how about a dead pop & rock stars thread?---i found ouout the other day that the guy who sang tarzan boy----baltimora passed away a few years ago as did the lead singer of the associates(suicide),the biker guy from the village people is another!---bet youre thinkin he ought to get out more!--well its just an idea i had and if anyone wants to follow it up id be most grateful:)

Billy Mackenzie (http://www.billymackenzie.com/) did indeed top himself in the shed of his famliy home in scotland. He was a true original vocalist (very few of them about) I remember buying Party Fears 2 _It may have been the first single i bought and an antidote to the impotence of punk and the absurdity of Bowie..

Other dead pop stars of note - Bill Hicks, Kurt Cobain, Jeff Buckley, Joe Strummer.:thumbsup:

Joe Strummer RIP

And Johnny Thunders

Marc Bolan


:( :suspect:

ian curtis-rip.........
various members of the ramone family.....

barry white !!!!!

kirsty mccoll,stuart adamson(big country),mick ronson(ex spiders from mars),piere morlin(german band-gong-toured with mike oldfield).rufus thomas(of walk the dog fame),steve marriott(small faces),ronnie lane(small faces/faces),robert palmer,judge dread(reggae star),jerry garcia(grateful dead),frank zappa,mel appleby,wendy o williams(punk goddess)billy fury,bon scott(a c/dc,chas chandler(animals),peter hamm(badfinger),mel pritchard(barclay james harvest),duncan browne(hit called journey early 70s),alan barton(black lace/smokie),bobby bloom(montaego bay fame),viv stanshall(bonzo dog band),lisa left eye lopez,ray charles,bernard edwards(chic-guitarist),jim capaldi(traffic),johnny moore/rudy lewis(drifters),ian dury,adam faith,lawrence payton(four tops),paul young(mike & the mechanics/sad cafe),ronald o'kelly(isley bros),rick james,alan hull(lindysfarne),john phillips(mamas & papas),les grey(mud),chris curtis(searchers),del shannon,alan smethurst(the singing postman),dinky diamond(sparks guitarist),brian connolly(sweet),luther vandross.
just a few more fondly remembered pop stars!
who have sadly passed away over the years:(

The two I miss the most:

Michael Hutchence (INXS)
Geoff Mann (Twelfth Night)

RIP.

Originally posted by mikeyspikey
mick ronson(ex spiders from mars)steve marriott(small faces),ronnie lane(small faces/faces)


Right on

Dont forget the greatest UK rocker of all time........Fredrick Heath aka Johnny Kidd.

How far back do you want to go? People like Robert Johnson are obviousy dead although they influenced the likes of Eric Clapton. Pop stars like Frankie Lymon are as are people the likes of Johnny Ace and Little Willie John. Jim Reeves and Patsy Cline, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Chet Baker. All very influencial in their own fields.

Mikeyspikey perhaps you should give a date from when you wish it to start.

Mozart's dead from what I know.

Also, Elvis has left the building and John Lennon's blood splashed spectacles made a fascinating museum piece in one of his beloved Yoko Ono's exhibitions (don't think I'm kidding).

The fact that some of these people are dead lends an eerie aspect to some of their songs. Like Kirsty McColl and Stuart Adamson. Their songs have a different feel since they passed away - slightly haunting.

'Only the best die young.'

mikey spikey, you mentioned a couple of the" mamas and the papas", but you didn't mention "Mama Cass" (Cass Elliott)

and yeah, I second the mourning of Marc Bolan. I thought he was fantastic, and his passing was much overshadowed by the pasing of elvis, just one month previously. (elvis went august 77, Bolan died on 16 sept 77, just a fortnight before what would have been his 30th birthday 29 sept 77)

I can't believe it that it's 28 years since we laost such a talent.

(OH, and I second, too, what my ex said.. he was of the opinion that elvis died some 42 years too late!)

PT

oh, an addition!

one of the guys from the "pop group" milli vanilli also died a few years ago/

PT

All my fave singer/ songwriters are dead - Jeff Buckley, Nick Drake and Elliot Smith. And they were all so young *sniff*

Once again, I'm ahead of you all here, already preparing my

DEAD CELEBS. BIRTHDAY COUNTER (http://www.rocknroll.f9.co.uk/faceHair/dead.htm)

This way a clever little code will tell you how long they have been dead and what age they would be if they were still alive.....


I haven't just done it by the way, I have been collecting them for a few years on here now..

muddycoffee - a great piece of work my friend.

Someone pass me a Handy Andy....,:(

hi plaintalker,
cant believe i forgot mama cass and yeah i heard bout the milli vanilli guy commiting suicide cos it prayed on his mind that he would always be labelled a fraud---sad end that!
ive tried not to name alot of those obvious ones that have died ive tried to go for the more obscure ones most of the time,but it dosent really matter as some ppeople will have their own particular favs!:)
keep them comin everyone!!
just remembered-falco(rock me amadeus)died in a car crash a few years ago!--he wasd an ace act!!

