This week's posting is inspired by a book i'm currently reading about a journalist on the road visiting American rock and roll death landmarks. There are high profile deaths often mentioned or discussed, usually due to a crash or an OD and involving famous artists. But there are many lesser known musicians from well known bands that have bought it in one way or another that never get mentioned in the same realm of a Cobain shotgun suicide (or was it a Love murder?) This list is for them. For those that used to rock, we salute you.
Top 5 Rock N' Roll Deaths Nobody Talks About
- Shannon Hoon. Blind Melon was wildly popular about 10 years ago. Nary a soul on this planet is unfamiliar with the opening lick of No Rain, and the now infamous Bee Girl. Even Pearl Jam wrote a song called Bee Girl. Chris Farley has dressed as the Bee Girl. Yet when Hoon quietly OD'd on his tour bus in New Orleans during a less than successful sophmore tour, nobody really gave a shit. Even his gravesite went unmarked for a while. This was a sad tragedy very unbefitting of one of my favourite bands.
- Layne Stayley. One of the saddest rock OD's on record, poor Layne actually rotted away in his apartment for a couple of days before it was noticed that transactions to his bank account for drug money had ceased. While his struggles with drugs led directly to the creation of Alice in Chains' acclaimed Dirt record, they finally got the better of this tortured soul.
- Richard Manuel. The pianist/second drummer with the angelic falsetto for The Band actually hung himself during a post-Robertson club tour that was apparently too much for him to handle following the lofty heights The Band had previously reached. Richard is buried in Stratford, ON.
- Tom Fogerty. Considering i wasn't actually sure if he was dead until this year, i would say this one definitely flies under the radar. Tom died of complications from a blood transfusion in 1990, and his brotherly feud was so great that John refused to be at his side when he died.
- Brent Mydland. Brent was the keys player for the Grateful Dead for all of the 80's, when their popularity hit new heights. Not only was he their best pianist/organist of all, but he had a great raspy blues voice that added strength to the other oft-faltering Dead voices. Once again, an OD was the culprit.
UMM bradley nowell definatally should be on the list...but what about Bon Scott?
Posted by: cheddar on October 29, 2008 03:09 PMRick James bitch.
Posted by: The Captain on October 11, 2005 04:22 PMForgiven Westmount!Im sure you do:)
Posted by: Batman on September 22, 2005 12:20 PMKILLEROV! that's fucking genius. you make that one up yourself vag? fuckin' eh! (for those not in the know, killer now resides in moscow.)
Posted by: scotty on September 22, 2005 10:45 AMwell...i am cute and easily forgiven ...but its like working in a restaurant and not wanting to cook when you get home...likewise i teach all day and the last thing i want to do is worry about spelling and grammer ...i am sorry ...did i mention i 'm cute and have a devilish boyish charm
Posted by: westmount on September 22, 2005 09:41 AMKillerov, Sublime dude is Bradley Nowell, #2 on my list.
Posted by: metal vagina on September 22, 2005 05:31 AMBri-Man...help me out. The lead fucking singer from SUBLIME...wtf's his name? Perfect example of forgotten rock n' rollers.
We should also mention the Captains "rock n' roll" coolness. It died a long time ago (must have) because I have never seen it!
\m/
Posted by: Killer on September 22, 2005 05:23 AMgood call on the chilli's
Posted by: Rosa on September 21, 2005 10:42 PMin response to the ACTUAL: FUCKING TOPIC
1. Andrew Wood
2. Bradley Nowell
3. The dude from Hanoi Rocks
4. Randy Rhoads
5. The FIRST heroin addicted guitar player from, the chilli's
back to the topic at hand - sweet!!
Posted by: scotty on September 21, 2005 06:29 PM...Joe Strummer...
Posted by: Capt. on September 21, 2005 05:46 PMTHAT is a valid point, killer. arguing directly about zep and pj is not, at least for this post. and we all know it's gonna continue, hence the new topic! new point well taken though; nicely put.
Posted by: scotty on September 21, 2005 01:51 PMThe SHAME Scotty...you went and Bastardized your site. My point being that all these comments were relevant to the topic at hand. I was going to stress how kids of the late 80's/90's are easily distracted from remembering the dead. Kobain's death was only publicized because there wasn't an American war or hurricane happening. What about covering the death of the fucking RAMONES!?
\m/
*yawns*
Posted by: metal vagina on September 21, 2005 12:05 PMWashed up?Hardly,still as sexy as ever and voice hasnt changed in 20 years plus still has the hip swingin moves that makes every girl fall 2 her knees,do you really beleive Pearl Jam will do as Zeppelin has done?!?
