GG Allin
Encyclopedia
Kevin Michael "GG" Allin (born Jesus Christ Allin, August 29, 1956 – June 28, 1993) was an American punk rock
singer-songwriter
, who performed and recorded with many groups during his career. GG Allin is perhaps best remembered for his notorious live performances, which often featured transgressive
acts, including coprophagia
, self-mutilation, and attacking audience members. AllMusic has called him "the most spectacular degenerate in rock & roll history."
Although more notorious for his stage antics than for his music, he recorded prolifically, not only in the punk rock genre, but also in spoken word
, country
, and more traditional-style rock. His extremely politically incorrect
lyrics, which often covered subjects such as misogyny
, pedophilia
and racism
, polarized listeners and created varied opinions of him within the highly politicized punk community. When questioned about his music and concerts, Allin often replied that he was trying to make rock music
"dangerous" again.
Allin's music was often poorly recorded/produced, given limited distribution, and was met with mostly negative reviews from critics. Despite these factors, Allin maintained a cult following
throughout his career, and a fanbase that has greatly expanded since his death. Though Allin promised for several years before his death that he would commit suicide
onstage during one of his concerts, he died June 28, 1993 of an accidental heroin overdose.
, the younger of two sons to Merle Colby Allin, Sr. and Arleta Gunther. He was given this name because his father told his wife that Jesus Christ himself had visited
him, and told him that his newborn son would be a great man in the vein of the Messiah
.
His older brother, Merle Colby Allin, Jr.
, was unable to pronounce "Jesus" properly and kept calling him "Jeje", which became "GG". The family lived in a log cabin
with no running water or electricity in northern New Hampshire. Allin's father, who forbade all conversation in the home after dark, was an unstable and antisocial man, though GG himself never publicly stated that this caused any of his later personal troubles. At age 12, Allin contracted Lyme disease
and is thought to have never fully recovered from the effects of having the disease at such a young age.
In 1961, Arleta filed for divorce from Merle Sr., as his mental instability was worsening. GG Allin and his brother were from that time raised by their mother and stepfather, and settled in East St. Johnsbury, Vermont in 1966. Arleta changed her younger son's legal name to Kevin Michael Allin on March 2, 1962 during his first year of schooling. Arleta had allowed his birth name to stand until this point, and finally changed it in order to give her son a chance of a mockery-free childhood.
Allin was a poor student at school, being placed in special education
classes and having to repeat the third grade. According to his older brother, Allin experienced bullying by fellow students due to not fitting in. In his sophomore year of high school, he began attending school cross-dressed
, which he said was inspired by the New York Dolls
. When asked about his childhood, GG has been quoted as saying "Very chaotic. Full of chances and dangers. We sold drugs, stole, broke into houses, cars. Did whatever we wanted to for the most part - including all the bands we played in. People even hated us back then."
In 1976 GG was accepted to Ringling Brothers
Clown College in Sarasota, Florida. He attended the school for one year but didn't graduate.
bands like The Beatles
, The Rolling Stones
, The Dave Clark 5, and The Monkees
. In the early 70s, Alice Cooper
became a large influence on Allin. Allin's earliest recorded musical endeavors were as a drummer. In his mid-teens, he and his older brother Merle formed their first band, Little Sister's Date, which lasted a little over a year. The group covered songs by Aerosmith
, KISS
, and other popular hard rock
bands of the time period.
Allin graduated from Concord High School in Concord, Vermont
in 1975, and shortly after formed the band Malpractice with several high school friends and Merle Allin. He was the drummer for Malpractice until the band separated in 1977. He became the drummer for the band Stripsearch, writing and performing the songs "Galileo" and "Jesus in New York".
From September 1977 to April 1984, Allin performed as frontman for The Jabbers
, in which he played drums and performed vocals. Allin's 1980 debut album was Always Was, Is and Always Shall Be
. Allin was a punk rock frontman akin to Iggy Pop
and Stiv Bators
who played music that was catchy, a danceable mix of power pop
and hardcore punk
. The lyrical content was often brash yet humorous, and was not yet outrageously offensive. At one point, industry veteran and The Dead Boys
producer Genya Ravan
managed him. Tension within The Jabbers mounted as Allin grew uncontrollable, uncompromising and vicious. The Jabbers disbanded and parted ways. Allin's drug use started during this period.
Allin fronted many acts during the early to mid 1980s. This includes albums from The Cedar Street Sluts, The Scumfucs in 1982 and The Texas Nazis in 1985. Allin remained in the underground
hardcore
scene yet was not part of the east coast
hardcore scene. His performances in Manchester, New Hampshire
with the Cedar Street Sluts earned him the nickname of "the madman of Manchester."
Allin gained wider attention with the Reachout International Records (ROIR) cassette-only release of Hated in the Nation
(1987) containing tracks from Allin's out-of-print catalogue with The Jabbers, The Scumfucs and Cedar Street Sluts. The tape also featured several in-studio and in-concert recordings with an all-star band assembled by producer Maximum RocknRoll
and early Allin patron Mykel Board
. This band featured J Mascis
of Dinosaur Jr. on lead guitar and Bongwater
record producer/musician Mark Kramer
on bass.
and generally abused any intoxicants provided to him. At this point, Allin also began eating laxatives before performances - as defecation was becoming a regular stage act. Allin described himself as "the last true rock and roller". By this, he meant that rock and roll music itself had started as an embodiment of danger, anti-authoritarian
ism and rebelliousness but had become largely taken over by corporations and business concerns. Allin's music and performances were thus meant to return rock and roll to what he saw as its roots, reclaiming it from the corporate system.
