Any Germs fans out there?

A friend of mine was just at a wrap party (actually a couple of weeks ago) for a new Germs bio-pic called, "What We Do Is Secret." He called me to tell me the Germs were actually playing live at the party. I've got to say, even through the cell phone warbelling it sounded pretty awesome. The guy who plays Darby in the movie was actually singing. My friend, Chris, said the actor looked and acted exactly like Darby, it was really eerie. Today I ran across this interview with the director in Billboard Magazine. Could be good! (And I'm not just saying that 'cause my friend's in it!)

[ Edited by: stuff-o-rama 2005-08-26 17:47 ]

yeah..i was a huge fan back in college..unfortunately darby was dead by then....great stuff though.

Wow, so they finally made a movie?!?! About eight years ago I was working for one of them Hollywood production companies and one of my projects was breaking down the script for a Germs movie that was set to go into production. It never did make it, but I kept hope that it would be made someday. I don't think this is the same project, but should be fun nonetheless. Looking forward to seeing it!

-Weird Unc

No, but I can't get enough of the Go-Gos

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.

Finally a movie is comin' out that isn't another generations reheat. The Germs were crazy! Unfortunately I never got to see them live. Their shows at the Starwood were lengendary. It was interesting to see Pat Smear show up in Nirvana so many years later.
Chongolio

Germs were REALLY under rated, glad to hear they're making a movie about them. Hope it's not "Hollylame". Before their album came out most people thought Darby was just a drugged out psychopath, but after reading his lyrics they realized that he actually was quite smart. My band opened up for drummer Don Bolles' post-Germs group Celebrity Skin and I had a chance to yak about the old Germs days with him. He later joined Three Day Stubble. Pat Smear's post-Germs band Twisted Roots was a really good band too, Dionysus (of course) released a "must have" Cd by them in 2004. ALSO, if you ever find a copy of Pat's solo CD called "So You Fell in Love With a Musician" on SST...BUY IT! It's F#@%&%g GREAT! Trippy and great.

On 2005-08-28 21:56, tikitortured wrote:
...most people thought Darby was just a drugged out psychopath, but after reading his lyrics they realized that he actually was quite smart...

... maybe not a psychopath, but definitely a loaded bi-sexual who penned a few good bits... not good enough to keep the fire burning, though, eh...

... the slobbering performances of the germs were probably their highlight... in the studio, they couldn't really get it together...

... conversely, crass (yes, the faux anarchist ensemble) was brilliant in the studio (as equipment minimalists), yet their performances were marred by ineptitude and lack of overall planning...

On 2005-08-27 16:31, Tiki Matt wrote:
No, but I can't get enough of the Go-Gos

I hear you.

When I was a junior in high school, during the "quiet time/prayer time," my friend Brian used to offer a prayer to the Germs on a daily basis.

Remember when the GO-GO's were a "punk band"? Before they had a record deal, they played real fast and wore ripped up clothes and had potty mouths. Then the record geeks got a hold of 'em and made them "cute"...oh,and wealthy. I always liked the Pandoras and Girlschool better anyway.

WOW, i'd like to see that movie!

On 2005-09-05 21:26, tikitortured wrote:
Remember when the GO-GO's were a "punk band"? Before they had a record deal, they played real fast and wore ripped up clothes and had potty mouths. Then the record geeks got a hold of 'em and made them "cute"...oh,and wealthy. I always liked the Pandoras and Girlschool better anyway.

I never saw them then, but yes, I do recall that initially was their image.

Beauty and the Beat is the equivalent of a "day at the spa" theme.

I happened to be listening to them this morning - the song "This Town" it may have come true - something like X's Los Angeles.

The original 'Decline of the Western Civilisation' is worth getting hold of for all the great footage of the Germs and a bunch of other fine(er) bands from the era. I got my DVD copy as a bootleg, but it may have been released properly somewhere in the world.

Trader Woody

On 2005-09-07 10:01, Trader Woody wrote:
The original 'Decline of the Western Civilisation' is worth getting hold of for all the great footage of the Germs and a bunch of other fine(er) bands from the era. I got my DVD copy as a bootleg, but it may have been released properly somewhere in the world.

Trader Woody

Some notorious San Diegans are in the audience and plainly seen during the Germs scene in the movie. Hey ShipwreckJoey, were you in it?

On 2005-09-07 11:34, thejab wrote:

Some notorious San Diegans are in the audience and plainly seen during the Germs scene in the movie. Hey ShipwreckJoey, were you in it?

Should I slide on the glasses and be eating a well-hung piece of steak for my next viewing of this scene? Methinks I'll have to view it again at the weekend.

Speaking of San Diego, I hear RFTC are hanging up the pomade and trumpets at Halloween. A sadder day than D Crash's demise (in my eyes, at least......) Selah.

Trader Woody

On 2005-09-07 11:34, thejab wrote:
Some notorious San Diegans are in the audience and plainly seen during the Germs scene in the movie. Hey ShipwreckJoey, were you in it?

