Kevin Michael "GG" Allin (born Jesus Christ Allin; August 29, 1956 – June 28, 1993) was an American
punk rock
Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...
musician who performed and recorded with many groups during his career. His live performances often featured
transgressive acts, including
self-mutilation,
defecating on stage, and assaulting audience members, for which he was arrested and imprisoned on multiple occasions.
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
called him "the most spectacular degenerate in rock n' roll history",
while
G4TV's ''
That's Tough'' labelled him the "toughest rock star in the world".
Known more for his notorious stage antics than his music, Allin recorded prolifically, not only in the punk rock genre, but also in
spoken word,
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
, and more traditional-style rock. His lyrics often expressed themes of violence and
misanthropy
Misanthropy is the general hatred, dislike, or distrust of the human species, human behavior, or human nature. A misanthrope or misanthropist is someone who holds such views or feelings. Misanthropy involves a negative evaluative attitude t ...
.
Allin's music was often poorly recorded and produced, given limited distribution, and met with mostly negative reviews from critics,
although he maintained a
cult following throughout and after his career. Allin promised for several years that he would commit
suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death.
Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
on stage during one of his concerts, but he instead died from a
drug overdose
A drug overdose (overdose or OD) is the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities much greater than are recommended. Retrieved on September 20, 2014. on June 28, 1993, at age 36.
Early life
Allin was born Jesus Christ Allin at Weeks Memorial Hospital in
Lancaster,
New Hampshire
New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
, the younger of two sons born to Merle Colby Allin Sr. (1923–2001) and Arleta Gunther (1936–2019).
He was given this name because his father told his wife that
Jesus Christ
Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...
had
visited him, and told him that his newborn son would be a great man in the vein of the
Messiah
In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; ,
; ,
; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of '' mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach ...
.
During early childhood, Allin's older brother
Merle Jr. was unable to pronounce "Jesus" properly and called him "Jeje", which became "GG".
Allin's family lived in a
log cabin
A log cabin is a small log house, especially a minimally finished or less architecturally sophisticated structure. Log cabins have an ancient history in Europe, and in America are often associated with first-generation home building by settl ...
with no running water or electricity in
Groveton, New Hampshire. His father was an abusive
religious fanatic who threatened his family with death, digging graves in their cellar and threatening to fill them in the near future.
In an essay titled "The First Ten Years", Allin wrote that Merle Sr. wanted to kill his family in a
murder–suicide
A murder–suicide is an act where an individual intentionally kills one or more people before killing themselves. The combination of murder and suicide can take various forms:
* Suicide after or during murder inflicted on others
** Suicide af ...
. He "despised pleasure" and allowed his family "very little contact with others". They lived a "primitive existence" and "were more like prisoners than a family". Allin also stated that his mother attempted to escape before she filed for divorce, but Merle Sr. thwarted the attempt by
kidnapping
Kidnapping or abduction is the unlawful abduction and confinement of a person against their will, and is a crime in many jurisdictions. Kidnapping may be accomplished by use of force or fear, or a victim may be enticed into confinement by frau ...
Allin. Allin said that he was glad to experience such an upbringing, and that it "made
ima warrior soul at an early age."
In 1961, Arleta filed for divorce from Merle Sr., as his mental instability was worsening. Allin and his brother were from that time raised by their mother and stepfather, and settled in
East St. Johnsbury, Vermont, in 1966.
Allin, a poor student, was placed in
special education
Special education (also known as special-needs education, aided education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, and SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates their individual di ...
classes and required to repeat the third grade. According to his older brother, he experienced
bullying
Bullying is the use of force, coercion, Suffering, hurtful teasing, comments, or threats, in order to abuse, aggression, aggressively wikt:domination, dominate, or intimidate one or more others. The behavior is often repeated and habitual. On ...
by fellow students for nonconformity.
['' Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies''. Dir: Todd Phillips, 1993.] In his
second year
The second (symbol: s) is a unit of time derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes, and finally to 60 seconds each (24 × 60 × 60 = 86400). The current and formal definition in the International System of ...
of high school, he began attending school
cross-dressed, which he said was inspired by the
New York Dolls
New York Dolls were an American rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1971. Along with the Velvet Underground, the MC5, and the Stooges, they were one of the first bands of the early punk rock scenes. Although the band never achieved ...