Allin idolized country music legend Hank Williams, Sr, and saw himself as a kindred spirit. Both were relative loners and outsiders, both were habitual users of intoxicants, both lived with few, if any, possessions and both traveled the country relentlessly. GG Allin's acoustic output, documented particularly on the EP The Troubled Troubador
, was heavily influenced by Williams. He recorded his own rewrites of Hank Williams, Jr.
's "Family Tradition" and David Allan Coe
's "Longhaired Redneck", calling his own versions "Scumfuc Tradition" and "Outlaw Scumfuc" respectively. Later, Allin also released another country album Carnival of Excess
; this is probably his most professionally recorded and mixed album.
During this period, Allin collaborated with Bulge (also known as Psycho under a different name, on the album Freaks, Faggots, Drunks and Junkies
), The Aids Brigade (the 7" EP Expose Yourself To Kids) and The Holymen (You Give Love a Bad Name
). Allin also began performing many spoken word
pieces. Video footage of these are available but rare. Unwilling to seek steady employment, Allin supported himself by selling his own records. Allin was also fascinated with serial killers. He wrote to and visited John Wayne Gacy
in prison a number of times and Gacy painted a portrait of Allin, which became the album cover to the soundtrack of the film Hated: GG Allin And The Murder Junkies
(see murderabilia
).
By this point, Allin's performances, which often resulted in considerable damage to venues and sound equipment, were regularly stopped after only a few songs by police or venue owners. Allin was charged with assault
and battery
or indecent exposure a number of times. His constant touring was only stopped by jail time or by long hospital stays for broken bones, blood poisoning, and other physical trauma.
Another attraction to Allin performances was his continual threats of suicide. In 1989, Allin wrote to Maximum RocknRoll
stating that he would commit suicide on stage on Halloween 1990. However, he was in jail when that day came. He continued his threat each following year but ended up imprisoned each following Halloween. When asked why he does not follow through with his threats, Allin stated, "With GG, you don't get what you expect—you get what you deserve." He also stated that suicide should only be done when one had reached his peak, meeting the afterlife at his strongest point and not at his weakest (see jump the shark
).
.
In a psychological evaluation made as part of the trial, Allin was judged as having at least average intelligence, and was described as "courteous, cooperative and candid". The unnamed evaluator noted Allin did not appear psychotic, and seemed comfortable with his unorthodox lifestyle. However, the evaluator asserted Allin did have behaviors consistent with masochism and narcissism
, and displayed symptoms of borderline personality disorder
and bipolar disorder
.
Allin initially denied the charges, claiming that the woman was a willing participant in their sexual activities. Allin admitted to cutting her, burning her, and drinking her blood, but insisted she did the same thing to him. Allin also claimed that inconsistencies in the woman's statements to authorities supported his assertions. The judge in the case agreed there were substantial inconsistencies in the woman's account. Ultimately, however, Allin plea bargained to the reduced charge of felonious assault , and he was imprisoned from December 20, 1989 to March 26, 1991.
It was during this time in prison that Allin began feeling re-energized about his life and "mission", as he put it. He wrote and published The GG Allin Manifesto during this period.
to go on another tour, footage of which was shot for Todd Phillips
' documentary Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies
. The film contained graphic scenes from a performance Allin gave at an East Village, New York rock club, Space at Chase. Allin stripped naked, defecated on the floor, wiped his feces on himself and threw feces into the audience. Allin broke a woman's nose and assaulted several other people in the crowd. Clips were included from other Allin appearances, as well as interviews with Allin, his band, and their fans. The film came out in 1994 and was released on DVD in 1997.
During the 1990s GG Allin recorded his Murder Junkies album released by New Rose Records and featuring the band ANTiSEEN
. This album contained ten musical tracks and ten spoken-word pieces. Other than Freaks, Faggots, Drunks and Junkies, Allin considered this album to be his most polished professionally recorded album that explored his persona and stated his philosophy on life. It was also during this period that Allin recorded the War In My Head - I'm Your Enemy album released on Awareness Records
and featuring the band Shrinkwrap
. This particular album consists of one 45-minute track that is a collage
of spoken-word pieces which Shrinkwrap put to music.
Meanwhile, Allin's growing notoriety led to appearances on various television shows: Geraldo
, The Jerry Springer Show
and The Jane Whitney Show. At the time of his death, Allin was making plans for a spoken-word album. He also mentioned a somewhat unlikely European tour, enthusiastically talking about it in the hours before his death.
GG Allin's last show was on June 27, 1993 at a small club called The Gas Station, a punk venue located inside of a former gas station at 194 E 2nd Street in Manhattan
. During the second song, the power went out, after which he trashed the venue, walked across the street entirely naked, and then continued on (now wearing shorts, but still covered in blood and feces) through the neighborhood, followed by a large group of fans.