Nico

Will Shamen, if I remember correctly

Originally posted by Ousetunes
muddycoffee - a great piece of work my friend.

Someone pass me a Handy Andy....,:(
You're most welcome.
Every time another Celeb Kicks the Bucket, I add them to the page..
DEAD CELEBS. BIRTHDAY COUNTER (http://www.rocknroll.f9.co.uk/faceHair/dead.htm)

I find it extremely interesting how old some people would be if they were still with us, and with important people like Lennon and Hendrix, weather their output would have dried up or evolved like Bowie does...

:thumbsup: the one and only...........Roy Orbison :thumbsup: my dad was a massive fan of his and it rubbed off on me, love his music....


not the man...:P

yeah!--the big"O"was ace--liked his willbury stuff also--tragic when he died he just getting noticed again:(

Originally posted by SilentStatic
All my fave singer/ songwriters are dead - Jeff Buckley, Nick Drake and Elliot Smith. And they were all so young *sniff* Sniff hardly seems an appropriate response for the death of your favorite writers:P I can just imagine your grave inscription, HERE LIE THE BODY OF JEFF BUCKLEY 'SNIFF' ah well never mind!:gag:

Poor old Brian Jones (Rolling Stones).... killed in his swimming pool and took the rap for it himself - they said it was drowning through drink and drugs.

hi boroughgal,
yeah brian could make that guitar of his talk-----very underated at the time!---i still think he was murdered but i guess we'll never know!:(
little red rooster-wot a classic!!
mike

Originally posted by mikeyspikey
yeah!--the big"O"was ace--liked his willbury stuff also--tragic when he died he just getting noticed again:(

Another admirer of The Big O here, a bloke whose voice echoed the very pains that he endured in his all too short life.

He was just getting things back together thanks to his wonderful collaboration with the Traveling Wilburys and his most beautiful final album proper 'Mystery Girl' when he died from a heart-attack.

Unfortunately, his life was so full of tragedies that it was only apt that he too should die so young.

When he sings 'In Dreams' you know he means it; when he adds the falsetto backing vocal to George Harrison's Wilbury offering 'Heading For Light' (panned left to Jeff Lynne's oh-oh-ohs panned right) he brings another dimension to an otherwise ordinary tune.

If you never bought 1989's 'Mystery Girl' CD then you've missed some of the most beautiful pop songs the Big O had to offer. The song 'A Love So Beautiful' is of incredibly personal importance to me and yet typifies everything about this most wonderful singer/songwriter.

[To this (still) aspiring songwriter I need look no further than Roy Orbison, for meaning, for reason and for influence.]

I miss this guy's music so much it hurts.

:loopy: ok what about pop stars you wish was dead:D
mc fly, busted nelly, all r n b ect
oh what about freddie mercury we all miss him

Originally posted by miniminch
Sniff hardly seems an appropriate response for the death of your favorite writers:P I can just imagine your grave inscription, HERE LIE THE BODY OF JEFF BUCKLEY 'SNIFF' ah well never mind!:gag:

I hesitate to post this as it's in a bit poor taste, but I think the 'ah well never mind' inscription would perhaps be suited to Kurt Cobain..... (ducks and runs away)

StarSparkle

Freddie Mercury :(

Yeah Yeah Kurt Cobain blah blah, but everyone forgets
Andrew Wood (Malfunkshan, Mother love Bone) was one of the most important influences in the grunge scene and he died. Pearl Jam and Temple of the Dog wouldn't have otherwise existed.

Layne Staley (Alice in Chains)
Shannon Hoon (Blind Melon)

Let's not forget George Harrison, Lennon always gets a mention but George is gone too.


Oh and just talking to Lou (another forum member) Dimebag Darrell (Pantera, Damage Plan) who was shot dead while on stage.

Originally posted by miniminch
Billy Mackenzie (http://www.billymackenzie.com/) did indeed top himself in the shed of his famliy home in scotland. He was a true original vocalist (very few of them about) I remember buying Party Fears 2 _It may have been the first single i bought and an antidote to the impotence of punk and the absurdity of Bowie..

Other dead pop stars of note - Bill Hicks, Kurt Cobain, Jeff Buckley, Joe Strummer.:thumbsup:

Bill hicks!! He's one the best ever comedians but rock star?!!

Originally posted by Foxxx
Bill hicks!! He's one the best ever comedians but rock star?!! He had a band, Marblehead Johnson, famously quoted in the Bluetones track of the same name. Most of his CD's were part rock and part comedy. A particular favorite is I believe on the Arizona Bay CD entitled 'Chicks dig Jerks' - Check it!
The Radiohead LP The Bends is also dedicated to him. He also supported the band Tool where he famously ask the audience to look for his lost contact lens in the mosh pit!:thumbsup:

Originally posted by miniminch
He had a band, Mablehead Johnson, famously quoted in the Bluetones track of the same name. Most of his CD's were part rock and part comedy. A particular favorite is I believe on the Arizona Bay CD entitled 'Chicks dig Jerks' - Check it!
The Radiohead LP The Bends is also dedicated to him. He also supported the band Tool where he famously ask the audience to look for his lost contact lens in the mosh pit!:thumbsup:

Yes I know (Tool are one of my fav bands and they have Bill Hicks quotes on their album) but I still don't think of Bill as a rock star, but fair point.

