Roy Jurgens on January 16th, 2019

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* Updated, 10:45 p.m. Thursday:

Lorna Doom (born Teresa Ryan), best known as the bass player for the L.A. punk legends The Germs, has passed away.

Her death was confirmed by Germs drummer Don Bolles.

* On Thursday night, via the publicity company Nasty Little Man, came this release:

STATEMENT FROM FAMILY & BANDMATES OF LORNA DOOM OF THE GERMS:

Teresa Ryan, aka Lorna Doom, was always a woman of mystery. So much so, that even in her final days as she fought a tough, year-long battle with cancer, very few people even knew she was ill. She kept a very close-knit social circle, and those who knew her and loved her always respected her desire for privacy.

When she finally lost her struggle with cancer at 12:50 p.m. yesterday, Wednesday, Jan. 16, it came as a shock to many, as she had chosen to not burden others with what she was going through.

The Germs were one of the earliest punk bands in the L.A. scene, as well as one of the most influential, with singer Darby Crash’s frenetic and dangerous performances being their calling card. Doom appeared in Penelope Spheeris’ seminal 1980 film “The Decline of Western Civilization.” The band spawned the careers of Pat Smear (Nirvana, Foo Fighters) and Don Bolles (45 Grave, Celebrity Skin, Ariel Pink). Belinda Carlisle of the Go-Go’s was an early member of the band.

Crash intentionally overdosed on heroin on Dec. 7, 1980, which effectively ended the band. Coincidentally, it was the same day that John Lennon was murdered. Doom moved to New York City the very next day and got married.

Doom, Bolles and Smear resuscitated the Germs in 2006, as the Germs biopic “What We Do Is Secret” re-established interest in the band. Shane West, who played Crash in the film, took over lead vocal duties. The band appeared on the Van’s Warped Tour in 2006 and ’08.