After walking the streets for several hours, Allin eventually went to the apartment of John Handley. There, he and others continued to party and use drugs. Sometime during the evening, Allin ingested large amounts of heroin, on which he accidentally overdosed and slipped into an unconscious state. Those in the apartment posed for photos with Allin around 2 A.M., not realizing that the musician was already in the early stages of respiratory failure
. One fan at the scene later told police that he was snoring
at the time the pictures were taken, leading the others in the apartment to believe he had fallen asleep.
Sometime in the early morning of June 28, Allin died from the effects of his accidental heroin overdose. He was 36 years old. The next morning, some noticed that Allin still lay motionless in the same place where they had left him and called for an ambulance. Allin was pronounced dead at the scene.
beside him in his casket, per his wishes (openly stated in his self-penned acoustic country ballad, "When I Die"). As part of his brother's request, the mortician was instructed not to wash the corpse (which smelled strongly of feces), or apply any makeup.
Allin's funeral became a wild party. Friends posed with his corpse, placing drugs and whiskey into his mouth, much to the bemusement of several funeral employees who, reportedly, had a wild party later that night. As the funeral ended, his brother put a pair of headphones on Allin. The headphones were plugged into a portable cassette player, in which was loaded a copy of The Suicide Sessions. The video of his funeral is widely available for purchase, and is an extra feature on the Hated DVD and some bootleg VHS tapes. Allin was buried in mother Arleta's plot beside his grandparents.
GG Allin's grave is frequently vandalized with urine, cigarette butts, feces and alcohol by fans, an act that is greatly discouraged by GG's mother Arleta. His tombstone has since been removed because of this.
, Gehennah, CKY
, the 69 Eyes
, Maryslim
, Beck
, Bus Station Loonies
, The Lemonheads
, No Age
, The Spits
, Dum Dum Girls
, Times New Viking
, Faith No More
, and Ty Segall
In the mid-1980s, Allin became involved with a teenage girl from Garland, Texas
named Tracy Deneault. She became pregnant, and their daughter, Nico Ann Deneault, was born March 13, 1986. Nico chose to distance herself from her family. Allin and Tracey Deneault never married.
and anti-authoritarian, promoting lawlessness and violence against police officers in many of his lyrics, and his essay, The GG Allin Manifesto, was intended to summarize his personal philosophy. He stated on Geraldo
that he believed that his body was a temple of rock and roll, and his flesh, blood and bodily fluids are a communion to the people. Another reason he gave for his onstage antics was that he wanted to draw a parable
between his actions and "a society that's going crazy with violence." He has also said that if he did not do his performances he would probably be a serial killer or a mass murderer.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, who performed and recorded with many groups during his career. GG Allin is perhaps best remembered for his notorious live performances, which often featured transgressive
Transgressive art
Transgressive art refers to art forms that aim to transgress; i.e. to outrage or violate basic mores and sensibilities. The term transgressive was first used by American filmmaker Nick Zedd and his Cinema of Transgression in 1985...
acts, including coprophagia
Coprophagia
Coprophagia or coprophagy is the consumption of feces, from the Greek κόπρος copros and φαγεῖν phagein . Many animal species practice coprophagia as a matter of course; other species do not normally consume feces but may do so under unusual conditions...
, self-mutilation, and attacking audience members. AllMusic has called him "the most spectacular degenerate in rock & roll history."
Although more notorious for his stage antics than for his music, he recorded prolifically, not only in the punk rock genre, but also in spoken word
Spoken word
Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
, country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, and more traditional-style rock. His extremely politically incorrect
Political correctness
Political correctness is a term which denotes language, ideas, policies, and behavior seen as seeking to minimize social and institutional offense in occupational, gender, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, certain other religions, beliefs or ideologies, disability, and age-related contexts,...
lyrics, which often covered subjects such as misogyny
Misogyny
Misogyny is the hatred or dislike of women or girls. Philogyny, meaning fondness, love or admiration towards women, is the antonym of misogyny. The term misandry is the term for men that is parallel to misogyny...
, pedophilia
Pedophilia
As a medical diagnosis, pedophilia is defined as a psychiatric disorder in adults or late adolescents typically characterized by a primary or exclusive sexual interest in prepubescent children...
and racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, polarized listeners and created varied opinions of him within the highly politicized punk community. When questioned about his music and concerts, Allin often replied that he was trying to make rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
"dangerous" again.
Allin's music was often poorly recorded/produced, given limited distribution, and was met with mostly negative reviews from critics. Despite these factors, Allin maintained a cult following
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
throughout his career, and a fanbase that has greatly expanded since his death. Though Allin promised for several years before his death that he would commit suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
onstage during one of his concerts, he died June 28, 1993 of an accidental heroin overdose.
Early life
Allin was born Jesus Christ Allin at Weeks Memorial Hospital in Lancaster, New HampshireLancaster, New Hampshire
Lancaster is a town in Coos County, New Hampshire, USA, on the Connecticut River named after Lancaster, England. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 3,507, the second largest in the county after Berlin. It is the county seat of Coos County and gateway to the Great North Woods Region...
