Pat Smear
Pat Smear performing with the Foo Fighters in Pensacola, FL (2008)
Background information
Born	August 5, 1959 (1959-08-05) (age 48) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genre(s)	Punk rock Grunge Alternative rock
Occupation(s)	Musician, Songwriter
Instrument(s)	Guitar, Vocals
Years active	1977 - present
Label(s)	What?, Slash, Geffen, Capitol
Associated acts	The Germs, Nirvana, Foo Fighters
Notable instrument(s)
Gibson SG various Hagstrom models

Pat Smear (born Georg Ruthenberg on August 5, 1959), is a U.S. rock guitarist who has been a regular member of several well-known bands, albeit of different subgenres: The Germs, Nirvana and the Foo Fighters. He is also known for co-hosting the MTV fashion show House of Style with friend and supermodel Cindy Crawford. is the 217th day of the year (218th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Los Angeles and L.A. redirect here. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... Grunge music (sometimes also referred to as the Seattle Sound) is an independent-rooted music genre that became a commercially successful offshoot of hardcore punk, thrash metal, and alternative rock in the late 1980s and early 1990s. ... Alternative music redirects here. ... For the popular-music magazine, see Musician (magazine). ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ... In the music industry, a record label can be a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... What? Records was a short-lived record label started by Word Records and A&M Records, intended to focus on creative and unusual rock n roll records with spiritual messages. ... Slash Records is a record label. ... Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as one third of UMGs Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group. ... Capitol Records is a major United States-based record label owned by EMI and located in Hollywood, California. ... The Germs are a punk rock band from Los Angeles formed in the late 1970s. ... This article is about the American grunge band. ... This article is about the band. ... The Gibson SG is a popular model of solid-bodied electric guitar that was introduced in the early 1960s. ... Hagström, or Hagstrom as the name was somtimes spelled, was an musical instrument manufacturer in Älvdalen, Dalarna County, Sweden. ... is the 217th day of the year (218th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... This article is about the genre. ... The Germs are a punk rock band from Los Angeles formed in the late 1970s. ... This article is about the American grunge band. ... This article is about the band. ... This article is about the original U.S. music television channel. ... House of Style was an MTV show that premiered January 1, 1989 that focused on Americas growing facination with the super model craze. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Early life

He was born and raised in West Adelaide. He was born to an African-American/Native American mother and a German/Jewish immigrant father. As a teenager in 1972, Pat Smear met Darby Crash and together they formed The Germs with bassist Lorna Doom and drummer Dottie Danger (the pseudonym of Belinda Carlisle who went on to front The Go-Gos). Languages Predominantly American English Religions Protestantism (chiefly Baptist and Methodist); Roman Catholicism; Islam Related ethnic groups Sub-Saharan Africans and other African groups, some with Native American groups. ... This article is about the people indigenous to the United States. ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination of these attributes. ... Immigration is the act of moving to or settling in another country or region, temporarily or permanently. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Darby Crash (born Jan Paul Beahm) (A.K.A. Bobby Pyn) (September 26, 1958 – December 7, 1980)[1][2] was an American[3] punk rock musician who co-founded (with long time friend, Pat Smear) The Germs. ... The Germs are a punk rock band from Los Angeles formed in the late 1970s. ... The Germs are a punk rock band from Los Angeles formed in the late 1970s. ... For other uses, see Alias. ... Belinda Carlisle (born Belinda Josephine Kurczeski on August 17, 1958 in Hollywood, California) is the lead vocalist and a founding member of the all-female New Wave band Go-Gos as well as a successful solo artist. ... The Go-Gos are an all-women band. ...

Carlisle was soon replaced by Don Bolles and, in 1979, the band released their first album, GI. Produced by Joan Jett, the record is now defined as a milestone in the history of punk rock. The Germs endured for one more year before finally disbanding in 1980 after Crash committed suicide. After The Germs, Smear had a brief stint as a member of seminal punk band The Adolescents. Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin on September 22, 1958 in Ardmore, Pennsylvania) is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress. ... Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see Suicide (disambiguation). ... The Adolescents are a punk music group formed in 1980 in Fullerton, California. ...

