CRASH & BURN
The slippery slope from loving the Germs to robbing banks.
These days, Shane Enholm is known mostly for his 2018 acoustic LP Divine American Pariah and his contributions in the tattoo world. But for many years it was for something much more nefarious. During his heroinaddled days, Enholm robbed a series of banks with the assistance of Casey Cola, whom you may know as the woman who, in 1980, survived a heroin suicide pact that killed Germs vocalist and punk legend Darby Crash. This is Shane's story.
I am not sure what Darby Crash was trying to accomplish that night 43 years ago when he took that massive heroin dose—maybe eternal life. I do know he was not trying to copy Sid Vicious, that was accidental. I think he was a mixed-up kid who found himself in the middle of a storm called L.A. punk rock. He was admired, and I think it’s a lot to have a shitload of kids looking up at you on that stage on Dec. 3, 1980, at the return-of-the-Germs show. Were you there? Because fuck yeah, I was. I wouldn’t have missed it for all the cocaine in Peru or China white in Thailand.