, the younger of two sons to Merle Colby Allin, Sr. and Arleta Gunther. He was given this name because his father told his wife that Jesus Christ himself had visited
Vision (religion)
In spirituality, a vision is something seen in a dream, trance, or ecstasy, especially a supernatural appearance that conveys a revelation.Visions generally have more clarity than dreams, but traditionally fewer psychological connotations...
him, and told him that his newborn son would be a great man in the vein of the Messiah
Messiah
A messiah is a redeemer figure expected or foretold in one form or another by a religion. Slightly more widely, a messiah is any redeemer figure. Messianic beliefs or theories generally relate to eschatological improvement of the state of humanity or the world, in other words the World to...
.
His older brother, Merle Colby Allin, Jr.
Merle Allin
Merle Colby Allin, Jr. is an American electric bass player and the older brother of the late punk rock singer/songwriter/performance artist GG Allin....
, was unable to pronounce "Jesus" properly and kept calling him "Jeje", which became "GG". The family lived in a log cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
with no running water or electricity in northern New Hampshire. Allin's father, who forbade all conversation in the home after dark, was an unstable and antisocial man, though GG himself never publicly stated that this caused any of his later personal troubles. At age 12, Allin contracted Lyme disease
Lyme disease
Lyme disease, or Lyme borreliosis, is an emerging infectious disease caused by at least three species of bacteria belonging to the genus Borrelia. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto is the main cause of Lyme disease in the United States, whereas Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii cause most...
and is thought to have never fully recovered from the effects of having the disease at such a young age.
In 1961, Arleta filed for divorce from Merle Sr., as his mental instability was worsening. GG Allin and his brother were from that time raised by their mother and stepfather, and settled in East St. Johnsbury, Vermont in 1966. Arleta changed her younger son's legal name to Kevin Michael Allin on March 2, 1962 during his first year of schooling. Arleta had allowed his birth name to stand until this point, and finally changed it in order to give her son a chance of a mockery-free childhood.
Allin was a poor student at school, being placed in special education
Special education
Special education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
classes and having to repeat the third grade. According to his older brother, Allin experienced bullying by fellow students due to not fitting in. In his sophomore year of high school, he began attending school cross-dressed
Cross-dressing
Cross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser...
, which he said was inspired by the New York Dolls
New York Dolls
The New York Dolls is an American rock band, formed in New York in 1971. The band's protopunk sound prefigured much of what was to come in the punk rock era; their visual style influenced the look of many new wave and 1980s-era glam metal groups, and they began the local New York scene that later...
. When asked about his childhood, GG has been quoted as saying "Very chaotic. Full of chances and dangers. We sold drugs, stole, broke into houses, cars. Did whatever we wanted to for the most part - including all the bands we played in. People even hated us back then."
In 1976 GG was accepted to Ringling Brothers
Ringling brothers
The Ringling brothers were seven siblings who transformed their small touring company of performers into one of America's largest circuses in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in McGregor, Iowa and raised in Baraboo, Wisconsin, they were the children of Heinrich Friedrich August Ringling...
Clown College in Sarasota, Florida. He attended the school for one year but didn't graduate.
Early music career
GG Allin's earliest musical influences were 1960s British InvasionBritish Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
bands like The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, The Dave Clark 5, and The Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
. In the early 70s, Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
became a large influence on Allin. Allin's earliest recorded musical endeavors were as a drummer. In his mid-teens, he and his older brother Merle formed their first band, Little Sister's Date, which lasted a little over a year. The group covered songs by Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
, KISS
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
, and other popular hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
bands of the time period.
Allin graduated from Concord High School in Concord, Vermont
Concord, Vermont
Concord is a town in Essex County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,196 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Berlin, NH–VT Micropolitan Statistical Area, and contains the villages of North Concord and Miles Pond.- History :...
in 1975, and shortly after formed the band Malpractice with several high school friends and Merle Allin. He was the drummer for Malpractice until the band separated in 1977. He became the drummer for the band Stripsearch, writing and performing the songs "Galileo" and "Jesus in New York".
From September 1977 to April 1984, Allin performed as frontman for The Jabbers
The Jabbers
The Jabbers are an American punk rock band. Once fronted by a young GG Allin at the beginning of his career in the late-'70s to mid-'80s, many of his most well known songs were recorded with this band, such as "Assface", "Don't Talk to Me" and "Bored to Death".Most notable, Allin's singing voice...
, in which he played drums and performed vocals. Allin's 1980 debut album was Always Was, Is and Always Shall Be
Always Was, Is and Always Shall Be
Always Was, Is And Always Shall Be is the debut studio album by American punk rock musician GG Allin, released in 1980 on Orange Records. Some of its songs were recorded over a period of several years in the late 1970s, from 1978 to 1980, when Allin was with the band The Jabbers...
