DESCRIPTION:
(By the album "American Standard" (2005))
The Jabbers are an American punk rock band. Once fronted by a young GG Allin at the beginning of his career in the late-'70s to mid-'80s, many of his most well known songs were recorded with this band, such as "Assface", "Don't Talk to Me" and "Bored to Death".
Most notable, Allin's singing voice had not yet deteriorated. The music is of much higher quality in terms of both sound recording and playing than Allin's later output.[citation needed] The heavily New York Dolls and Stooges-influenced music itself is a catchy mix of power pop and hardcore punk, like most of Allin's early material up until the mid-1980s. The group disintegrated in 1984, around the time when the depravity of Allin's increased heroin addiction had grown and he was regularly in and out of prison.
Allin's early theatrics, subject matter and lyrical content was tame compared to his future output and antics, but was not without snotty humour. One review of the only Jabbers album with Allin, Always Was, Is And Always Shall Be, states: "Amazingly enough, the violent hatred, sexual and psychological degradation, and staggering stupidity only hint at the heights (or depths) Allin would reach later."[citation needed]
Embryonic versions of the band appeared as early as 1977, focused around Allin (singing and occasionally playing drums), his brother Merle Allin on bass, and various local guitarists. By 1979, the live group featured bassist Alan Chapple and guitarist Rob Basso; guitarist Chris Lamy joined in 1980, and Michael O'Donnell became the group's drummer in 1983.[1] The group disbanded in May 1984, and Allin next led The Scumfucs. Their complete recordings with Allin are on the Banned in Boston compilation.