.
When asked about his childhood, Allin said that it was "very chaotic. Full of chances and dangers. We sold drugs, stole, broke into houses, cars. Did whatever we wanted to for the most part – including all the bands we played in. People even hated us back then."
Recording career
Early years
Allin's earliest musical influences were 1960s
British Invasion
The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s, when Rock music, rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom and other aspects of Culture of the United Kingdom, British culture became popular in the United States with sign ...
bands including
Mott the Hoople and
the Dave Clark Five.
['' Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies'' – Bonus features, "Merle & Dino Interview". Minute marker 0:00:23: "We were into, y'know, all the early British Invasion stuff, like the early-mid 60s... The Beatles, Greg Van Voorst, and the Rolling Stones, and the Dave Clark 5, and the Monkees, and all that kind of stuff, you know."] In the early 1970s,
Alice Cooper became an important influence on Allin.
Allin's earliest recorded musical endeavors were as a drummer. He also wrote most of his songs on an acoustic guitar. In his mid-teens, he and his older brother Merle, who plays bass guitar, formed their first band, Little Sister's Date, which lasted a little over a year.
The group covered songs by
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...
,
Kiss
A kiss is the touching or pressing of one's lips against another person, animal or object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely; depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sex ...
, and other popular rock bands of the time period.
Both Allin and Merle gained a strong interest in
punk rock
Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...
.
The MC5 and
the Stooges
The Stooges or Iggy and the Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, were an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave Alexande ...
were major influences on Allin.
He graduated from Concord High School in
Concord, Vermont, in 1975, and shortly after formed the band Malpractice with Merle, local musician Jeff Penney, and high school friend Brian Demurs. Allin played the drums for Malpractice until the band separated in 1977.
From September 1977 to April 1984, he fronted
the Jabbers. Allin's 1980 debut album was ''
Always Was, Is and Always Shall Be'' for
Orange Records. In addition to singing, he played drums on most tracks. The album was reissued for the first time on CD in 1995 by the Halycon imprint. At one point, industry veteran and
the Dead Boys producer
Genya Ravan
Genya Ravan (born Genyusha Zelkowitz; April 19, 1940), also known as Goldie, is an American rock music, rock singer and music producer. She was lead singer of the Escorts, Goldie and the Gingerbreads, and Ten Wheel Drive.
Early life
Genyusha Zel ...
served as his manager. Tension within the Jabbers mounted as Allin grew uncontrollable, uncompromising, and vicious. The Jabbers disbanded in the spring of 1984. Their second-to-last show was opening for
Charged GBH.
Mid-period and more extreme live performances
Allin first defecated onstage in 1985 at a show in
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria ( ) is a city in Peoria County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. Located on the Illinois River, the city had a population of 113,150 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Ill ...
. According to fellow performer Bloody Mess, "I was with him when he bought the
Ex-Lax. Unfortunately, he ate it hours before the show, so he constantly had to hold it in or he would've shit before he got onstage... After he shit onstage, complete chaos broke out in the hall... All of the old men in charge of the hall went fucking ''nuts''!.. Hundreds of confused punk kids were flipping out, running out the door, because the smell was ''incredible''."
Defecation
Defecation (or defaecation) follows digestion and is the necessary biological process by which organisms eliminate a solid, semisolid, or liquid metabolic waste, waste material known as feces (or faeces) from the digestive tract via the anus o ...
became a regular part of his stage act.
Allin idolized country music legend
Hank Williams
Hiram "Hank" Williams (September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. An early pioneer of country music, he is regarded as one of the most significant and influential musicians of the 20th century. W ...
and saw himself as a kindred spirit. Both were relative loners and outsiders, both were habitual users of intoxicants, both lived with few (if any) possessions, and both traveled the country relentlessly. Allin's acoustic output, documented on the EP ''
The Troubled Troubador'', was heavily influenced by Williams. He recorded his own rewrites of
Hank Williams Jr.'s "Family Tradition" and
David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe (born September 6, 1939) is an American singer and songwriter. Coe took up music after spending much of his early life in reform schools and prisons, and first became notable for busking in Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville. He ini ...
's "Longhaired Redneck", calling his own versions "Scumfuc Tradition" and "Outlaw Scumfuc", respectively. Later, Allin also released another country album, ''
Carnival of Excess'', his most refined set of recordings.
Another attraction to Allin performances was his continual threats of suicide. In 1989, Allin wrote to ''Maximum RocknRoll'' stating that he would commit suicide on stage on Halloween 1989. However, he was in jail when that day came. He continued his threat each following year but ended up imprisoned each following Halloween. When asked why he did not follow through with his threats, Allin stated, "With GG, you don't get what you expect—you get what you deserve." He also stated that suicide should only be done when one had reached one's peak, meeting the afterlife at one's strongest point and not at one's weakest.
In June 1993, Allin made an appearance on ''
The Jane Whitney Show''. This interview is infamous for being his last, and for his aggression toward the audience. Allin openly stated that he would commit suicide and take his fans with him. When questioned by Jane, he clarified that he would make them commit suicide as well or he would kill them. Allin also stated that, at 35, he could sleep (have sex) with 12-, 13- and 16-year-old girls, boys, and animals, and claimed that he raped both women and men at his concerts.
1989 trial and imprisonment
In late 1989, Allin was arrested and charged with "assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder" of a female acquaintance in
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the List of municipalities in Michigan, fifth-most populous cit ...
.
Allin initially denied the charges, claiming that the woman was a willing participant in their sexual activities. Allin admitted to cutting her, burning her, and drinking her blood, but insisted that she did the same thing to him. Allin also claimed that inconsistencies in the woman's statements to authorities supported his assertions. The judge in the case agreed there were substantial inconsistencies in the woman's account. Ultimately, however, Allin plea bargained to the reduced charge of felonious assault, and he was imprisoned from December 25, 1989, to March 26, 1991.
It was during this time in prison that Allin began feeling re-energized about his life and "mission". He wrote ''The GG Allin Manifesto'' during this period.
Final days
Allin's growing notoriety led to appearances on various television shows: ''
Geraldo'', ''
The Jerry Springer Show
''Jerry Springer'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Jerry Springer. The show ran for twenty-seven seasons from September 30, 1991, to July 26, 2018, in which it broadcast 3,891 episodes. It was taped at the NB ...
'' and ''The Jane Whitney Show''. At the time of his death, Allin was making plans for a spoken-word album. He also mentioned a somewhat unlikely European tour, enthusiastically talking about it in the hours before his death.
Personal life
Family and relationships
GG Allin married Sandra Farrow on October 6, 1978.
[Jesus Christ Allin page:]
GG Allin's Partial Arrest Record on His Death Report
" They divorced in 1985.
In the mid-1980s, Allin became involved with a teenage girl from
Garland, Texas
Garland is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located within Dallas County, Texas, Dallas County with portions extending into Collin County, Texas, Collin and Rockwall County, Texas, Rockwall counties. It is located northeast of Dallas and is a ...
named Tracy Deneault.
She became pregnant, and their daughter, Nico Ann Deneault, was born on March 13, 1986.
Nico chose to distance herself from her family.
[interview with Arleta on ''The Best of the Murder Junkies'' DVD] Allin and Tracey Deneault never married.
At the time of his death, Allin's partner was Liz Mankowski. They appeared together on ''The Jane Whitney Show'', in 1993, with another Allin fan called Wendy.
GG Allin's older brother
Merle Allin served as bassist for his last band, the Murder Junkies.
Beliefs
Allin was a self-identified extreme
individualist,
misanthrope
Misanthropy is the general hatred, dislike, or distrust of the Human, human species, human behavior, or human nature. A misanthrope or misanthropist is someone who holds such views or feelings. Misanthropy involves a negative evaluative attitu ...
, and
anti-authoritarian, promoting
lawlessness and
violence against police officers in many of his lyrics; his essay, ''The GG Allin Manifesto'', was intended to summarize his personal philosophy. He revealed on ''
Geraldo'' that he believed his body to be a temple of rock and roll, and that his flesh, blood, and bodily fluids were a communion to the people. Another reason given for his onstage antics (by Dino, the drummer of his band) was that he wanted to draw a parallel between his actions and "a society that's going crazy with violence". He has also said that if he was not a performer, he would probably be a
serial killer
A serial killer (also called a serial murderer) is a person who murders three or more people,An offender can be anyone:
*
*
*
*
* (This source only requires two people) with the killings taking place over a significant period of time in separat ...
or a
mass murderer
Mass murder is the violent crime of murder, killing a number of people, typically simultaneously or over a relatively short period of time and in close geographic proximity. A mass murder typically occurs in a single location where one or more ...
