About Pat Smear
Georg Albert Ruthenberg (born August 5, 1959), better known by his stage name Pat Smear, is an American musician who plays guitar for Foo Fighters. He was the lead guitarist and co-founder of the Los Angeles–based punk band Germs and a touring guitarist for Nirvana. He joined Foo Fighters in 1994 and left the band in 1997, before rejoining as a touring guitarist in 2005 and once again becoming a full-time member in 2010. == Early life == Smear was born and raised in West Los Angeles, California to a German Jewish father and African American and Native American mother. His parents enrolled him in piano lessons at a young age, and a few years later he began teaching himself to play the guitar. At age 13, he left home to join a commune. Later, he attended Innovative Program School (IPS), an alternative school within University High School in Los Angeles. It was there he met vocalist Darby Crash, alongside whom he would play in the Germs in the late 1970s. Smear and Crash were both expelled from IPS due to concerns they were inciting unruly behavior among the students. == Career == === The Germs (1976–1980) === Smear lists his influences as Joan Jett, Brian James, Brian May, and Steve Jones.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.