. Allin was a punk rock frontman akin to Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
and Stiv Bators
Stiv Bators
Stiv Bators , was an American punk rockvocalist and guitarist from Youngstown, Ohio. He is best remembered for his bands, The Dead Boys and The Lords of the New Church.- Music and film career :...
who played music that was catchy, a danceable mix of power pop
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
and hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
. The lyrical content was often brash yet humorous, and was not yet outrageously offensive. At one point, industry veteran and The Dead Boys
The Dead Boys
The Dead Boys were an American punk rock band from Cleveland, Ohio. Among the first wave of early punk bands, the Dead Boys were initially active from 1976 to 1979, briefly reuniting in 1987, 2004 and 2005.-Formation and 1970s punk rock era:...
producer Genya Ravan
Genya Ravan
Genya Ravan, aka Goldie Zelkowitz is an American rock singer and producer. She is the former lead singer of The Escorts, Goldie & the Gingerbreads, and Ten Wheel Drive....
managed him. Tension within The Jabbers mounted as Allin grew uncontrollable, uncompromising and vicious. The Jabbers disbanded and parted ways. Allin's drug use started during this period.
Allin fronted many acts during the early to mid 1980s. This includes albums from The Cedar Street Sluts, The Scumfucs in 1982 and The Texas Nazis in 1985. Allin remained in the underground
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
scene yet was not part of the east coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
hardcore scene. His performances in Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
with the Cedar Street Sluts earned him the nickname of "the madman of Manchester."
Allin gained wider attention with the Reachout International Records (ROIR) cassette-only release of Hated in the Nation
Hated in the Nation
Hated in the Nation is a compilation album, initially released exclusively on cassette format on ROIR, by transgressive punk rock musician GG Allin. Consisting mainly of then-out-of-print recordings by Allin with his early-era backing groups The Jabbers, The Scumfucs, and the Cedar Street Sluts,...
(1987) containing tracks from Allin's out-of-print catalogue with The Jabbers, The Scumfucs and Cedar Street Sluts. The tape also featured several in-studio and in-concert recordings with an all-star band assembled by producer Maximum RocknRoll
Maximum RocknRoll
Maximum rocknroll is a widely distributed, monthly not-for-profit fanzine based in San Francisco, USA. It features interviews, columns, and reviews from international contributors...
and early Allin patron Mykel Board
Mykel Board
Mykel Board is a regularly published journalist, especially well known for his articles in Maximumrocknroll....
. This band featured J Mascis
J Mascis
J Mascis is an American musician, best known as the singer, guitarist and songwriter for Dinosaur Jr.. In 2011, he was ranked in Rolling Stone's list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.- Biography :...
of Dinosaur Jr. on lead guitar and Bongwater
Bongwater (band)
Bongwater was a psych rock band formed in 1985 and dissolved in 1992. The group was founded by Ann Magnuson and Mark Kramer , who had worked together previously in Pulsallama. The group also featured drummer Dave Licht and guitarists [Dave Rick] and later Randolph A. Hudson III...
record producer/musician Mark Kramer
Mark Kramer
Mark Kramer , known professionally as Kramer, is a musician, composer, record producer and founder of the New York City record label Shimmy-Disc...
on bass.
Mid era and more extreme live performances
By the mid to late 1980s, Allin was addicted to heroin and alcoholAlcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
and generally abused any intoxicants provided to him. At this point, Allin also began eating laxatives before performances - as defecation was becoming a regular stage act. Allin described himself as "the last true rock and roller". By this, he meant that rock and roll music itself had started as an embodiment of danger, anti-authoritarian
Anti-authoritarian
Anti-authoritarianism is opposition to authoritarianism, which is defined as a "political doctrine advocating the principle of absolute rule: absolutism, autocracy, despotism, dictatorship, totalitarianism." Anti-authoritarians usually believe in full equality before the law and strong civil...
ism and rebelliousness but had become largely taken over by corporations and business concerns. Allin's music and performances were thus meant to return rock and roll to what he saw as its roots, reclaiming it from the corporate system.
Allin idolized country music legend Hank Williams, Sr, and saw himself as a kindred spirit. Both were relative loners and outsiders, both were habitual users of intoxicants, both lived with few, if any, possessions and both traveled the country relentlessly. GG Allin's acoustic output, documented particularly on the EP The Troubled Troubador
The Troubled Troubador
The Troubled Troubador is a posthumous expanded compact disc edition of punk rock singer-songwriter and musician GG Allin's original 1990 7" EP of the same name....
, was heavily influenced by Williams. He recorded his own rewrites of Hank Williams, Jr.
Hank Williams, Jr.
Randall Hank Williams , better known as Hank Williams, Jr. and Bocephus, is an American country singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of Southern rock, blues, and traditional country...
's "Family Tradition" and David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe is an American outlaw country music singer who achieved popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. He has written and performed over 280 original songs throughout his career...
's "Longhaired Redneck", calling his own versions "Scumfuc Tradition" and "Outlaw Scumfuc" respectively. Later, Allin also released another country album Carnival of Excess
Carnival of Excess: Limited Edition
Carnival Of Excess: Limited Edition is a limited edition reissue of the album Carnival Of Excess, recorded by notorious punk rock musician GG Allin with one-time studio group The Criminal Quartet...
; this is probably his most professionally recorded and mixed album.
Freaks, Faggots, Drunks and Junkies
Freaks, Faggots, Drunks and Junkies is the fourth studio album by transgressive punk rock musician GG Allin. A collaboration with backing band Bulge, the LP was first released by Homestead Records in 1988....
