34 Facts About Pat Smear

Pat Smear left the band in 1997 before rejoining as a touring guitarist in 2005 and being promoted back to a full-time member in 2010.

Pat Smear was born and raised in West Los Angeles, California to a German Jewish father and African American and Native American mother.

Pat Smear's parents enrolled him in piano lessons at a young age, and a few years later he began teaching himself to play the guitar.

Pat Smear was the only band member who had any musical knowledge or proficiency at the time.

For most of his time in the Germs, Pat Smear reported that he didn't own a guitar but rather "just borrowed from whoever we were playing with".

The Germs, along with Pat Smear, appeared in the punk documentary The Decline of Western Civilization, directed by Penelope Spheeris.

Pat Smear had a brief stint as a member of punk band the Adolescents in 1981.

Pat Smear was briefly in deathrock band 45 Grave with Don Bolles.

Pat Smear appeared as an extra in the music video for Prince and the Revolution's single "Raspberry Beret," sitting in front of Lisa Coleman's piano.

Pat Smear would go on to make two solo albums of his own, Ruthensmear, released in 1987 and recorded with Paul Roessler, and So You Fell in Love with a Musician.

At first, Pat Smear thought his friend, Carlos "Cake" Nunez, was pranking him; however, Courtney Love had told Pat Smear a few days prior that Cobain was going to call him.

Pat Smear accepted immediately and played his first show with Nirvana on Saturday Night Live on September 25,1993.

Pat Smear appeared on their live albums MTV Unplugged in New York, From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah, as well as on material for the compilations Nirvana and With the Lights Out and the concert DVD Live and Loud.

Pat Smear joined the group from its inception in late October 1994, but because their first album was a collection of demos recorded solely by Grohl, Pat Smear did not appear on a Foo Fighters album until The Colour and the Shape.

Shortly after the release of The Colour and the Shape, Pat Smear quit the band.

Pat Smear's departure was related to inner-band tensions that sprung up around Grohl's divorce from his first wife, Jennifer Youngblood, who was a close friend of Pat Smear.

Grohl explained that he "begged" Pat Smear to stay and Pat Smear agreed to remain in Foo Fighters temporarily due to scheduled touring obligations, but only until a replacement guitarist could be recruited.

Pat Smear announced his departure from Foo Fighters during a live performance at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards; he played partway through the set, then introduced Stahl who completed the gig.

Pat Smear kept a fairly low profile during his absence from Foo Fighters.

Pat Smear produced the debut album for the band Harlow and made scattered television appearances.

Pat Smear was employed as a creative consultant in a motion picture about the Germs and Darby Crash, entitled What We Do Is Secret, named after one of the band's best-known songs.

In late 2005, Pat Smear began performing select shows with Foo Fighters again.

Pat Smear continued to play intermittently with the group, often not for the entirety of a concert, as a touring musician for the next five years.

Pat Smear appeared with the Foo Fighters as an additional musician on their live acoustic album, Skin and Bones, contributing acoustic and electric guitar.

The recording sessions were documented on the band's website and Twitter, with Pat Smear being present in many of the photos that were posted.

Pat Smear continued his work with the band on their follow-up album Sonic Highways.

Pat Smear performed guitar on all tracks, as well as contributed percussion on the songs Run and Happy Ever After.

On October 30,2021, Pat Smear was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Foo Fighters.

Pat Smear appeared alongside his bandmates in the comedy horror film, Studio 666, directed by BJ McDonnell.

Grohl took his position on drums, Novoselic played bass, and Pat Smear accompanied on guitar.

Pat Smear is closely associated with Hagstrom guitars, after buying one toward the end of his time in the Germs and using them as his preferred model for many years.

Pat Smear collaborated on designing a signature guitar with the company.

Pat Smear can be seen with classic models such as a White SG Custom or a Les Paul but mostly custom shop variations on the rare Johnny A model.

Pat Smear uses a Gibson Barney Kessel model guitar while playing with the Foo Fighters.