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Germs (band)
The Germs were an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, originally active from 1976 to 1980. The band's "classic" lineup consisted of singer Darby Crash, guitarist Pat Smear, bassist Lorna Doom and drummer Don Bolles. They released only one album, 1979's ''(GI)'', produced by Joan Jett, and were featured in Penelope Spheeris' seminal documentary film ''The Decline of Western Civilization'', which chronicled the Los Angeles punk movement. The Germs disbanded following Crash's suicide in 1980. Their music was influential to many later rock acts, and Smear went on to achieve greater fame performing with Nirvana and Foo Fighters. In 2005, actor Shane West was cast to play Crash in the biographical film '' What We Do Is Secret''. He performed with Smear, Doom, and Bolles at the film's wrap party, and afterwards, the Germs reunited with West as their new frontman. This lineup of the band toured worldwide, which included performances at the 2006 and 2008 Warped Tours. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flipside (fanzine)
''Flipside'', originally known as ''Los Angeles Flip Side,'' was a punk zine published in Whittier and Pasadena, California, from 1977 to 2000. The magazine was associated with its own record label, Flipside Records, releasing vinyl records and compact discs beginning in 1978. As one of the first and longest running U.S. punk rock fanzines, Flipside chronicled the independent and underground music scene. Known for its highly opinionated cast of writers, ''Flipside'' evolved from a photocopied fanzine to a magazine produced by web offset printing and featuring glossy covers. Publication history ''Los Angeles Flipside Fanzine'' was launched in 1977 in Whittier, California by five Whittier High School friends, Pooch (Patrick DiPuccio), Larry Lash (Steven Shoemaker), Tory, X-8 (Sam Diaz) and editor and publisher Al Kowalewski. The initial issues of the publication were produced by means of a photocopy machine, with Kowalewski's first modest goal set at selling 1,000 copies per ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nervous Gender
Nervous Gender is an American punk rock electronic band formed in Los Angeles in 1978 by Gerardo Velazquez, Edward Stapleton, Phranc and Michael Ochoa. Their use of heavily distorted keyboards and synthesizers made them, along with The Screamers, one of the original innovators of what is today called "electropunk", although they could equally be considered an early industrial group. The group was confrontational and experimental. Phranc's androgynous appearance was the embodiment of the group's name, garnered the band much press in zines such as ''Slash'' and, later, proving inspirational to founders of the queercore movement. Despite their somewhat high profile, the groups' habit of provoking the audience, obscene material and harsh erotics guaranteed they would never gain commercial acceptance. At their first show in 1979, a benefit for the Women's Video Center, Phranc called the audience "pussies" and "dykes" when the band was requested to stop playing. History Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
What We Do Is Secret (film)
''What We Do Is Secret'' is a 2007 American biographical film about Darby Crash, singer of the late-1970s Los Angeles punk rock band the Germs. It was directed by Rodger Grossman, who wrote the screenplay based on a story he had written with Michelle Baer Ghaffari, a friend of Crash's and co-producer of the film. Shane West stars as Crash, while Rick Gonzalez, Bijou Phillips, and Noah Segan respectively portray Germs members Pat Smear, Lorna Doom, and Don Bolles. The film follows the formation and career of the Germs, focusing on Crash's mysterious "five-year plan", his homosexual relationship with Rob Henley (played by Ashton Holmes), and his experimentation with heroin, culminating in his December 1980 suicide. It is titled after the first track on the Germs' 1979 album '' (GI)''. The film was in development for almost nine years due to changes in production staff and adjustments in casting. Grossman conducted numerous interviews as research, and cast West, who he felt "did ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Decline Of Western Civilization
''The Decline of Western Civilization'' is a 1981 American documentary filmed through 1979 and 1980. The movie is about the Los Angeles punk rock scene and was directed by Penelope Spheeris. In 1981, the LAPD Chief of Police Daryl Gates wrote a letter demanding the film not be shown again in the city. The film's title is possibly a reference to music critic Lester Bangs' 1970 two-part review of the Stooges' album ''Fun House'', for ''Creem'' magazine, where Bangs quotes a friend who had said the popularity of the Stooges signaled "the decline of Western civilization". Another possibility is that the title refers to Darby Crash's reading of Oswald Spengler's ''Der Untergang des Abendlandes'' (''The Decline of the West''). In '' We Got the Neutron Bomb'', an oral history of the L.A. punk rock scene collected by Marc Spitz, Claude Bessy aka: Kickboy, claims that he came up with the title. The film is the opening act of a trilogy by Spheeris, depicting music scenes in Los Angeles ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Penelope Spheeris
Penelope Spheeris (born December 2, 1945 or 1946; sources differ) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. She has directed both documentary and scripted films. Her best-known works include the trilogy titled ''The Decline of Western Civilization'', each covering an aspect of Los Angeles underground culture, and ''Wayne's World'', her highest-grossing film. Early life Spheeris was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her Greek-immigrant father owned the ''Magic Empire Shows'' carnival and was a side-show strong man. Her mother, of Irish heritage, was raised in Kansas and later worked as a ticket taker for the carnival. Her father was 40 years old and her mother was 19 when they began a relationship. Spheeris has three full siblings, plus a number of older half-siblings from her father's first marriage. She is a sister of singer Jimmie Spheeris and a first cousin of musician Chris Spheeris, and Greek- French director Costa Gavras, which she says has made her consid ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
