Known for his bloody stage shows and filthy lyrics, G.G. Allin has earned the reputation as a primal rock 'n' roll animal.
And if you think the stories about the hardcore singer (rolling around in broken glass, beating up fans with microphone stands) aren't true, just ask his pen pal.
Jeff Koch, a junior in the School of Liberal Arts, has a pile of letters from Allin written from an Adrian, Mich. prison. Allin has served more than a year on charges of felonious assault, but claims in a Spin magazine interview allege the woman involved consented to everything that happened.
Allin, however, was released from prison March 28, and when he performs his first post-prison concert, Koch will be there waiting to meet him.
Koch first discovered G.G. Allin's music in a New Jersey record store. Noticing Allin's obscene song titles, Koch decided to buy the "Dirty Lovesongs" compilation as a gag gift for a friend.
"He took one look at it and said, 'What the hell is this? I don't want this. Go get your money back.'"
Koch took the record home and listened for himself. "I was quite shocked; I was quite taken by it."
Koch was fortunate enough to get a phone interview with Allin March 16, and portions of it appeared in a New Jersey newspaper. Reality Records is now pressing CD versions of Allin's Homestead Records releases, and Koch said the label is considering using his interview as liner notes on a CD sleeve.
In a March 1989 interview, Allin told Jonathan Brandmeyer of WLUP FM in Chicago that he planned to commit suicide onstage during a concert planned for Halloween night 1990. He was imprisoned soon after and never made it to the show.
In 10 plus years of performing, Allin has put out more than 10 albums, but the music business has made distribution of his records difficult at best.
Don Baker
[NOTE: There is an edited transcription of Mr. Koch's interview with GG Allin, titled Phone Interview With Student Reveals Musician's Motives, that appears with this article. Unfortunately, the photocopy I have does not contain the full text. If you have a COMPLETE copy of this article, please send it to me - EK]
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