Darby Crash (35)

Darby Crash
1959-1980
Singer of L.A. punk act the Germs
Cause of Death: Intentional heroin overdose

Early Exit: Dying at 22, with only one album to his name, the self-mutilating star of L.A. hardcore earned the postmortem mystique of a goth Peter Pan. Although Crash blew it on the death date (John Lennon was shot 24 hours later, eclipsing Darby's newsworthiness), his timing was otherwise perfect. Neither his fledgling solo career nor brief stay in England-from which he returned looking ominously like Adam Ant-augured greatness.
Crashing In: The Germs' rep has solidified since Crash's death, thanks to Rhino's MIA: The Complete Anthology and shout-outs from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana and the Offspring. But the real surge should come later this year, with the release of Rodger Grossman's What We Do Is Secret. Recreating Crash's gambol through L.A.'s punk scene, the film, whose music supervisor is Germs guitarist Pat Smear (lately of Nirvana and Foo Fighters), features performances by Bijou Phillips as Germs bassist Lorna Doom and Shane West (a.k.a. Dr. Ray Barnett on ER) as Crash himself-donning blue contacts and prosthetic chipped teeth for the role.