It’s August. We’ve somehow managed to survive 3/4s of a what has been a miserable, soul-wrenching slog of a year, full of gratuitous brutality, endless war, and a slow-burning slide into fascism. Oh and add economic difficulties. But, we’re still here. And we will face whatever it is we’re meant to face, right?
Music, art and community matter more than ever. Let’s not forget that fact. As always, I will spend some time celebrating the birthday of a series of favorites and legends while we still have them.
- MTV was launched 45 years ago on August 1
- Coolio was born 63 years ago on August 1
- Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott celebrated his 67h on August 1
- Public Enemy‘s Chuck D. celebrated his 66th birthday on August 1
- Butch Vig celebrated his 71st birthday on August 2
- Echo and the Bunnymen‘s first dummer Pete de Freitas was born 65 years ago on August 2
- Collective Soul‘s frontman Ed Roland celebrated his 63rd on August 3
- Metallica‘s James Hetfield celebrated his 63rd birthday on August 3
- The iconic Louis Armstrong was born 125 years ago on August 4
Pat Smear (born Georg Albert Ruthenberg) turns 65 today. He’s best known for being the cofounder and lead guitarist of legendary Los Angeles punk outfit The Germs, a band that Nirvana‘s Kurt Cobain had loved immensely. He was also a touring member of Nirvana, famously playing with them for their MTV Unplugged, which was performed and filmed a few weeks before Kurt Cobain’s suicide. He went on to join Dave Grohl in Foo Fighters, touring with them after the release of the self-titled debut and making his recorded debut with the band on 1997’s The Colour and The Shape before leaving the band. Smear returned to the band as touring guitarist in 2005 and has been a full-time member since 2010.
Simply put the man has had an incredible career, playing with some of the biggest — and arguably most important — bands of any day. So let’s celebrate Pat and wish him a very happy birthday, huh?
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