Letters From GG Allin 2

This postcard from GG Allin came to me while I lived in Quakertown, PA.  True to form, Allin forgot to put a stamp on it, so I had to pay for postage.  Oh, that scamp!


D -

Just got off the road... Lots of blood, violence + warrants' [sic] added to the list ... My new address is [xxxxxxx] Chicago, IL 60614

GG


Why the hell he picked this postcard I shall never know.

Letters From GG Allin 1

If you've been reading my other blogs you know that I've been publishing some interesting letters I've received over the years.  This is the first of many from GG Allin, the last dangerous musician.

Few of you immersed in the world of what passes as "rebellious" music these days have probably heard of Allin.  His on-stage antics were legendary back in the day, landing him AP stories, multiple arrests and appearances on a variety of shows, including one with Geraldo Rivera before he became a Fox stooge.  He billed himself as a rock 'n' roll terrorist, and he was.  Love him or hate him, he left an impression.

The letters I'll reprint are out of chronological order.  I apologize for that.  I don't have all the envelopes with the postmark dates on them.  This one came in 12/92.  Allin is either responding to a previous letter or a phone conversation we had ...


Doug,

Hated [sic] will have it's [sic] first showing in NYC in late Jan..

As far as a show in PA ... I did a show somewhere in Bethlehem PA [sic] back in 89 [sic], but I can't fucking remember where ... I know the cops showed up but I got away before they arrived.  It was a very chaotic event.  I remember the crowd chanting fuck the pigs [sic] at my demand -- and locking the doorway to the club so I could escape out the back door ... they bought me some time while holding the cops off ... I passed out in a bloody heap with some bitch named Linda in an alley until my band found me ...

Send #7 [of my 'zine] when its [sic] out -- one to me + one to Shrinkwrap.

GG Allin 206045 [Allin's prison ID number]


I believe Allin's brother, Merle, was trying to get me to book a PA show once Allin was released from prison.  I remember calling a few places and being flatly turned down (not surprising).  Good times.  Good times.

Jesus Chrust Pose

I don't remember a lot about Jesus Chrust, but I had a 7" or two and a shirt.  One of those 7"s was a picture disc that was pretty cool.  I also seem to recall that there were two bands of the same name out about the same time.  (I don't think they ever battled it out in court over this one, but it would have been an interesting case.)  What made me think of this?  Easy.  I was going through some old 7"s and fighting a headache.  Noisecore and headaches kind of go hand-in-hand ... at least to some ears.

I looked the band up on the Internet just to see if it were still functioning, and I was kind of surprised to see that there wasn't that much info on it out.  Then I remembered that other than the name, cool picture disc and shocking images, there wasn't all that much to this band.  It always felt more like a gimmick than something worth listening to.  There were other bands doing the same kind of music ... only better.

I'm sure what attracted me to it in the first place was the name and the images.  I wouldn't care what kind of music it was because the other two things would have sold me.  I do remember not hating it, but also not being blown away.

Noisecore is an acquired taste.  Even amongst those who like musical extremes there is debate about the artistic merits of it.  For some it will never be more than noise.  For others it is a rebellious music that is an answer to stale bands who offer nothing new yet are still enjoyed by far too many people.  It is a genre of music that purposely isolates itself from other music and its fans.  That may be its ultimate fault, but it is also commendable.

Now I gotta go dig up those 7"s and see if my tastes have changed all that much.