Jan Paul Beahm (better known by his stage name Darby Crash, formerly Bobby Pyn; September 26, 1958 – December 7, 1980)[6][7] was an American[8] singer who, along with longtime friend Pat Smear (born Georg Albert Ruthenberg), co-founded the punk rock band the Germs and was best known as their lead vocalist.

The accounts given of her in Brendan Mullen and Don Bolles' 2002 book Lexicon Devil: The Fast Times and Short Life of Darby Crash and the Germs portray her as having a mental illness, which caused her to behave erratically and be verbally abusive toward her son.

[19] After putting out an ad requesting "two untalented girls" who couldn't play their instruments, the two friends were joined by the suitably inexperienced bassist Teresa Marie Ryan, soon to be rechristened Lorna Doom, and drummer Belinda Carlisle, dubbed Dottie Danger, who never played a show with the group due to an extended bout of mononucleosis.

She was quickly replaced with Becky Barton (aka Donna Rhia), who played three gigs with the group and recorded with them on their debut single, 1977's "Forming."

[21] During an interview in the film, Crash also discusses taking drugs onstage to avoid feeling injuries from fan violence and "creeps out there with grudges."

[14] By the point in which they were filmed for The Decline of Western Civilization, in late 1979, director Spheeris had to rent a soundstage called Cherrywood Studios in California in order for them to play a show outside of the club circuit from which they had been largely blacklisted.

[14] Plagued by Crash's worsening heroin addiction, and live performances that now often ended prematurely due to violent conflict between audience members and the Los Angeles Police Department, the Germs disintegrated in May 1980, their last show being May 6 at the Fleetwood in Redondo Beach.

On December 3, 1980, an over-sold Starwood hosted a final live show of the reunited Germs, including drummer Don Bolles.

[22] Crash committed suicide from an intentional heroin overdose on December 7, 1980, in a house in the Fairfax District section of Los Angeles.