December 23, 1979, Germs play the Masque Christmas Ball at Whisky-Au-Go-Go, performing what would be dubbed on-stage "art" by singer Darby Crash, self-proclaimed "Manimal" and possessor of "television and supervision," who read "every Bible story," and was educated in mind-control by public school Scientologists, an A+ hustler whose world-famous catchphrase was "buy me a beer" and whose demands for "beer and damage" do not go unheeded this night. Watch as Darby, spolight directly in his eyes, eats a lit book of matches, transforms into a panther, demands each audience member "hit the person next to you," sets fire to his (A+) lyrics (balls-on-fire-great teenage Blake) all before guitarist Pat Smear kicks a bouncer in the head (several times+) for crossing number one invisible line in rock n roll: the artists own the stage.
After the Christmas break, William Friedkin's Cruising premieres, featuring one new song by the Germs, "Lion's Share" (coincidently the same name of the SF club that hosted the debut performance of Tim Buckley's Starsailor band.) Starring Al Pacino as a wide-eyed NYC cop undercover in the gay S&M underworld looking for (or becoming) a serial killer, Cruising met with protests throughout its production and release.
Though the Germs recorded another five songs for an enthusiastic Friedkin, the lion's share of the soundtrack would go to Willy DeVille, whose contribution "Heat of the Moment" scored the film's iconic amyl-nitrate-huffing, all-male dance sequence, and whose "It's Easy" would be lifted by Quentin Tarantino for Death Proof -- whose theme song would be provided by Jack Nitzsche, producer of the Cruising OST.
A disappointment for the Germs, but notice how DeVille would later adopt the "Mohican" look sported by Crash after he dissolved the Germs to form his own "Darby Crash Band." And compare/contrast the all-male crowd for Crash Band's performance of "Lion's Share" with the all-male crowd in Friedkin's film. (Nitzsche would call DeVille the "greatest singer" he ever worked with -- and he married Buffy Saint-Marie.)
Fast forward one year to Decemeber 3, 1980, when the Germs would reform for "one more" show, at the Starwood, before Crash, pocketing the $400 proceeds of the concert and converting it to heroin, would share it with his then-current sugar mama in a suicide pact, of which only he would prove successful. Dying within the same 24-period as John Lennon's assissination would provide Crash, born Jan Paul Beahm, with an unfortunate "Paul is Dead" sync.
Crash's cryptic, parting on-stage phrase, "See you all at Oki-Dogs" would mystify both his fans and the surrounding Hollywood area to this day, Oki-Dog being Crash's prefered after-show hang out, a weird japanese hot dog burrito combo joint on Santa Monica Blvd open all night.
Though the original Oki Dog shuttered in 1983, two clones have since opened, The Oki Dog and Oki's Dog, both serving the signiature "Oki Dog," a double chili dog with pastrami wrapped in a tortilla, but only The Oki Dog on Fairfax also features the kind of junk visionary delirium championed by the late Darby Crash.
Ecstatic kitsch clutter the walls. Outside the shack, a trio of japanese old-timers commune around a large bowl of Cheetos in three shades of dark red. To the right of the order window hangs a waterfall mirror. To the left, a poster of dolphins swimming in outer space, lined with egyptian heiroglyphics and titled Sons of Sirius. (The artist, Michael David Ward makes a living selling Star Trek fan art and works on glass, setting his paint on fire, fusing the elements in an act of self-styled alchemy.) The "Dog Star" Sirius echoes the hotdogs on sale, just as the double dog of the "infamous" Oki Dog echoes the double dog dare of Darby Crash's suicide -- I will if you will -- a similar pact necessary for eating the Oki Dog.
There are no tributes to Darby Crash anywhere, but a yellowed obit to Don Ho is tacked on the wall. The sound of Pac Man still echoes through the place, along with Tom Petty and the sound of television news bringing us another gift from the state of Florida, a news report of a police officer who drove his car up a pole.
In the end the Oki Dog would defeat us, just as it defeated TV's Bizarre Foods host and his chrome dome doppleganger. (It wasn't the double dog, or the "Must-Tard" but the pastrami ... too salty, dog.)
In the end, The Oki Dog reminded us of the late, great Mars Bar of NYC, lamented autonomous zone for "madmen only" where the sloppy and the sublime could co-exist in street level glory. To quote the poet,
That punk shit belongs on Mars!
trash humpers . thats what it ends with. ;=)
Posted by: jack | December 19, 2011 at 06:27 PM
Yes! Totally. I'm fascinated by the Germs. Thanks for this. I reviewed the theatrical film about Darby Crash (I think it was called What We Do Is Secret)for my friend's website, Offoffoff.com. It was flawed but I liked it. We must bleed.
