GG Allin Fashion

2009-03-22T19:44:00.001-07:00

Notorious Rock n' Roll rebel GG Allin (b.1956-d.1993) gained his greatest fame in the early '90's, at the end of a prolific 20 year music career, by inexplicably becoming the go-to "Violent and Obscene Rock Musician" on every daytime TV talk show at a time when daytime talk shows ruled television.

It was a perfect storm of timing and fashion.

Throughout his career, he would piece together the elements that would make GG Allin a fashion icon.

We will examine not his deeds or music, but the fascinating and overlooked evolution of GG Allin Fashion ...

Childhood, so far everything appears to be normal.

A few years older, going through a chubby phase. Still nothing to be alarmed about.

Uh Oh.

GG Allin was born Jesus Christ Allin in 1956 in New Hampshire.

"The opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth"
Niels Bohr

Though a misfit from a young age, teenage GG looks like a decent hippie who might even help you with your homework.

He drums in his first band after high school, a glam band called Malpractice.

GG's at the bottom.
Look closely, who does he look like?

Brandon Flowers of The Killers.

Malpractice enjoys a few years of success.

GG is on the far left, looking like a puffy bouncer from Rodney Bingenheimer's English Disco .

Look at the cool guy next to him. Is that Scott Weiland?
It's GG's brother Merle.

Starman is next to Merle. And that's cut-off guy on the right.

Merle would eventually look like this ----->

Click below to listen to the terrible 1977 Malpractice single Love Tunnel

GG Allin leaves Malpractice and the '70s channeling his biggest fashion inspiration to this point, David Johansen of the New York Dolls.

He becomes lyricist and front man of The Jabbers. Shockingly, The Jabbers are a good band. Here they are in 1981.

GG Allin describes his 5 years with The Jabbers as his opportunity to piss off everyone he hated.

This hatred is not yet reflected in his fashion. Notable here is the first appearance of the bandana.

The look gets a little tougher with choppy bangs.

Here's another Jabbers song.

A few more years of crawling in the filth and GG Allin would make the greatest fashion leap of his life.

But not before making this incredible video, inspired by Nick from Family Ties.

By the mid-80's, GG Allin hit his stride both musically and in fashion.

The Reverse-Hitler Moustache. This revolutionary innovation sets him apart from every other scumbag.

The dog collar would remain a staple into the '90's.

Here is a sample of his music at this time from his ground-breaking civil rights album Freaks Fags Drunks & Junkies

He is that weird older guy who showed up at all your college parties times a million.

The year is 1987. Over a decade into his career and by all accounts, GG Allin is a complete degenerate. He has written many of his most popular songs, but he still looks like an extra from the Girls Girls Girls video.

Luckily, a few years of hardcore drug abuse would put the grissle on the whistle.

Like all good rockers, he goes through a Jim Morrison phase.

Here he is in 1988 singing his Stairway to Heaven.

GG Allin ends the 80's in prison. This is a blessing in disguise as it gives him the notoriety that pushes him into the talk show ratings wars, exposing him to the biggest audiences of his life.

When he gets out two years later he will have added the last few touches that complete his classic period look.

Oh boy.

Shaved head and goatee; he clearly picks up some fashion ideas from the AB. But let's dig a little deeper.

This picture is taken c.1989. When he can no longer hide his hair loss with a bandana, GG Allin is ready for the shaved head look.

He packs on muscle and regularly performs naked.
Here is a comparison of his pre- and post prison physiques.

Here's a sample of his music from this period. The humor is long gone.

He discovers the blue hoody and smashes his teeth out with a microphone just in time for TV. This is a shot from Geraldo.

This is GG Allin at his fashion peak.

At this point it's just variations on a theme.

Leather gloves, cane. He can do no wrong. He's accessorizing like a motherfucker.

The Springer appearance.

There is debate as to how real his act was. A tireless self-promoter, GG Allin was in a position to take advantage of his notoriety when TV needed a villain. And when you spend your career cutting yourself open and smearing yourself with poo, I think all questions of authenticity are moot.

"My plans for the future? Stay one step ahead of the law."

Below is a typical early '90s show. If you make it to the end, you will be rewarded by seeing a man tackle GG Allin who looks suspiciously like Oats.

GG Allin's career abruptly ends in 1993 when he dies of a drug overdose.

To the left is a still from "GG Allin's Last Day Alive", a mesmerizing 22 minute film of GG Allin walking the streets of New York naked.

He has stripped his style to it's absolute essence and proudly walks a fashion warrior.