1980s/90s

Pat would go on to play with Nina Hagen, and make two solo albums of his own; So You Fell In Love With A Musician and Ruthensmear. Around this time Pat received an offer to join the Red Hot Chili Peppers, replacing guitarist John Frusciante, (who had left the Chili Peppers). He said he would accept the offer if the band stopped playing funk, but the band didn't want to do that. While working on Breakin', Smear became friends with Courtney Love. In 1993 he received a call from her husband, Nirvana's frontman Kurt Cobain, asking him to join his band. Pat accepted immediately and played his first show with Nirvana on Saturday Night Live on September 25, 1993. He toured with Nirvana for about six months before Cobain died in April 1994, and also appeared on their album MTV Unplugged in New York. Nina Hagen (born Catharina Hagen on March 11, 1955) is a singer from Berlin, Germany. ... The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1983. ... John Anthony Frusciante (IPA pronunciation: ) (born March 5, 1970) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and record producer. ... Courtney Love[1] (born Courtney Michelle Harrison on July 9, 1964) is an American rock musician. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the American grunge band. ... Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – c. ... SNL redirects here. ... is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... MTV Unplugged in New York is a live album by the American grunge band, Nirvana. ...

Following the end of Nirvana, drummer Dave Grohl was beginning to form his own band, which would become known as the Foo Fighters. Smear joined the group from its inception, but because the band's first album was a collection of demos recorded solely by Grohl, Smear did not appear on a Foo Fighters album until 1997's The Colour and the Shape. Later that year, due to fatigue, Smear announced his departure from the group during a live performance atop Radio City Music Hall, right before that year's MTV Video Music Awards. David Eric Grohl (b. ... This article is about the band. ... The Colour and the Shape is the Foo Fighters second album. ... Radio City Music Hall at Christmas 2005 Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ... The MTV Video Music Awards were established in 1984 by MTV to celebrate the top music videos of the year. ...

Recent activities

Since leaving the Foo Fighters, Smear kept a fairly low profile, producing the band Harlow's debut album and making scattered television appearances.

Most recently, he has been employed as a creative consultant in a motion picture about the Germs and Darby Crash, entitled What We Do Is Secret, after one of the band's best-known songs. The film was released at the Los Angeles Film Festival on the 23 June 2007, and is scheduled for wider release in 2008. He is depicted by the actor Rick Gonzalez. What We Do Is Secret is a film based on the life of Germs singer Darby Crash starring Shane West and Bijou Phillips, its scheduled for release in July 2007. ... is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... Rick Gonzalez (born June 30, 1979) is an American actor. ...

In 2005 he began performing reunion shows with The Germs, with actor Shane West (who portrays Darby Crash in the film) filling in as lead vocalist. Shane West (born June 10, 1978) is an American television and film actor. ...

In May of 2006, the Foo Fighters announced they would play limited acoustic dates across North America. It was announced Smear would be one of the touring musicians aiding the band during the shows. He also appeared with them on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in September 2006 and on the same stage as Bob Dylan and The Eagles at Genentech's 30th Anniversary party. On October 21 and 22, 2006 he also joined the band for both days of the Bridge School Benefit Concert, hosted by Neil Young. In addition he is a featured musician on the Foo Fighters live album Skin and Bones. In August 2007, he appeared on stage with the Foo Fighters at the UK's V Festival, Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh and Marlay Park, Dublin, Ireland. May 26, 2006 opening monologue of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an Emmy Award-winning American late-night talk show hosted by comedian Jay Leno on NBC. It premiered on May 25, 1992, succeeding The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. ... This article is about the recording artist. ... The Eagles are an American rock music group that originally came together in Los Angeles, California in the early 1970s. ... Genentech, Inc. ... This article is about the musician. ... Skin and Bones is a live acoustic album by Foo Fighters released on November 7, 2006 (see 2006 in music). ... For the North American spin-off of the rock festival, see Virgin Festival For the Australian spin-off, see V Festival (Australia) The V Festival is an annual music festival in England, the first to be held simultaneously at two sites - currently Hylands Park in Chelmsford and Weston Park in... Meadowbank Stadium is a multi-purpose sports facility located in Meadowbank, in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. ... // Waterfall in Marlay Park Marlay Park is a 300 acre (121 hectares) suburban public park located in Rathfarnham in the administrative area of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, in Co. ...

The previously unrecorded Germs song, Golden Boys, which is on Smear's 1988 SST album Ruthensmear, appears on the soundtrack of the 2007 film Cthulhu. This article is about disease-causing organisms. ... Cthulhu is a 2007 American thriller/horror movie, directed by Dan Gildark and co-written by Grant Cogswell and Daniel Gildark. ...

