Merle Allin
Merle Allin (born September 1, 1953) is an American bass guitarist. He is the elder brother of the late punk rock singer/songwriter GG Allin.[1]
Merle Allin | |
|---|---|
.jpg.webp) Allin in 2008 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Merlin Colby Allin, Jr. |
| Born | 1 September 1953 |
| Origin | Concord, Vermont, U.S. |
| Genres | Punk rock |
| Occupation(s) | Bassist |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Labels | Homestead Records Alive/BOMP! Records |
| Associated acts | Thrills, Malpractice, The AIDS Brigade, The Murder Junkies |
| Website | ggallin |
Allin played electric bass for three groups that featured GG Allin: Malpractice, The AIDS Brigade and the third version of The Murder Junkies. He currently continues the Murder Junkies, his brother's final backing band, with original drummer Donald ("Dino Sex") Sachs, and several younger members.[2]
Allin is featured extensively in the documentary film Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies, by future Road Trip and The Hangover director Todd Phillips.[3]
Allin was also bass player in late 70s Boston punk group Thrills (a.k.a. City Thrills),[4] who released several singles and were the subject of a later CD discography.[5] He subsequently joined the band Cheater Slicks, and played bass guitar on their debut album On Your Knees.
Allin was formerly married to Michelle ('Michie') Allin [maiden name unknown]. Footage of the couple's wedding survives on video. The ceremony is particularly noteworthy for the appearance of Allin's younger brother GG Allin in a concurrent twin role as both best man and maid of honor; to this effect GG appeared sporting a dress, jackboots, with half his face featuring an unkempt beard, the other clean-shaven and fully made-up.
Allin's nickname growing up was Pinky (also spelled Pinkie), a play on 'pinkie' - the term for the smallest finger on the human hand - affectionately making sport of Allin's micropenis; a phenomenon famously shared by his brother GG Allin and exhibited in footage captured in numerous live video recordings. He was also referred to as Pearl (i.e. a pun on 'Perle') during his brief lineage in the GG Allin and the A.I.D.S. Brigade combination.
Allin also appears in the full-length Allin family documentary GG Allin: All in the Family (2018), directed by Sami Saif.
References
- Steve Huey. "G.G. Allin". allmusic.
- Greg Prato. "The Murder Junkies". allmusic.
- Phillips, Todd (January 1, 2000), Hated: GG Allin & the Murder Junkies, retrieved July 14, 2016
- "Merle Allin". allmusic.
- "Thrills (2) - N.A.F.I.T.C. Original Boston Punk, 1977-1981". Discogs. Retrieved July 14, 2016.