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The Germs are an American punk band from Los Angeles. The band was active between 1977 and 1980 and came together again in 2005. The debut single Forming is generally considered to be the very first hardcore-punk number.

Two band members from this group started after the break-up of The Germs in other large acts. Guitarist Pat Smear added itself in 1993 at the American grunge band Nirvana, until the death of singer Kurt Cobain.Drummer Belinda Carlisle was singer of the girl group The Go-Go's and had a successful solo career when her group fell apart.

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[hide]*1 General

General[Edit][]

The Group was founded by singer Darby Crash (real name: Paul Beahm) and Pat Smear. Further consisting of Lorna Doom (bass guitar) and Belinda Carlisle (drums). Carlisle was after illness replaced by drummer Donna Rhia. Then started the local group to break through.

Beahm and Smear sat on the University in Los Angeles, but were lambasted because of unruly and aggressive behaviour towards fellow students and teachers. The first performance that gives the band takes place at the Orpheum Theatre. The owner of this case still had a need and The Germs offered itself to acting act to come and play. The owner, however, knew not what he took out, because at that time The Germs had no repertoire. On stage, they made a lot of noise with only a lot of feedback and noise. After the five minutes to have since pulled the owner the Group walking off the stage because of the customers.

Gradient[Edit][]

The Germs were influenced by artists such as Iggy PopQueenSuzi Quatro and New York Dolls. In 1978 they came up with the single Forming. This was their most famous number within punk circles and is seen not only as the first hardcorepunknummer, but also as the first ' real ' American punk song. With the debut song is also set the tone for the sound of the band: monotonous and extremely aggressive.

The band was known for its chaotic live concerts. Singer Darby Crash was often ladderzat or used drugs. He sang more than next to the microphone into it and was often kotsend on the stage. A number of times he's even fainted during a performance. The remaining band members went under him. This excessive stage behavior attracted many viewers, who by ' word-of-mouth advertising '. Soon The Germs in Los Angeles got a cult status.

Record Deal[Edit][]

In Los Angeles there was also a large group of punks who saw nothing in The Germs. They were considered a joke and as a bunch of posers, suggested nothing musically. The Germs completely by this group were not taken seriously.

Despite this image of the group saw record producer Kim Fowley is indeed potential in the group. Pat Smear was despite his drug excesses have a talented guitar player Darby Crash and wrote according to many in his bright moments brilliant lyrics. Finally, the group even to get a whole album full of, called GI (1979). GI is regarded as the first album by punk lovers hardcorepunk and has now gotten an almost mythical status.

End and suicide[Edit][]

The success of GI made sure the pressure became too large causing early 1980 the band fell apart. Darby Crash and Pat Smear began thereupon the Darby Crash Bandtogether. Crash, which has always been depressed had been, slumped even further away now and had it constantly about suicide. Pat Smear told later in an interview that Crash with the money he would earn with his new band wanted to buy heroin to overdose to carry. This he said, however, more frequently and Smear did this off as a cry for attention.

However, where Darby Crash made his words and committed suicide by means of a heroin overdose on december 7, 1980. He did this along with his girlfriend, but they survived. Within the punk world was shocked at the death of Crash responded, because many people thought his weird behavior an act was his. No one knew that he was really depressed.

Tragically, told Crash that he hoped that his death would be big news. The newspapers spent there also called attention to it, but this was quite overshadowed by the murder of John Lennon in New York a day later, what in the newspapers in Los Angeles was much bigger news. Local radio stations reported in error that Crash had taken too many sleeping pills by mistake instead of the actual cause of death to be called.

Reunion[Edit][]

After the band in 1993 a small belch has with a compilation album, the Group met again in 2005. The singing is this time on behalf of Shan Wreck. Pat Smear and Lorna Doom playing again on guitar and bass guitar respectively. The drum parts are done by Don Bolles, which appeared on the American news in 2007 because he would have large amounts of drugs with him.

Albums[Edit][]

  • GI (1979)
  • What We Do Is Secret (1981)
  • MIA (1993)
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