Although I was at The Fleetwood for the show that night, I've never spotted myself in any of the scenes. The San Diegans that I recognize (mostly in the FEAR set) are Chuco Tony (FONO), Marc Rude (FONO), Lou Scum (the Injections) and Tracy (the girl that was thrown off the stage while trying to attack Lee Ving). A lot of spit was flying up at the front of the stage (I try to avoid that sort of thing).

On 2005-09-07 16:19, Shipwreckjoey wrote:

On 2005-09-07 11:34, thejab wrote:
Some notorious San Diegans are in the audience and plainly seen during the Germs scene in the movie. Hey ShipwreckJoey, were you in it?

Although I was at The Fleetwood for the show that night, I've never spotted myself in any of the scenes. The San Diegans that I recognize (mostly in the FEAR set) are Chuco Tony (FONO), Marc Rude (FONO), Lou Scum (the Injections) and Tracy (the girl that was thrown off the stage while trying to attack Lee Ving). A lot of spit was flying up at the front of the stage (I try to avoid that sort of thing).

Oh, it was during Fear's set. Wasn't Terry Marine in the audience too?

Right you are Jab. I forgot Terry Marine, which is kind of an awshit since I was stayin' at his and Tracy's place at the time. Terry really was a Marine (Sargent). He would jump out of bed at the crack 'o dawn, throw on a pair of running shorts and a backpack with his uniform and run to work at MCRD (next to Lindbergh Field) from his apt. on Brookes and 5th in Hillcrest.

SJ - Little did the marines know what Terry Marine did on the weekends! Back then I heard a rumor that he went AWOL and the sherrifs arrested him at a party in Spring Valley. I doubt now that it was true.

I still have a couple of issues of his "Be My Friend" newsletter.

TW - I was not at the Decline filming. It sounded from your response like you thought I might have been in the audience.

I too was at the Fleetwood the night they filmed that show for the Decline. What a crazy place that was, we would drive up every weekend from Newport to see shows thinking we were bad punk rockers but when you pulled into the parking lot it was a whole 'nother world. I actually crawled out of the place once on my hands and knees when the riot police came swinging through the crowd, with Darby chanting, "kill the pigs" over the PA as he got hit square in the chest with a beer bottle. If you look carefully in the movie I'm the guy with dyed white spiked hair in the back.

I think my cousin was in that footage as well as a good friend of his who is probably on this board (cant recall his name- took him to fenders in my girlfriend's hearse to see the wierdos around 84 I think- I'd venture a guess that he'd remember that. His arm said "I want your body" in black felt pen.)

If you all are still on here- could you tell me which 'be my friend' magazines you have? I'm looking for copies of any of them but particularly ones with my old band 'personal conflict' in them. Any help'd be much appreciated.

[ Edited by: T_lifehater 2006-07-02 11:13 ]

Oh- haven't seen the movie yet (we don't get that kinda stuff way out here until it's on cable :wink: ) but I saw the trailer. Trailer looked Ok, heard the movie was alright, heard the "new germs" were kinda ho hum whatever. 'd like to seeit all myself but like I said- WAAAAAYYY out here we don't get so much stuff.

As far as I know it still hasn't been released. There's more info on the movie here:

http://www.myspace.com/germsmovie

I too am a Germs fan. I wanted to read the Darby bio "Lexicon Devil" but every time I picked it up to read it just looked depressing. A strange, sad, and short life indeed. Just reading his mini bio on Allmusic.com is saddening. Alot of death and abandonment in his family when he was still Jan Paul Breahm. Did I hear that there was some kind of male prostitute connection between Darby Crash and Paul Lynde? Is that true?

While I'm happy to hear that some filmmakers have found the Darby story worthy of celluloid, I'm starting to notice this bio-pic thing as another trend for Hollywood (or independents) to be lazy and not come up with an original story. These days it's either a re-hash of an old film, or a film that was a musical that becomes a film again, or a TV show that becomes a movie, OR now it's recycling notable individual's lives for the screen i.e., 'Walk the Line', 'Capote', and 'Ray'. Last two best actor/actress '05, '06 Oscars have gone to celebrities playing OTHER celebrities. YAWN! And did I hear something about an Iggy Pop bio-pic with Elijah Wood in the lead role? This green lighted by Iggy himself!! C'mon Ig..nobody can play you! Also hearing something about both Renee Zelwiger and Pink playing Janis Joplin in two seperate films...is that right. Pink...as Janis Joplin??? Lame idea and total BOX OFFICE POISON!!

Anyway I found some cool clips of the Germs at the Whisky in like 1980 on Youtube.com. Just search for 'Germs'. Meanwhile I gotta go find a copy of 'Decline of Western Civilization'. :drink:

For photos of the Germs and the LA/OC music scene from the late Seventies and the Early Eighties check out this exibit

Blight at the End of the Funnel
Photos by Edward Colver
July1 - Aug 20, 2006
GCAC Main Gallery and Project Room
125 N. Broadway
Santa Ana, CA 92701
ADMISSION IS FREE.

http://www.grandcentralartcenter.com/gcacPages/Artists/Colver.html

http://www.ocweekly.com/culture/arts/available-blight/25395/