), The Aids Brigade (the 7" EP Expose Yourself To Kids) and The Holymen (You Give Love a Bad Name
You Give Love a Bad Name (album)
You Give Love a Bad Name is the third studio album by the transgressive American punk rock musician GG Allin, and is jointly credited to Allin and a one-time studio band named The Holy Men...
). Allin also began performing many spoken word
Spoken word
Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
pieces. Video footage of these are available but rare. Unwilling to seek steady employment, Allin supported himself by selling his own records. Allin was also fascinated with serial killers. He wrote to and visited John Wayne Gacy
John Wayne Gacy
John Wayne Gacy, Jr. was an American serial killer, rapist and clown who sexually assaulted and murdered at least 33 teenage boys and young men between 1972 and 1978. Gacy buried 26 of his victims in the crawlspace of his home, buried three others elsewhere on his property, and discarded the...
in prison a number of times and Gacy painted a portrait of Allin, which became the album cover to the soundtrack of the film Hated: GG Allin And The Murder Junkies
Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies
Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies is a 1994 documentary directed by Todd Phillips about the life of GG Allin, a punk rock musician who died from a heroin overdose in 1993...
(see murderabilia
Murderabilia
Murderabilia, also known as murderbilia, is a term identifying collectibles related to murders, murderers or other violent crimes, coined by Andy Kahan, director of the Houston Police Department's Crime Victims Office.-Serial killer art:...
).
By this point, Allin's performances, which often resulted in considerable damage to venues and sound equipment, were regularly stopped after only a few songs by police or venue owners. Allin was charged with assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
and battery
Battery (crime)
Battery is a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact, distinct from assault which is the fear of such contact.In the United States, criminal battery, or simply battery, is the use of force against another, resulting in harmful or offensive contact...
or indecent exposure a number of times. His constant touring was only stopped by jail time or by long hospital stays for broken bones, blood poisoning, and other physical trauma.
Another attraction to Allin performances was his continual threats of suicide. In 1989, Allin wrote to Maximum RocknRoll
Maximum RocknRoll
Maximum rocknroll is a widely distributed, monthly not-for-profit fanzine based in San Francisco, USA. It features interviews, columns, and reviews from international contributors...
stating that he would commit suicide on stage on Halloween 1990. However, he was in jail when that day came. He continued his threat each following year but ended up imprisoned each following Halloween. When asked why he does not follow through with his threats, Allin stated, "With GG, you don't get what you expect—you get what you deserve." He also stated that suicide should only be done when one had reached his peak, meeting the afterlife at his strongest point and not at his weakest (see jump the shark
Jump the Shark
"Jump the Shark" is the 197th episode and the ninth season's fifteenth episode of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States and Canada on April 21, 2002 on Fox, and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom. It was written by executive producers...
).
1989 trial and imprisonment
In late 1989, Allin was arrested and charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder of a female acquaintance in Ann Arbor, MichiganAnn Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
.
In a psychological evaluation made as part of the trial, Allin was judged as having at least average intelligence, and was described as "courteous, cooperative and candid". The unnamed evaluator noted Allin did not appear psychotic, and seemed comfortable with his unorthodox lifestyle. However, the evaluator asserted Allin did have behaviors consistent with masochism and narcissism
Narcissism
Narcissism is a term with a wide range of meanings, depending on whether it is used to describe a central concept of psychoanalytic theory, a mental illness, a social or cultural problem, or simply a personality trait...
, and displayed symptoms of borderline personality disorder
Borderline personality disorder
Borderline personality disorder is a personality disorder described as a prolonged disturbance of personality function in a person , characterized by depth and variability of moods.The disorder typically involves unusual levels of instability in mood; black and white thinking, or splitting; the...
and bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
.
Allin initially denied the charges, claiming that the woman was a willing participant in their sexual activities. Allin admitted to cutting her, burning her, and drinking her blood, but insisted she did the same thing to him. Allin also claimed that inconsistencies in the woman's statements to authorities supported his assertions. The judge in the case agreed there were substantial inconsistencies in the woman's account. Ultimately, however, Allin plea bargained to the reduced charge of felonious assault , and he was imprisoned from December 20, 1989 to March 26, 1991.
It was during this time in prison that Allin began feeling re-energized about his life and "mission", as he put it. He wrote and published The GG Allin Manifesto during this period.
Hated documentary and final days
After his release from prison, Allin skipped paroleParole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
to go on another tour, footage of which was shot for Todd Phillips
Todd Phillips
Todd Phillips is an American screenwriter and film director. He is best known for directing the comedy films Road Trip, Old School, The Hangover, and Due Date.-Early life:...
' documentary Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies
Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies
Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies is a 1994 documentary directed by Todd Phillips about the life of GG Allin, a punk rock musician who died from a heroin overdose in 1993...
. The film contained graphic scenes from a performance Allin gave at an East Village, New York rock club, Space at Chase. Allin stripped naked, defecated on the floor, wiped his feces on himself and threw feces into the audience. Allin broke a woman's nose and assaulted several other people in the crowd. Clips were included from other Allin appearances, as well as interviews with Allin, his band, and their fans. The film came out in 1994 and was released on DVD in 1997.
