the germs

punk rock band from the late 1970s in Los Angeles. The band consisted of Darby Crash (real name Paul Beahm, vocals), Pat Smear (real name Georg Ruthenberg, guitar), various alternating and short-lived drummers (Donna Rhea, Belinda Carlisle or Dottie Danger) then finally Don Bolles, and Lorna Doom (bass). The band was at first a joke, performing stunts on stage to distract from the fact that they lacked skill on their instruments. Darby would smear peanut butter on his chest and pour sugar everywhere during "Sugar, Sugar", break bottles on his head, and even cut himself on stage. Later shows became very violent and the band was banned from many venues. Their sound changed over time to be poetic and aggressive, and they developed a bit of a cult following. At age 22 (1980) Darby Crash committed suicide by overdosing on heroin. He wrote a note that said "Here Lies Darby Crash" and splayed himself out on the floor like Jesus on the cross. The next day was John Lennon's death, which overshadowed Beahm's. The band is now performing with Shane West replacing Darby. Shane played Darby in the upcoming film "What We Do Is Secret."