Stevo
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GG Allin
Mar 13, 2010, 10:07
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Anybody familiar with the shock rocker GG Allin?
He played with a lot of at least semi famous alternative rockers passing through his band the Murder Junkies.
He used to like stripping naked and spreading a lot of faecal matter around amongst other borderline psychotic stage performance. I heard he was a genuinely disturbed guy.
I just stuck on a set of his early singles and thought I'd got the wrong artist. He seems to have started out making near AOR in the late 70s. Very surprising considering the small amount of footage I've seen of him where the band was playing Neanderthal rock.
Stevo
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Jim Tones
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Edited Mar 13, 2010, 11:39
Re: GG Allin
Mar 13, 2010, 11:24
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Stevo wrote: Anybody familiar with the shock rocker GG Allin?
He played with a lot of at least semi famous alternative rockers passing through his band the Murder Junkies.
He used to like stripping naked and spreading a lot of faecal matter around amongst other borderline psychotic stage performance. I heard he was a genuinely disturbed guy.
I just stuck on a set of his early singles and thought I'd got the wrong artist. He seems to have started out making near AOR in the late 70s. Very surprising considering the small amount of footage I've seen of him where the band was playing Neanderthal rock.
Stevo
I just found him to be just some sort of circus act.
Amusing to see clips though etc.
This is probably the only clip you have to see! lol!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-hR9G1ZO6Q
"...when you reach your peak....it's time to die...."
That quote was sampled by Alec Empire and used to great effect in his- "When you Reach Your Peak" track- it's a pity that Allin's music wasn't as powerful and that he too wasn't such an arse!
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caldervalium
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Re: GG Allin
Mar 13, 2010, 11:28
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I seem to recall that a couple of MC5ers were in one of his bands at some point (The Murder Junkies, maybe?) Not too keen on his music or lyrics, but in terms of schlocky transgressive freakshow performance art he was, er, one of a kind. The footage of his last ever gig is well worth catching, if you can find it - particular the bit where a naked and shit-smeared GG is attempting to flag down a taxi to get him home afterwards. The taxi driver's face is a picture, I can tell you.
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Stevo
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Re: GG Allin
Mar 13, 2010, 12:01
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Later stuff did descend to the ultra primitive, which does leave the early AOR sounding stuff even weirder.
Did he at one point actually have dreams of being a mainstream success or something?
He sounds more articulate than I'd've thought in the interview Tim posted the link to. Megalomaniac yeah, but certainly not talking in the grunts one would have half expected.
Stevo
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naughtynige
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Re: GG Allin
Mar 13, 2010, 12:48
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Highly recommend the "Hated" film that I think is still available on DVD. You get to see why even Dee Dee Ramone couldn't handle being in a band with him. Also a disturbing insight into the kind of people who hung around with him. I find him entertaining in some ways but the lyrics are just plain old hateful - probably the most offensive rocker who achieved a level of "success" or at least notoriety. The footage of him wandering around and trying to get a cab is an extra on the "Hated" DVD.
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Jim Tones
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Re: GG Allin
Mar 13, 2010, 14:53
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naughtynige wrote: Highly recommend the "Hated" film that I think is still available on DVD. You get to see why even Dee Dee Ramone couldn't handle being in a band with him. Also a disturbing insight into the kind of people who hung around with him. I find him entertaining in some ways but the lyrics are just plain old hateful - probably the most offensive rocker who achieved a level of "success" or at least notoriety. The footage of him wandering around and trying to get a cab is an extra on the "Hated" DVD.
I only ever had that "Hated In The Nation" cassette and that was given to me as a present.
IIRC-I think it had Kramer from Bongwater and J. Mascis on a few tracks.
I've seen that clip where he tries to get a cab covered in his own cack though.
Some of the audience members must've been a bit dumb (numb?), as they knew he was going to run up and smack one of them in the mouth.
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Lawrence
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Re: GG Allin
Mar 13, 2010, 18:34
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I never actually got to see GG live, he never played my town, but seeing him on a few videos/DVDs I have seem to prove he was always better as a live act than in the studio.
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Maldoror
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Re: GG Allin
Mar 13, 2010, 19:38
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GG Allin's legacy rests on it's shocking value. Musically speaking, the guy is a joke.
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Lawrence
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Re: GG Allin
Mar 13, 2010, 20:12
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Maldoror wrote:
GG Allin's legacy rests on it's shocking value. Musically speaking, the guy is a joke.
Well it's a matter of taste. I see GG Allin as more performance art than music. And if you ever saw interviews in some of his videos, I wouldn't say he was a joke, debauched character that he was...
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Dog 3000
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Re: GG Allin
Mar 13, 2010, 21:25
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I remember when he was alive and "touring" (ditching out on parole is more like it!) Frankly I was afraid to go to his shows -- not interested in having shit thrown at me, thanks!
I think the "Murder Junkies" was just his brother and whoever they could rope into playing. Frequently the band on any given night was made up of local punk musicians from wherever he was playing.
That documentary which has already been mentioned pretty much says it all. I know some folks rate some of his recordings, but it seems like the Manson Family record to me -- songs wouldn't be that interesting if not for the shocking story surrounding the music.
I guess his main contribution to RnR history is that he took it as far as its possible to go -- only way he could have been any more "extreme" was to do like he always promised and commit suicide during one of his shows (I believe he would have too, but he OD'ed before he got around to his Ultimate Statement.)
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