Post #182437 by Shipwreckjoey on Sat, Aug 27, 2005 4:47 PM

I love the Germs. I saw them "perform" here in San Diego at the North Park Lions Club in late '79. The band (minus Don) wound up staying at my rehearsal space in a basement office building downtown on 5th (this was pre-Gaslamp restoration). I remember we woke up the next morning and went across the street to the liquor store for breakfast beers. Darby was at the counter in front of me buying his beer (wearing his trademark leather jacket covered in studs, badges and swastikas). When I got up to buy my beer the black man behind the counter said to me "I don't like those Nazi guys...Hitler wouldn't have either, they ain't got blond hair". To wit I replied "Neither did Hitler". After breakfast we jumped on the bus and headed down to the famous San Diego Zoo to check out the critters. Apparently the Germs' prestige had spread to San Diego by then because the zoo assigned a special security guard to follow us around and protect us from any unruly fans, overzealous paparazzi and crazed zoo animals. As we left the zoo a tourist girl ran up to Pat's girlfriend and exclaimed "Hey, I know you...you're Blondie! Can I have your autograph?" She complied without missing a beat. Whadda day.