The band began when Paul Beahm and Georg Ruthenberg decided they should start a band after being kicked out of University High for antisocial behaviour, allegedly for using 'mind control' on fellow students. The (initially hypothetical) band was named "Sophistifuck & The Revlon Spam Queens," with Beahm (then 'Bobby Pyn,' and later Darby Crash) on vocals, Ruthenberg (then and later called Pat Smear) on guitar, an early member named "Dinky" on bass, and Michelle Baer playing drums. This lineup never played in front of a live audience.
In April '77 the band added bassist, Lorna Doom, with transitional member "Dottie Danger" on drums, later famous as Belinda Carlisle of The Go-Go's. Carlisle never actually played with the band, due to her being sidelined by a bout of mononucleosis for an extended period, and she was replaced by her friend Donna Rhia, who played three gigs and recorded their first single. Carlisle remained a friend and helper of the band throughout (she can be heard introducing the band on the Live At The Whiskey recording), only leaving because her new band, the Go-Go's was becoming popular, and, as she put it, "I was really disturbed by the heroin that was going on." [1]. Nicky Beat, of various noteworthy LA bands, also sat in on drums for a time.
The band's first live performance was at the Orpheum Theater. Pat Smear recalled,
"We made noise. Darby stuck the mic in a jar of peanut butter. It was a dare, we had no songs or anything! Lorna wore her pants inside out, and Darby covered himself in red licorice...we made noise for five minutes until they threw us off."[2]
The Germs initially drew musical influences from the likes of Iggy Pop, Queen, Suzi Quatro, The Runaways, and New York Dolls. Early on, Smear was the only musically experienced member — Doom survived early performances by sliding a finger up and down the fretboard of her bass while Rhia generally kept a minimal beat on the bass drum, periodically bashing a cymbal.
The Germs presented themselves as more than a band, as a loose and half-ironic cult, with membership signified by a "Germs Burn" -- a characteristic cigarette burn on the left wrist or inner forearm.The end of the band came when Darby replaced Don Bolles with his friend Rob Henley on drums. According to Bolles, this was because Crash was terribly upset after having seen him perform on-stage in a dress, with side project Vox Pop, although Darby never said this himself. In any case, when Smear and Doom found that Henley could not play at all, and with Darby away in England, they began discussing quitting the band.[4]
Shortly after the Germs split, Darby and Pat went on to form the short-lived Darby Crash Band. Circle Jerks drummer, Lucky Lehrer joined the band on the eve of their first (sold-out) live performance, when during soundcheck, Darby kicked out the drummer they'd rehearsed with. The band, described by Smear as "like the Germs, but with worse players", played only a few gigs to lukewarm reaction before splitting up.they played there best ever last show.
Crash committed suicide 7 December 1980, at age 22. Unreported at the time, Beahme had overdosed on heroin in a suicide pact with close friend Casey Cola, who ended up surviving. She insists that he did not intend for her to live, nor did he change his mind at the last minute and intend for himself to live. As he lay dying, he attempted to write "Here lies Darby Crash" on the wall, but did not finish. Outside the world of Germs' fans, news of Darby's death was largely overshadowed by the murder of John Lennon the next day.
songs
1. Forming
2. Sex Boy - (live)
3. Lexicon Devil
4. Circle One
5. No God
6. What We Do Is Secret
7. Communist Eyes
8. Land Of Treason
9. Richie Dagger's Crime
10. Strange Notes
11. American Leather
12. Lexicon Devil
13. Manimal
14. Our Way
15. We Must Bleed
16. Media Blitz
17. Other Newest One, The
18. Let's Pretend
19. Dragon Lady
20. Slave, The
21. Shut Down (Annihilation Man)
22. Caught In My Eye
23. Round And Round
24. My Tunnel
25. Throw It Away
26. Not All Right
27. Now I Hear The Laughter
28. Going Down
29. Lions Share
30. Forming 2
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