Now this is another funny one: Everybody has this down as GG Allins first LP but in fact it is The Jabbers, to which GG Allin (in real: Kevin Michael Jesus Allin) was the front man. But, self-proclaimed star that he was, he changed the front cover for a “star shot” of him humble self and made it “GG Allin”…neat! Little did i know when i got the record in 1983 thanks to Uli @ Konneckschen that i was to be involved directly with GG Allin in later years (the Artless/GG Allin split LP was co-released by Mike Just’s Starving Missile Records and the little vinyl lable i did run in these days). As much as GG Allin later did not only ruin his health go “full speed” on drugs this is full speed punk rock in the best sense.
Whilst his later output focused on his show (and his singular sense of words), this actualy is a tight band with all sorts of good songwriting beneath!
The verdict:
1977 – indeed, this is Punk Rock with both a P and an R!
published by a cool lable – I guess nope, a swedish re-issue on Blitz Records – a local distributor with at least a questionable portfolio – back then and today!
found in a cool shop – Konnekschen!
catching sound – solid string work, good tempo and ruthless singer – works for me but some better production and a smaller ego would have worked better, eh?
The lyrics – true GG to-be can be seen through, direct, insulting – love it!.
My favorite one (due to the great background vocals repeating “Automatic”):
Everything you do is the same SAME, SAME! Over and over it's like a game GAME, GAME! Think you're Miss High Society WOWEE! Fuckin' all the rockstars that you meet FUCK ME! It makes no sense the things you do or say girl(automatic) Cause everything you say comes back to me (automatic) Don't go play with me emotionally (automatic) Or I will make you bleed internally (automatic) Think you are mister know it all KNOW ALL! Standards high but you value small SMALL, SMALL Class-A assholes telling you what to do WHAT TO DO! If you're from Boston you gotta be cool FUCK YOU! It makes no sense the things you do or say girl(automatic) Cause everything you say comes back to me (automatic) Don't go play with me emotionally (automatic) Or I will make you bleed internally (automatic) It makes no sense the things you do or say girl(automatic) Cause everything you say comes back to me (automatic) Don't go play with me emotionally (automatic) Or I will make you bleed internally (automatic) (c) 1980 GG Allin/John Fortin
Listen up:
And here they are in a “live in the Studio” setting, with GG Allin being an Iggy Pop clone:
And more from this session:
“Then, screaming “Fuck you, you pussies!” the band went into the most useless convulsions I’d ever seen. GG was a horror show. His face went blank, his mouth hung agape. He began crawling around on the floor like some parasitic reptile just out of its lightless cavern. If he got near the crowd they pushed him, spit on him, dragged him around like a piece of meat. And through it all he seemed oblivious. Behind him, the band fired off high tension noise — fast, distorted, dangerous. GG screamed a few inaudible lines, broke the mike, and let the band finish up the number while he dove onto tables, only to get savagely dragged down again.” — The Times (Durham, NH) circa 1982
“The album was kinda half-assed, we just wanted to get something on vinyl, just to have something out that we could work off of.” —GG Allin in Conflict Fanzine #43, Jan/Feb 1987
… he made even Homer posing as GG Allin:
