The Murder Junkies

Earlier bands bearing the name

The original Murder Junkies was a Texas band formed independently of Allin which performed as his backing band for several live dates in the late 1980s.

The second Murder Junkies was a studio band including Allin's friend Mark Sheehan on guitar which recorded the Watch Me Kill 6-track EP, released on Fuckin' A/Stomach Ache Records in 1991.

Formation and career with Allin (1990–1993)

Murder Junkies mark III – the subject of this article and a distinct entity from the other two bands of the same name – was formed in 1990 as Allin's new backing band, and rehearsed while he concluded his prison sentence. The original line-up consisted of guitarist "Chicken" John Rinaldi (later a San Francisco mayoral candidate in 2007), GG's elder brother Merle Allin on bass, and drummer Donald "Dino Sex" Sachs.

Rinaldi left the band later in 1991, and voiced negative opinions about the experience in Todd Phillips's documentary Hated: GG Allin And The Murder Junkies. He was replaced by William Weber. Dee Dee Ramone was also recruited to play guitar at the same time as Weber, but quit shortly thereafter, without playing any live dates with the band.

GG Allin and the Murder Junkies recorded their sole studio album, Brutality and Bloodshed for All, for Alive Records in April 1993. Their subsequent tour – shortly succeeded by Allin's death from an apparent drug overdose on June 28 – was chronicled by roadie Evan Cohen in the slim volume I Was A Murder Junkie: The Last Days Of GG Allin.

Activity after Allin's death; breakup (1993–1999)

Dino, Merle, and Weber decided to continue the band, and recruited new singer Mike Denied, vocalist with New York City band The Denied. They released a mini-album Feed My Sleaze in 1995. "The Right To Remain Violent", a 7" single, appeared the following year.

The Murder Junkies toured throughout the 1990s and went through several more vocalists, including Mike Hudson, formerly of Pagans, Jeff Clayton of Antiseen, and J. B. Beverley, a musician from the Washington, D.C. area. They broke up in 1999.

Reformation, subsequent activity (2003–present)

The band reformed with Clayton singing for a tour in April 2003, the 10th anniversary of GG Allin's death. They performed alongside a version of Allin's first band, The Jabbers, for several shows.

In 2005, they completed a tour of continental Europe. In 2006, they appeared at two shows supporting CKY, and toured as the opening act for Hank Williams III.

The band currently features Merle Allin, Sachs, guitarist Benjamin "FC Murder" Bunny (formerly known as "Sonny Harlan"), and new singer PP Duvay. This line-up released the album Road Killers in 2011, followed by "A Killing Tradition" in 2013 and "Killing For Christ Sake's" the following year.

According to ggallin.com, the Murder Junkies conducted a 25th anniversary Farewell Tour in May & June 2016. This would seem to indicate a retirement of the band; confirmation and details of which are awaited herein, to add updates and current status. It is unclear if any form of the band is subsequently still active. Merle also operates a personal Facebook page which often includes marketing of historical memorabilia.

Discography