On Sunday, September 9, 2007, Smear joined the Foo Fighters for their MTV Music Video Awards party room show. Smear has been added to the band as a touring guitarist for their supporting tour of the album Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace. Smear also is credited with playing guitar on the song "Let It Die" off the same album. On Saturday, October 13, 2007, Smear joined the Foo Fighters for an appearance on Saturday Night Live and also joined the Foo Fighters on stage at the MTV Europe Music Awards, confirming his return to the band. He appeared with the band on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross on November 9. He played both Foo Fighters dates at the O2 Arena, London on November 17 and 18 2007. On February 10, 2008 Smear also performed live with Foo Fighters at the 2008 Grammy Awards broadcast on CBS from a stage outside the Staple Center in Los Angeles. On the 20th February 2008 he appeared on stage (with the whole touring band) when Foo Fighters played The Pretender on the Late Show with David Letterman. On Friday February 22nd and Sunday February 24th he performed several songs during the Foo Fighters concerts in Binghamton, NY and Detroit, MI. On Monday February 25th he performed for approx. half of the set list for the Foo Fighters at the All State Arena in Rosemont, IL (Chicago Suburb) On Monday, March 3, 2008, Smear joined the Foo Fighters for the accoustic portion of their show at Cox Arena in San Diego, California. Despite urging by Grohl, though, Smear did not play a guitar solo during band introductions. On Thursday, March 6, 2008, Smear joined the Foo Fighters for all portions (acoustic/plugged) of their show at the Los Angeles Forum in Los Angeles, California. Urged by Grohl, Smear did play a guitar solo (8-notes) during band introductions. Singles from Released: September 17, 2007 Released: November 26, 2007 Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace is the sixth studio album by the Foo Fighters, released on September 25, 2007. ... is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... SNL redirects here. ... The MTV Europe Music Awards were established in 1994 by MTV Europe to celebrate the most popular music videos in Europe. ... Friday Night with Jonathan Ross is a chat show presented by Jonathan Ross. ... is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... (Redirected from 20th February) February 20 is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the band. ... Late Show redirects here. ...

Discography

With The Germs

• Forming/Sexboy (live) 7", 1977, What? Records
• Lexicon Devil 7" EP, 1978, Slash Records
• (GI) LP, 1979, Slash Records
• The Decline of Western Civilization Soundtrack (live tracks) LP, 1980, Slash Records
• What We Do Is Secret LP, 1981, Slash Records
• Live At The Whisky, First Show Ever LP, 1981, Mohawk/Bomp Records
• Germicide LP, 1985, ROIR
• Germs (MIA) - The Complete Anthology LP, 1993, Slash/Rhino Records

The Germs are a punk rock band from Los Angeles formed in the late 1970s. ... What? Records was a short-lived record label started by Word Records and A&M Records, intended to focus on creative and unusual rock n roll records with spiritual messages. ... Lexicon Devil is a three-song, seven-inch EP by The Germs, released strictly through mail-order by Slash Records in 1978. ... Slash Records is a record label. ... (GI) is the lone studio album from influential American punk band The Germs. ... Bomp! Records is the first indepdent record label in the U.S., founded by Greg Shaw in the mid-1980s that released many punk, garage, powerpop, and surf revival records since its inception, on Bomp! and its sublabels Voxx AIP, Moxie. Iggy & The Stooges singles and archival material, such... An editor has expressed a concern that the subject of the article does not satisfy the notability guideline for Music. ... Germs (MIA) - The Complete Anthology is a reissue of everything of The Germs from the very first recordings to the last efforts of the classic lineup, namely six songs done for the film Cruising. ... Rhino Entertainment is a specialty record label originally known for releasing retrospectives of famous comedy performers, including Stan Freberg, Tom Lehrer, and Spike Jones. ...

Solo

• Ruthensmear 1988, STT
• So You Fell in Love with a Musician... 1992, SST

So You Fell In Love With A Musician. ...

With Nirvana

• MTV Unplugged in New York (1994) 5X Platinum
• From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah (1996) Platinum

MTV Unplugged in New York is a live album by the American grunge band, Nirvana. ... From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah is a live compilation album from the American grunge band, Nirvana. ...

With Mike Watt

• Ball-Hog or Tugboat? (1995)

Ball-Hog Or Tugboat? is the debut solo album by former Minutemen and fIREHOSE bassist, songwriter and vocalist Mike Watt. ...

With Foo Fighters

• The Colour and the Shape (1997) 3X Platinum
• Skin and Bones (2006)
• Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (2007) Gold - Guitar on "Let It Die"

The Colour and the Shape is the Foo Fighters second album. ... Skin and Bones is a live acoustic album by Foo Fighters released on November 7, 2006 (see 2006 in music). ... Singles from Released: September 17, 2007 Released: November 26, 2007 Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace is the sixth studio album by the Foo Fighters, released on September 25, 2007. ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ...

External links

• Pat Smear Official Site
• Pat Smear at the Internet Movie Database
• Rekindling the Punk Flame, article
• Interview with Pat Smear