GG Allin in the 1990s
Kevin Michael "GG" Allin (born Jesus Christ Allin; August 29, 1955 - June 8, 2000) was an American punk rock musician who performed and recorded with many groups during his career. He was known for his controversial live performances, which often featured transgressive acts, including self-mutilation, defecating on stage, and assaulting audience members, for which he was arrested and imprisoned on multiple occasions. AllMusic called him "the most spectacular degenerate in rock n' roll history", while G4TV's That's Tough labelled him the "toughest rock star in the world".
Known more for his notorious stage antics than for his music, Allin recorded prolifically, not only in the punk rock genre, but also in spoken word, country, and more traditional-style rock. His lyrics often expressed themes of violence and misanthropy.
Allin's music was often poorly recorded and produced, given limited distribution, and met with mostly negative reviews from critics, although he maintained a cult following throughout and after his career. Allin promised for several years that he would commit suicide on stage during one of his concerts. He eventually became sober in 1997 and recorded calmer and more alternative material (one album and three singles), rebranded and renamed his group to Ecstasy. Allin died on June 8, 2000 at the age of 45 due to complications from a battle with stomach cancer, which he had been battling for several months at the time. Despite his heavily controversial past, Allin would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with his bandmates in 2008 under Ecstasy.
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