During the 1990s GG Allin recorded his Murder Junkies album released by New Rose Records and featuring the band ANTiSEEN
Antiseen
Antiseen is an American punk rock band formed in Charlotte, North Carolina by vocalist JeffClayton and guitarist Joe Young, the sole members to have remained for the entire existence of the group...
. This album contained ten musical tracks and ten spoken-word pieces. Other than Freaks, Faggots, Drunks and Junkies, Allin considered this album to be his most polished professionally recorded album that explored his persona and stated his philosophy on life. It was also during this period that Allin recorded the War In My Head - I'm Your Enemy album released on Awareness Records
Awareness Records
Awareness Records was a record label founded in the mid 1980s by its owner, Andy Ware. The label was based in England and had Roy Harper and Michael Nesmith among its artists. It has now gone out of business.-Artists:* Michael Nesmith* Roy Harper...
and featuring the band Shrinkwrap
Shrinkwrap
Shrink wrap, also shrinkwrap or shrink film, is a material made up of polymer plastic film. When heat is applied it shrinks tightly over whatever it is covering. Heat can be applied with a hand held heat gun or the product and film can pass through a heat tunnel on a conveyor.-Composition:The...
. This particular album consists of one 45-minute track that is a collage
Sound collage
In music, montage or sound collage is a technique where sound objects or compositions, including songs, are created from collage, also known as montage, the use of portions of previous recordings or scores...
of spoken-word pieces which Shrinkwrap put to music.
Meanwhile, Allin's growing notoriety led to appearances on various television shows: Geraldo
Geraldo (TV series)
Geraldo is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Geraldo Rivera that aired in syndication from September 7, 1987, to June 12, 1998. On the last two seasons, it was known as The Geraldo Rivera Show. Both titles were produced by Investigative News Group in association with Tribune...
, The Jerry Springer Show
The Jerry Springer Show
The Jerry Springer Show is a syndicated television tabloid talk show hosted by Jerry Springer, a former politician, broadcast in the United States and other countries...
and The Jane Whitney Show. At the time of his death, Allin was making plans for a spoken-word album. He also mentioned a somewhat unlikely European tour, enthusiastically talking about it in the hours before his death.
Death
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. During the second song, the power went out, after which he trashed the venue, walked across the street entirely naked, and then continued on (now wearing shorts, but still covered in blood and feces) through the neighborhood, followed by a large group of fans.
After walking the streets for several hours, Allin eventually went to the apartment of John Handley. There, he and others continued to party and use drugs. Sometime during the evening, Allin ingested large amounts of heroin, on which he accidentally overdosed and slipped into an unconscious state. Those in the apartment posed for photos with Allin around 2 A.M., not realizing that the musician was already in the early stages of respiratory failure
Respiratory failure
The term respiratory failure, in medicine, is used to describe inadequate gas exchange by the respiratory system, with the result that arterial oxygen and/or carbon dioxide levels cannot be maintained within their normal ranges. A drop in blood oxygenation is known as hypoxemia; a rise in arterial...
. One fan at the scene later told police that he was snoring
Snoring
Snoring is the vibration of respiratory structures and the resulting sound, due to obstructed air movement during breathing while sleeping. In some cases the sound may be soft, but in other cases, it can be loud and unpleasant...
at the time the pictures were taken, leading the others in the apartment to believe he had fallen asleep.
Sometime in the early morning of June 28, Allin died from the effects of his accidental heroin overdose. He was 36 years old. The next morning, some noticed that Allin still lay motionless in the same place where they had left him and called for an ambulance. Allin was pronounced dead at the scene.
Funeral
At his funeral, Allin's bloated, discolored corpse was dressed in his black leather jacket and trademark jock strap. He had a bottle of Jim BeamJim Beam
Jim Beam is a brand of bourbon whiskey produced in Clermont, Kentucky. It is currently one of the best selling brands of bourbon in the world. Since 1795 , seven generations of the Beam family have been involved in whiskey production for the company that produces the brand, which was given the name...
beside him in his casket, per his wishes (openly stated in his self-penned acoustic country ballad, "When I Die"). As part of his brother's request, the mortician was instructed not to wash the corpse (which smelled strongly of feces), or apply any makeup.
Allin's funeral became a wild party. Friends posed with his corpse, placing drugs and whiskey into his mouth, much to the bemusement of several funeral employees who, reportedly, had a wild party later that night. As the funeral ended, his brother put a pair of headphones on Allin. The headphones were plugged into a portable cassette player, in which was loaded a copy of The Suicide Sessions. The video of his funeral is widely available for purchase, and is an extra feature on the Hated DVD and some bootleg VHS tapes. Allin was buried in mother Arleta's plot beside his grandparents.
Legacy
Video footage of the soundcheck, concert, and aftermath from Allin's final concert on the day of his death was appended to the 1997 DVD release of Hated.GG Allin's grave is frequently vandalized with urine, cigarette butts, feces and alcohol by fans, an act that is greatly discouraged by GG's mother Arleta. His tombstone has since been removed because of this.
