Darby Crash (born Jan Paul Beahm, September 26, 1958 – December 7, 1980) was an American singer best known as the co-founder and lead vocalist of the influential punk rock band the Germs, which he formed with his longtime friend Pat Smear in Los Angeles. Crash had a troubled childhood, marked by his mother's mental illness, the death of his older half-brother from a heroin overdose in 1969, and the sudden passing of his stepfather in 1972—events that shaped his dark worldview. After being expelled from an alternative high school in 1976 for allegedly "brainwashing" fellow students with LSD, he and Smear formed the Germs, initially recruiting novice musicians like drummer Belinda Carlisle (who later found fame with the Go-Go's) and releasing their debut single "Forming" in 1977. Adopting the menacing stage name Darby Crash (originally going by Bobby Pyn), he became a volatile and charismatic figure in the LA punk scene, known for his chaotic performances and nihilistic lyrics. Tragically, on December 7, 1980, Crash died at age 22 from a deliberate heroin overdose, an intentional act of suicide that cemented his legendary status as a punk icon.