Posted by: Robin Eisgrau | December 20, 2011 at 11:45 AM
Great post, but for the oki dog completest, I must mention Youth Gone Mad's 1982 7in, Oki Dogs.
Posted by: Daniel Presnell | December 20, 2011 at 12:46 PM
A-ha: Youth Gone Mad vid is hidden in the Oki Dog playlist up there.
What We Do Is Secret is indeed flawed for not being flawed enough -- needs more dirty.
Posted by: John Fell Ryan | December 20, 2011 at 01:12 PM
COMMUNIST EYES is the SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT AMAZING GERMS SONG.
This amazing performance of COMMUNIST EYES is such a great CHRISTMAS GIFT... and followed up by CAUGHT IN MY EYE ...
The Germs are like a Philip K Dick thing. They have so much to offer a serious student.
Hey so what gives with the mind control thing with Darby ? That's a SCOOP there, I will google about but what about an article on what you got there ?
TRY TINYVOX !!! that's my new app :D WFMU RULES !!
Posted by: Srini | December 20, 2011 at 03:40 PM
Brenden Mullen and Don Bolles' must-read book _Lexicon Devil_ goes into detail on how Darby (and lots of other LA punk legends) attended an alternative high school that practiced Scientology-based mind control (or brainwashing) techniques. All part the great California experiment.
Speaking of Philip K Dick, dig this photo on the flickr account of former Germs manager Nicole Panter chilling with the man himself (along with then-husband cartoon artist Gary Panter, whose Jimbo seemed part modeled after Crash's persona):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/npanter/2542787126/
Posted by: John Fell Ryan | December 20, 2011 at 06:10 PM
man, do i remember eating those OkiDogs in the day-most times squirting out all the chili onto my shirt after biting into the delicious artery clogging nirvana!!!!
Posted by: Jim | December 22, 2011 at 03:21 PM
OkiDog sounds like a recipe for a mess!
Posted by: Ted | January 23, 2012 at 11:00 AM
man, i request immortal..
Posted by: dani tri mujianto | March 01, 2012 at 10:58 PM
The firm of Baker & Harris began in 1996 when Dwight E.
Baker and his associate, Jared Harris, joine together,
with Jonathan Harris joining the firm in 2004 The firm’
s success is attributed to its reputation for
the commitment of its attorneys and staff for
effective and personal representation.
Posted by: amily law blackfoot | October 10, 2012 at 02:08 AM
Floods are the most common disaster in the US,
and flood damage costs billions of dollars every year. And this damage can happen to anyone living
in the Blackfoot area. The flood damage staff at On the Spot Cleaning and Restoration are trained and
experienced in flood cleanup operations, such as water extraction, water damage cleanup and restoration,
mold removal, and water damage restoration.
Posted by: water damage idaho falls | November 05, 2012 at 11:02 AM
Water is one of the most destructive forces that can destroy your home,
causing hundreds even thousands of dollars in damage.
If your home or place of business has endured this kind of catastrophic damage,
you need immediate professional water restoration.
Please call (855) 801-4155 right now! Because, you are in luck.
Posted by: water damage brigham city | November 05, 2012 at 11:11 AM
Ogden Carpet Cleaning provides the Extreme Restoration & Carpet
Cleaning Service for homes and offices in Ogden, Layton, Brigham City.
in the business..
Posted by: carpet cleaning ogden | November 05, 2012 at 11:18 AM
Perfect Point Marketing offers SEO,
Webdesign, Graphics and Search Engine Marketing Services in Idaho, Idaho Falls and Pocatello.
Contact us for Marketing Idaho Falls, Marketing Idaho, Marketing Pocatello.
Posted by: web design idaho falls | November 05, 2012 at 11:31 AM
Ogden Carpet Cleaning provides the Extreme Restoration & Carpet
Cleaning Service for homes and offices in Ogden, Layton, Brigham City.
in the business.
Posted by: taught me everything I know | December 20, 2012 at 06:00 AM
Create amazing web Photo Albums. Get your own Image albums while you still can.
Look at the benefits you will get. Your own address (yourname.deffe.com) ...
Posted by: tanha | February 07, 2013 at 05:50 AM
Create amazing web Photo Albums. Get your own Image albums while you still can.
Look at the benefits you will get. Your own address (yourname.deffe.com) ...
Posted by: tanha | March 12, 2013 at 06:11 AM