Darby Crash (September 26, 1958 - December 7, 1980)

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Born Jan Paul Beahm, Darby co-founded the punk band The Germs with his friend Pat Smear (born Georg Ruthenberg), whom he attended an alternative high school with in Los Angeles. Both were expelled from school for being accused of brainwashing other students to ingest LSD, which the two experimented with on a daily basis.

Crash  experienced some traumatic events in his childhood, most notably when his oldest brother died of a heroin overdose. His relationship with his mother was strained as she suffered from an untreated mental illness which caused her to behave erratically and become verbally abusive towards him.  Darby tried to find his real father (whom his mom never married), only to learn through an argument with his sister that his father was a Swedish sailor who was already deceased. Crash was, according to his friends, a closeted homosexual.   Despite the number of homosexuals who were out in the punk scene in the early 80’s, there was also a significant amount of homophobia.  As his friend Tony Montesion stated, “I don’t think he could live with being a punk rocker and being gay” (qtd. In Bolles et al. 259).

Even though they only put out one full-length album, several singles, and appeared in a documentary film, the Germs reached legendary status in L.A. in the punk and hardcore scene in 1977.  According to writer Chris Campion, “the band’s performances were messy, violent, and usually ended in utter chaos; many local venues barred them from playing altogether.”   Crash performed each show intoxicated and on multiple drugs.  During an interview with Penelope Spheeris in the film The Decline of Western Civilization, he discussed his need to take drugs during performances in order to avoid feeling physical injuries from fan violence.

Crash left the band in 1980 and briefly moved to London, where he became so heavily influenced by Adam and the Ants that he later copied the lead singer's  looks when he returned to the states.  Upon returning home he unsuccessfully started the Darby Crash Band, which included Circle Jerks drummer Lucky Lehrer.  They played only a few shows before splitting up.   According to Smear, the band was “like the Germs, but with worse players.”

The Germs performed one reunion show on December 3, 1980 at the Starwood Club in West Hollywood, where they apparently gave the best performance of their career.  On December 7, Crash spent $400 in proceeds from the performance on heroin. Despite the suicide pact he made with his friend Casey Cola, he chose to inject himself with a lethal dose but not her. She awoke the next day at noon and found him dead on the floor. 






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