band until their demise. In 1978, Don Bolles, who received word of The Germs' need for a drummer, travelled all the way to Los Angeles from his home in Arizona to get the part. Despite his lack of experience, he became the new drummer for The Germs. After learning the basics of drumming, he quickly became a skilled drummer. Pyn now called himself Darby Crash, and The Germs tightened their sound to more intense, hardcore music.
In 1979, The Germs would record their only full length release. Produced by Joan Jett, the album was released under the name (GI), which was originally the name they used when trying to get gigs, since they'd been banned from so many clubs.
That Christmas, The Germs would begin their decline.
The Germs played a gig at the Whiskey A-Go-Go, Christmas of '79. Bolles arrived 2 hours late because he'd been arrested. The crowd's response was a barrage of glass bottles. To try and stop the quickly building riot, the club killed the lights, but someone set the stage ablaze. Pat beat the shit out of one of the bouncers and, needless to say, The Germs were banned. Crash fired Bolles, and The Germs made failed attempts to get by with replacements, but The Germs soon fell apart, and the band was broken up.
The Darby Crash band that was formed soon after failed miserably.
The Germs reunited for a final farewell show on December 3rd, 1980. Four days later, on December 7th, 1980, Darby Crash was found dead from an overdose of heroin. Crash had intentionally shot up a lethal dosage of heroin, and committed suicide, with the intentions of immortalizing himself, and his name, at the age of 22. The news of Crash's death was pushed back for a good week by the shooting of John Lennon, which occurred the very next day.
There's been a lot of talk for the past several years of a Germs movie, but they keep postponing production.