I wasnt fortunate enough to be around when Zeppelin was going strong but I can live vicariously through people who have or just pretend!!Kind of makes me love them even more because I have so much anticipation built up for a Page'N'Plant tour that I know deep down wont happen again but hey I can dream!
You're not winning shit! Since when is seeing a washed up lead singer solo seeing the whole band?
\m/
Posted by: Killer on September 21, 2005 10:57 AMP\S I have a new liking for The Trews,they opened for Plant!!Super hot and talented!!
Posted by: Batman on September 21, 2005 10:42 AMIm winning!!!:)
No but you DO have a white jean jacket:)
i see healthy debate has once again flourished. good on y'all... and i don't own any tight pants.
Posted by: scotty on September 21, 2005 10:24 AMWhat better than to start the morning off with a good argument over poor ScAttys weblog!! :) I miss you guyz!
-Westmount:hopefully your cute so I can forgive you for spelling ZeppElin wrong and not knowing that Led zeppeliN is what starts with an L and ends w\an N!! :)(love the "gone down hill like a lead zeppelin"-nicely put)
-Killer:I love you but velvet revolver over zeppelin and how can u possiby not miss hearing them?Is that what happens when you get older?And I have experienced Plant live so now I can appreciate them even more so than I did which i do!
-Steveo:Theres no point to get,Im right and your wrong :)Sure every band but Nickelback(and Barenaked Ladies)is appreciated but Zepp always takes the cake!Why are we arguing about this anyways,whats it matter if Im obsessed w\Zeppelin-you know I still listen to other music(Yardbirds\Strange Sensations-HA!HA!jk)I have a big list of bands I love(aerosmith\stones\ccr\petty\elton\fleetwood\van morrison\floyd\tull etc all the classics)but I LOVE the fantastic foursome!!
No one looks better in tight pants and floral frilly shirts than Page N Plant!!!!(Not even The Gentlemen)
justine,
your missin the point, there is no competition when it comes to music, except that nickelback does suck, and we all know this. plant is plant, vedder is vedder, jim cuddy is jim cuddy, and chad kroger,well, he's a piece of human trash, and once again, we all know this....lol
we do love zeppelin, but we realize that there is more out there than just zepplin, i have all the zeppelin "tapes," box sets, dvds there is, hell i can even pull out 3 or 4 LPs, but i'd be a very shallow person to allow one band to rule my world and to deny myself exposure to bands that they have influenced over the last 3 decades!
westmount, you of all people should see i'm not comparing at all.
simply put: music is music, some is good some is bad, but none is comparable to the other....except for nickelback, they suck
Posted by: Rosa on September 21, 2005 09:51 AMWhen have I ever stated that I love LZ? Hence why I do not own one single item from them. Don't get me wrong, I respect their licks but sure as hell do not miss hearing them. I would much rather hear a new PEARL JAM or Velvet Revolver song. Again as Rosa captured in an earlier post...you have to experience it live in person to really appreciate the music. I have been lucky enough to see every PJ tour (except the last 2 because they haven't hit Europe yet, so it doesn't count). And do realize, I do not believe that Eddie Vedder is GOD...he just sings/writes damn fucking good and has an incredible team to add the sweet licks.
Posted by: Killer on September 21, 2005 09:36 AMooopps im a dumb ass ...i swear my spelling has gone down hill like a led zepplin in fact since being here all my r's sound like l's and i add an extra sylabal to every word now....
rosa you bastard how could you talk shit like that comparing pj to zepplin is like comparing hemmoroids to entering the earths atomsphere naked.
you guys at least have good corny rock to listen to try listening to this garbage over here in tiewane...and what the shit starts with l and ends with n....
Posted by: westmount on September 21, 2005 09:28 AMPlus why is it that you all(Steveo..Vagina..Killer..Captain N ScAtty-not so much)claim to love Led Zeppelin but Im always dealing with hassle and bullshit for the band I love!Wheres the love?!? :)
Posted by: Batman on September 21, 2005 09:19 AMIn my world rock DOES consist solely of Jimmy Page\Robert Plant\late John Bonham and John Paul Jones!Sorry you were brought up in a bubble and dubbed 'standard canadian'!!Are you saying Eddie Vetter blows Robert Plant outta the water?BULLROAR!Im appauled,I thought you had taste in at least music Steveo(I knew your taste in woman was lame-JK)
Will not apologize for my taste in music and lack of yours :)Your lucky your cute Steveo!!Batman N Robin + 1(engaged Vickster)tearin up the town!!
Always do Westmount!!!