In music
Allin's songs have been covered by a number of notable acts, including Grand Belial's KeyGrand Belial's Key
Grand Belial's Key is a black metal band formed in 1992 by guitarist Gelal Necrosodomy and vocalist Lord Vlad Luciferian. Lord Vlad Luciferian was later ejected from the group due to internal differences and joined the formerly Norwegian band Ancient that had moved to the USA, using the new stage...
, Gehennah, CKY
CKY (band)
CKY is an American alternative metal band that formed in West Chester, Pennsylvania in 1998. Centred around core members Deron Miller , Chad I Ginsburg and Jess Margera , the band shares its name with a skateboarding and stunt video series produced by Bam Margera, brother of drummer Jess...
, the 69 Eyes
The 69 Eyes
The 69 Eyes are a multi-platinum selling Finnish gothic rock band. They are currently signed to EMI Finland. The band's albums are now distributed worldwide. The End Records acts as the band's official North American distributor, as Nuclear Blast Records provides distribution in Mainland Europe,...
, Maryslim
Maryslim
Maryslim is a rock band from Sweden that was founded in 1999. The band has been described as "a splendid mix of mid-70s hardrock and punk, spiced up with some The Cult-sounds, heavy AC/DC riffing and catchy Foo Fighters-vibes." ....
, Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
, Bus Station Loonies
Bus Station Loonies
The Bus Station Loonies are a 'cabaret punk' band from Plymouth, England. They have been described as a cross between Dead Kennedys, Undertones, Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias and the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band....
, The Lemonheads
The Lemonheads
The Lemonheads are an American alternative rock band first formed in 1986 by Evan Dando, Ben Deily and Jesse Peretz. Dando has remained the band's only constant member....
, No Age
No Age
No Age is a two-person American indie rock group consisting of guitarist Randy Randall and drummer/vocalist Dean Allen Spunt. The band is based in Los Angeles and is currently signed to Sub Pop records...
, The Spits
The Spits
The Spits are a American Seattle-based punk musical group. Currently, the band has released four albums, all officially self-titled but unofficially titled 1, 2, 3, and 4, released by Nickel and Dime Records, Slovenly Recordings, Dirtnap Records, and Thriftstore Records respectively...
, Dum Dum Girls
Dum Dum Girls
Dum Dum Girls are an American indie pop band from California that formed in 2008. Their name comes from both The Vaselines' album Dum Dum and the Iggy Pop song "Dum Dum Boys"...
, Times New Viking
Times New Viking
Times New Viking is a lo-fi indie rock band from Columbus, Ohio. The lineup consists of guitarist Jared Phillips, drummer Adam Elliott, and Beth Murphy on keyboards. Murphy and Elliott share vocal duties....
, Faith No More
Faith No More
Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed originally as Faith No Man in 1981 by bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist Wade Worthington, vocalist Michael Morris and drummer Mike Bordin. A year later when Worthington was replaced by keyboardist Roddy Bottum, and Mike...
, and Ty Segall
Ty Segall
Ty Segall is an American musician and songwriter. He sings, plays guitar and drums. He has released four solo albums and is a member of the bands The Traditional Fools, Epsilons, Party Fowl, Sic Alps, and The Perverts.-Recording career:...
Family and relationships
GG Allin married Sandra Farrow on October 6, 1980. They divorced in 1985.In the mid-1980s, Allin became involved with a teenage girl from Garland, Texas
Garland, Texas
-Climate:* The average warmest month is July.* The highest recorded temperature was in 2000.* On average, the coolest month is January.* The lowest recorded temperature was in 1989.* The maximum average precipitation occurs in May....
named Tracy Deneault. She became pregnant, and their daughter, Nico Ann Deneault, was born March 13, 1986. Nico chose to distance herself from her family. Allin and Tracey Deneault never married.
Beliefs
Allin was an extreme individualistIndividualism
Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, or social outlook that stresses "the moral worth of the individual". Individualists promote the exercise of one's goals and desires and so value independence and self-reliance while opposing most external interference upon one's own...
and anti-authoritarian, promoting lawlessness and violence against police officers in many of his lyrics, and his essay, The GG Allin Manifesto, was intended to summarize his personal philosophy. He stated on Geraldo
Geraldo (TV series)
Geraldo is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Geraldo Rivera that aired in syndication from September 7, 1987, to June 12, 1998. On the last two seasons, it was known as The Geraldo Rivera Show. Both titles were produced by Investigative News Group in association with Tribune...
that he believed that his body was a temple of rock and roll, and his flesh, blood and bodily fluids are a communion to the people. Another reason he gave for his onstage antics was that he wanted to draw a parable
Parable
A parable is a succinct story, in prose or verse, which illustrates one or more instructive principles, or lessons, or a normative principle. It differs from a fable in that fables use animals, plants, inanimate objects, and forces of nature as characters, while parables generally feature human...
between his actions and "a society that's going crazy with violence." He has also said that if he did not do his performances he would probably be a serial killer or a mass murderer.
Media
- Court document - GG Allin's clinical transcript in Michigan case
External links
- You're Wrong, An Irregular Column by Mykel Board
- GG Allin Online
- Allin's Obituary
- Heritage of GG Allin
- Maximumrocknroll Interview - GG Allin interview from 1987
- 2004 Rolling Stone.com article
- GG Allin article and interview by Joe Coughlin