This outrageous 80's punk rocker created a legacy in his 36 years of life not through his music, but rather through his revolting and unorthodox performances, serious substance abuse problems, and indisputable mental illness. Allin's shows often included defecation, sexual acts, and self-inflicted injuries. He used about every drug known to man, and rarely bathed; serial killer John Wayne Gacy (whom he idolized and met with several times) made mention of his fondness for Allin in interviews, also mentioning how bad he stank. It seems to me that Allin's cult popularity was a result of his shrewd ability to see how the 80's movement of hardcore punk rock was the only venue through which his disturbed tendencies could be carried out with any acceptance. I can't decide if that's a good or a bad thing in a communal / artistic sense (who am I to judge poop lovers?), although it's a shame Allin never got any psychiatric help or drug rehab- he clearly needed both.
Highlights:
-A documentary entitled Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies was released in 1994; it was the directorial debut of Todd Phillips, who went on to direct Road Trip, Old School, and The Hangover!
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