.
Allin believed in some form of
afterlife
The afterlife or life after death is a purported existence in which the essential part of an individual's Stream of consciousness (psychology), stream of consciousness or Personal identity, identity continues to exist after the death of their ...
. He planned to kill himself onstage on
Halloween
Halloween, or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve), is a celebration geography of Halloween, observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christianity, Western Christian f ...
many times in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but was stopped due to prison sentences around Halloween each year. He explained his views on death in the film ''
Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies'', stating: "It's like I've got this wild soul that just wants to get out of this life. It's too confined in this life. I think that to take yourself out at your peak... if you could die at your peak, your strongest point, then your soul will be that much stronger in the next existence."
Death

GG Allin's last show was on June 27, 1993, at a small club called The Gas Station, a punk venue located inside a former gas station at 194 East 2nd Street in
Manhattan
Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
. In a first-hand account by Michael Bowling, the show ended after three songs, when a melee broke out. Allin ended up outside, leading a group of fans through the neighborhood.
According to Bowling, after walking the streets for almost an hour, Allin eventually went to Johnny Puke's apartment. There, he and others continued to party and use drugs. Along with Johnny Puke, Allin ingested large amounts of
heroin
Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a morphinan opioid substance synthesized from the Opium, dried latex of the Papaver somniferum, opium poppy; it is mainly used as a recreational drug for its eupho ...
, on which he overdosed and slipped into an unconscious state. Sometime in the early morning of June 28, Allin died from the effects of his heroin overdose. Later that morning, Puke noticed that Allin still lay motionless. He posed for Polaroids with the corpse before calling for an ambulance. Allin was pronounced dead at the scene. He was two months short of his 37th birthday.
Funeral
Allin's funeral took place on July 3, 1993, in his native New Hampshire, at the St. Rose Cemetery in Littleton. At his funeral, Allin's
bloated corpse was dressed in his black leather jacket and trademark
jockstrap. Allin's funeral became a celebration of his life.
Legacy
Video footage of the soundcheck, concert, and aftermath of Allin's final concert, which happened on the day of his death was appended to the 1997 DVD release of ''Hated''.
GG Allin's grave was frequently vandalized with urine, feces, cigarette butts, and alcohol by fans, an act that was strongly discouraged by GG's mother Arleta
and his brother. His tombstone was removed in 2010 after it was knocked off its base by a fan.
Hank Williams III's 2008 album ''
Damn Right, Rebel Proud'' features the song "P.F.F.", which features the line "This song is written and dedicated for GG Allin" spoken at the beginning, and contains samples of Allin dialogues in the song's middle section.
On December 13, 2018,
Showtime premiered the 2017 documentary ''GG Allin: All in the Family'' which documented Allin's life, career and death and how his brother and mother were coping with his death 20 years later.
Wrestler
Darby Allin's ring name is derived from the names of GG Allin and
Darby Crash.
Discography
* ''Always Was, Is and Always Shall Be'' (1980)
* ''
Eat My Fuc'' (1984)
* ''
You'll Never Tame Me'' (1985)
* ''Sing Along Love Songs'' (1985)
* ''
You Give Love a Bad Name'' (1987)
* ''
Freaks, Faggots, Drunks & Junkies'' (1988)
* ''
The Suicide Sessions'' (1989)
* ''Beautiful Afterbirth: Fucked & Framed'' (1990)
* ''
Murder Junkies'' (1991)
* ''War in My Head – I'm Your Enemy'' (1993)
* ''
Brutality and Bloodshed for All'' (1993)
* ''Carnival of Excess'' (1995)
References
Bibliography
*
Further reading
* Parfrey, Adam. "G. G. Allin: Portrait of the Enemy" in Parfrey, ed. ''Apocalypse Culture''. Los Angeles: Feral House, 1990 (expanded and revised ed), pp. 45–47.
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Allin, Gg
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