GI (album)
''GI'', stylized as ''(GI)'', is the only studio album by American punk rock band the Germs. Often considered the first full-length hardcore punk album, it was released in the United States in October 1979 on Slash Records with catalog number SR 103. The album was later released in Italy in 1982 by Expanded Music with the catalog EX 11. The album's title is an acronym for "Germs Incognito", an alternate name the band used to obtain bookings when their early reputation kept them out of Los Angeles-area clubs. After ''(GI)'''s release, the band would only undertake one more recording session, for the soundtrack album to Al Pacino's 1980 film '' Cruising''. On December 7, 1980, a year after the release of ''(GI)'', vocalist Darby Crash died by suicide. The entire album was included on the 1993 compilation CD ''(MIA): The Complete Anthology''. In 2012, ''(GI)'' was reissued on CD with "Caught in My Eye" as a bonus track, after "Shut Down". Production After the Germs recorded for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world's most populous megacities. Los Angeles is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Southern California. With a population of roughly 3.9 million residents within the city limits , Los Angeles is known for its Mediterranean climate, ethnic and cultural diversity, being the home of the Hollywood film industry, and its sprawling metropolitan area. The city of Los Angeles lies in a basin in Southern California adjacent to the Pacific Ocean in the west and extending through the Santa Monica Mountains and north into the San Fernando Valley, with the city bordering the San Gabriel Valley to it's east. It covers about , and is the county seat of Los Angeles County, which is the most populous county in the United States with an estim ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charlotte Caffey
Charlotte Irene Caffey (born October 21, 1953) is an American guitarist, best known for her work in the rock band the Go-Go's in the 1980s, including writing "We Got the Beat". Career Caffey began her musical career playing bass guitar in the early Los Angeles punk band The Eyes before joining the Go-Go's in 1978 and switching to guitar. She remained friends with fellow band member Belinda Carlisle after the initial breakup of the Go-Go's and wrote songs for Carlisle's solo albums. From 1988 until 1992, she led her own band, The Graces, with Meredith Brooks and Gia Ciambotti, who released the album ''Perfect View'' in 1989. Caffey also co-wrote the theme song to the television series ''Clueless'' with Anna Waronker, and played piano on the album version of "Foolish Games" by Jewel, as well as co-writing the No. 1 U.S. country hit " But for the Grace of God" with Keith Urban. Caffey wrote the book, music, and lyrics for '' Lovelace: A Rock Musical'' with Anna Waronker. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shane West
Shannon Bruce Snaith (born June 10, 1978), better known as Shane West, is an American actor, singer, and songwriter. He is known for his portrayal of Eli Sammler in the ABC family drama '' Once and Again'', Landon Carter in ''A Walk to Remember'', Dr. Ray Barnett in the NBC medical drama '' ER'', Michael Bishop in The CW spy drama ''Nikita'' and in the WGN fantasy adventure historical drama '' Salem'' as John Alden. West received critical acclaim for his performance portraying Darby Crash in the biopic '' What We Do Is Secret''. As well as acting, West has performed with punk rock band the Germs, Jonny Was, and the Twilight Creeps. Early life West was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the son of Leah Catherine ( Launey), a lawyer, and Don Snaith, a drugstore owner.Shane West - Biography ''Yahoo! Movies'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nickey Alexander
Nickey Alexander (a.k.a. Nickey Beat) is an American drummer. Biography Born Jeffrey Ivisovich, Nickey Beat lived in San Pedro, Los Angeles before moving to Hollywood to focus on music. There in 1977, alongside Cliff Roman and brothers, John and Dix Denney, he founded The Weirdos. He left the band by 1980, and rejoined in 1988 through 1991. In 1978 he briefly joined The Germs, appearing on the ''Lexicon Devil'' EP. In 1983, he joined The Dickies but left a year later. In 1984 he was involved with The Mau-Mau's, replacing future L.A. Guns vocalist Paul Black on drums. In 1985, Alexander himself joined L.A. Guns. He played drums on the band's debut album, ''L.A. Guns'' in 1987, before leaving the band prior to the album's 1988 release. He later guested on 1994’s ''Vicious Circle''. He also appears on the compilation albums ''Black City Breakdown (1985-1986)'', ''Hollywood Raw'', and ''Black List''. From 2006 to 2007, Alexander played for Tracii Guns's version of L.A. Guns, af ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Belinda Carlisle
Belinda Jo Carlisle ( ; born August 17, 1958) is an American singer. She gained fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, the most successful all-female rock band of all time, and went on to have a prolific career as a solo artist. Raised in Southern California, Carlisle became the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's after the band's formation in 1978. With their chart-topping debut studio album '' Beauty and the Beat'' in 1981, the group helped popularize new wave music in the United States. The Go-Go's were the first (and to date only) all-female band in history who wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to achieve a No. 1 album. The Go-Go's have sold over seven million records worldwide. After the break-up of the Go-Go's in 1985, Carlisle went on to have a successful solo career with radio hits such as "Mad About You", "I Get Weak", "Circle in the Sand", " Leave a Light On", and "Heaven Is a Place on Earth". The Go-Go's reformed in 1999, and Carlisle continues ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