Posted by: Batman on September 21, 2005 09:05 AMjustine,
just for the record, rock does not begin with L and end with N.....don't get me wrong they were a cornerstone band build on long tours, incredible shows, and great rock, but there are many others and pearl jam is one of them...so.....1st go fuck yourself for makin such an ignorant statement. 2. apologize to killer for such an ignorant statement, and 3rd c ya at the poach on thursday, i'll buy ya a beer ;)
god bless you batman...long live gotham city paint the town black and yellow for me 2 night.
Posted by: westmount on September 21, 2005 08:27 AMI'd rather not get it then if I have to step outta the best rock era ever!(I was a twinkle in my moms eye in the 70's good enough,and everything about that era is hot so I qualify!!:)Pretty sure if I WAS around in the 70's I'd be Jimmy Pages personal groupie,possibly being the bearer of his daughter Carmen!!ha!ha!)-this would also mean Id fall into the 'Pearl Jam loving'category like everyone else,Bettermans awesome but common now!
I got it ScAtty but I mean I had to change 'er up a little talking about Elvis n Jim Morrisons death are common gotta bring up the little guyz!(Loved Westmounts #2 choice being the living dead:))**BATMAN N ROBYN HIT LONDON 2NITE**
You Obviously aren't "METAL" enough! Maybe if you'd get out of the fucking seventies (might I add you weren't even around for)you'd understand. :-) Mutherfucking ROCK n' ROLL!
\m/
P.S. If you ask Scotty polietly, he will introduce you to the Cockus Anthology.
Posted by: Killer on September 21, 2005 05:08 AMAndrew Wood....good call, tragic death, great tribute album!
Posted by: Rosa on September 20, 2005 11:28 PMI've only got one.. the guy from Mother Love Bone whose name I can't even remember. Andrew..?
Pearl Jam might never have existed had he not died.
Killing Yourself to Live : 85% of a True Story
Pretty good book ... I just finished it a week or so......
Posted by: the bri man on September 20, 2005 09:24 PMbatman, you must've misread the topic as most famous rock deaths of all time! i'd say your #5 qualifies though. good one there.
Posted by: scotty on September 20, 2005 05:37 PM1. Darryl "Dimebag" Abbott - one of the great guitarists and from the greatest heavy metal band in the 90s, Pantera! shot to death by some paranoid fuck while on stage rockin. dying with his guitar still wrapped around his shoulder, i'm sure he'd have it no other way
2. Randy Rhoads - masterfull guitar player. death by plane crash, while trying to give Ozzy a Fright in the wee hours of the morning doing a fly by ozzies bus....too sad, too young
3. Steve Clark- guitar player for Def Leopard. OD. sad story to a great band
4. Stevie Ray -gotta have him on my list!
5. Layne -to add....he actually had fingers removed due to his habit
What does \m/ mean?
Posted by: Batman n Robin on September 20, 2005 02:10 PM1. nina fuckin simone ...god damn she broke my heart dying on me birthday like that just last year ....and yes baby she was rock and roll.
2. keith richards....does the living dead count?
3. jeff buckley ...come on now i know every album is postmortem so its advertised but shit he gets less coverage than these schmucks from seatle.
4.this should be number one really ...stevie ray vaughn...maybe on the edge of rock and roll but fuck the guy was more hard core than most rockers combined then in a fit of repentance after losing his wife and friends and sanity to drug and alcohol abuse, cleaned up his life only to die in a helicopter crash...now thats tradgic or british humor.
5.good ol george harrison from the beatles ...oh georgey you were my favorite beatle!
6. elvis ...cause he's alive baby alive!!!
Sad one today ScAtty...
#1~John Bonham of the band that took over the world after the Beatles "Led Zeppelin"-'The Beast'died Sept.25th 1980 of alcohol overdose after passing out alone in his hotel room at age 32.
#2~Brian Jones of the 'Big lips big hips' band "Rolling Stones"died July 3rd 1969 of a drowning accident.
#3~Keith Moon of The Who who famously stated that the powerful foursome would "sink like a zeppelin"died of an overdose Sept.7th 1978 at age 32.
#4~Bradley Nowell of Sublime died May 25th 1996 at age 28 again of an overdose.
#5~"Needle and the damage done"-Danny Whitton of Crazy Horse died @ age 29 from yet another drug overdose Nov.18th 1972.
#6~being 3 from Lynard Skynard the horrible plane crash that took the lives of Cassie Gaines,Steven Gaines and Ronnie VanZant.brutal!
God bless these talented souls!
Fuck those who let Layne rot and didn't care/knew he'd died. He is definately missed. I would have loved to hear another Mad Season CD, not to mention Chains! Scotty, I can't believe 2 of our gens greats never got the recognition. I feel your pain brother! \m/
Posted by: Killer on September 20, 2005 01:07 PM