Rocker’s anniversary raises anxiety
By DUNCAN McKEE
Courier Staff
LITTLETON—A planned tribute concert for “rock ‘n’ roll terrorist”
G.G. Allin is causing a wave of anxiety to sweep through town in anticipation
of the 10th anniversary of the performer’s death.
Members of the Glenwood Cemetery Board of Directors are among those who are
worried about what might happen. Allin’s grave in the St. Rose section
of Glenwood Cemetery on West Main Street has been desecrated nearly every June
since he died.
Two of Allin’s former bands, The Jabbers and the Murder Junkies, are booked
to perform at the Littleton Opera House from 2 to 6 p.m. on June 28.
The prospect of the performance drawing Allin’s fans to the landmark building
and to the cemetery has prompted a flurry of phone calls to town officials and
to the police.
“At this point we are assessing our ability to provide the level of service
necessary to ensure public safety and the protection of town property,”
Littleton Police Chief Cam Brown said. “We are looking into preparing a
multi-tiered response in the event this venue gets out of control. We will have
the cavalry in the wings.”
Allin, a Lancaster native who referred to himself as a “rock ‘n’
roll terrorist,” died on June 28, 1993 at age 36 in New York City from
a heroin overdose. His performances were notorious for his extreme behavior.
Each year on the anniversary of his death, it is common for fans from around
the country to make pilgrimages to the gravesite to pay tribute to him. At times
the tributes result in desecration of the grave. Last Sunday for instance, police
said a 22 year-old man from Rutland, Vt., was arrested after he stole an American
flag off a neighboring grave and burned it on Allin’s grave.
The concert had been booked before anyone knew who they were dealing with, according
to Joe Wiggett, facilities manager for the town.
“The town has some questions about the concert,” Select Board Chair
George Hicks said. “We have submitted some questions to the town attorney
and we are waiting for his response. As long as they behave themselves, there
won’t be any trouble. We’ll just have to see how it goes.”
Town attorney Walter Mitchell refused to elaborate on the town’s attempts
to find a way to cancel the concert but said, “The town has expressed some
concerns about the event, but I know that based on recent information, those
concerns have lessened.” He would not elaborate on the concerns or questions
submitted by the town.
Town Manager Jason Hoch said his biggest concern is public safety. “Any
venue with a crowd and noise in the Opera House could impact on the operations
of the police department,” he said.
Allin’s brother Merle, bass player for the Murder Junkies, when informed
by a reporter of the town’s concerns about the concert, said, “I do
believe that the town is definitely over reacting. We certainly don’t want
and don’t anticipate any trouble. People have to realize that just because
we were G.G.’s band that we were not into the violence that he carried
out.
“This whole thing has kind of gotten blown out of proportion. G.G. wrote
the lyrics and performed the stuff. He was serious about that. The band has
always been serious about the music.”
Through a Web site devoted to the memory of his brother, Merle Allin is passing
the message that fans should behave themselves if they plan to attend the show
and a graveside gathering. “We are warning people . . . to be cool and
have respect for the cemetery and the Opera House,” he said. “We also
realize it is right next door to the police station, and none of us want to
get arrested and cut the tour short.”
Members of the Glenwood Cemetery Board of Directors are so concerned that they
have considered exhuming Allin’s body and moving it to deter his fans from
going to the gravesite.
“These certainly aren’t the kind of people we want in the cemetery,”
said Dave Driscoll, the Association’s president. “They have parties
down there, and people defecate and urinate on the graves, and tip over the
monuments.”
One disturbing form of tribute is the killing and burial of animals at the grave
according to several town officials.
“These people have killed cats and buried them down there,” said Burton
Ingerson, a select board member who is also on the cemetery board.
Merle Allin said he was not aware of any incidents involving animals. “I’m
not saying it’s not true, but I’ve never heard anything about that,”
he said. “There is always one or two that have had a shot too many of Jim
Beam that do some crazy stuff. But I can assure you, we aren’t into that.”
Father Joseph Klatka of St. Rose of Lima Church said the police have been asked
to provide round the clock surveillance for the cemetery for the weekend of
the 28th. Several years ago, in order to discourage nighttime incidents, the
cemetery committee went so far as to convince the town to turn around a streetlight
so that the grave would be illuminated at night.
“In view of the yearly desecration of the grave and the cemetery,”
Klatka said, “the only possible solution that I can see is to look into
the possibility of having the body moved to another location.”
Merle Allin took a dim view of that idea. “If these people think that they
are going to get away with that,” he said, “then they are going to
be in for a fight.”
He said most of his brother’s fans are just looking for a good time.
“There are always a few bad apples that spoil the whole bunch,” he
said. “About 90 percent of the people coming up for this are just coming
to hear some music and pay their respects. We just want to come and pay tribute
and have some fun.”