Btw It's Marblehead Johnson isn't it!!

Originally posted by Foxxx
Oh and just talking to Lou (another forum member) Dimebag Darrell (Pantera, Damage Plan) who was shot dead while on stage.

Awsome bloke. Very sad never got to see Pantera live :sad:

Originally posted by RobT
Awsome bloke. Very sad never got to see Pantera live :sad:

Absolutely, I was gutted when that nutter shot him. I was very fortunate to see Pantera a couple of times.

I was also fortunate to see Nirvana, Alice in Chains and Blind Melon live before Heroin destroyed them all!

Originally posted by Foxxx
Absolutely, I was gutted when that nutter shot him. I was very fortunate to see Pantera a couple of times.

I was also fortunate to see Nirvana, Alice in Chains and Blind Melon live before Heroin destroyed them all!

I was going to see Pantera in 2001(?) but for some reason i never did. Regretted it ever since (thats why I always watch Slayer at every opportunity!!! :headbang: )

Not really into Nirvana early on only in mid to late 90's. I saw that bloke from Alice in Chains, the guitarist, cannot for the life of me remember his name, in Manchester. It was a good night. Never heard of Blind Melon!!! Maybe know a song or two and never realised!

Originally posted by Foxxx

Andrew Wood (Malfunkshan, Mother love Bone) was one of the most important influences in the grunge scene and he died. Pearl Jam and Temple of the Dog wouldn't have otherwise existed.

Layne Staley (Alice in Chains)
Shannon Hoon (Blind Melon)



Yeah Andrew Wood is missed and Layne Staley, Shannon Hoon. Elliot Smith, Jeff Buckley, Hillel Slovack.

I'm sure we can all name people who have died some way before their time and for me one person who isn't given as much credit for her singing talent that she should recieve is Karen Carpenter. When you think her voice had none of the electronic wizardry that so many of our so-called pop stars of today rely upon.
Just to throw another name into the pot Lena Zavarohni? [sp]

hi ousetunes,
yeah the mystery girl album was brilliant--ive actually got on vynil!----the trav willburys were a great supergroup got both albums although there was another rare one but never seen it00it was vol 2 i think but dont think it was released over here.

Buddy Holly, Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, and who was the Thin Lizzy bloke

Originally posted by WallBuilder
I'm sure we can all name people who have died some way before their time and for me one person who isn't given as much credit for her singing talent that she should recieve is Karen Carpenter. When you think her voice had none of the electronic wizardry that so many of our so-called pop stars of today rely upon. [sp]
Yes you are so correct with that one WB.
she was also a great drummer but the record company management got in bloke session drummers because "it looked better".
Many female drummers cite her as an influence, and her mother recently said that she was upset when the management took her from the drums on the 3rd or 4th album [ sorry don't recall exact details ]
She was the possesor of Perfect Pitch [ nowadays absolute pitch ] which was an aid to her when she and Richard were layering all their harmonies.
For those who don't remember she died of complications frm her Annorexia Nervosa.
It is really is frustrating for those of us who play a bit of music, that someone such as Karen Carpenter should have cut her life so short with a seemingly preventable condition. What a total waste of life and irreplaceable talent. People on a couple of other threads are banging on about Madonna, but she couldn't have carried the ladder, never mind stepped on the first rung of Karen's
Website with pic and stuff about Karen Carpenter (http://www.hotshotdigital.com/tribute/KarenCarpenter.html)

magnateer,
the bloke from thin lizzy was phil lynott---he was ace and at one time was married to one of leslie crowthers daughters!----poor bloke:)

I have been offline a day or two so catching up. See that Roy Orbison has been mentioned. His wife, Claudette was killed in a motorcycle accident, incidently, he wrote the song Claudette that The Everlys recorded, and all the big hits he had from Only The Lonely as a solo artiste tell the story of his pain. Look at the titles and you'll see what I mean.

A unique and missed talent.

Just another bit of trivia, when Roy died the replacement was to be the late Del Shannon in the travelling Willburys. Unfortunatly Del committed suicide before they could record.

Originally posted by BoppinBruce

Just another bit of trivia, when Roy died the replacement was to be the late Del Shannon in the travelling Willburys. Unfortunatly Del committed suicide before they could record.

The Traveling Wilburys story is quite unique.

George Harrison and Jeff Lynne were recording a supposed b-side for George's next single. The two had co-produced George's successful 1987 album Cloud Nine which was a big hit thanks largely to the success (no 2) of Rudy Clarke's Got My Mind Set On You.

George had this tune which Jeff said was too commercial to be a b-side. In the garage studio where they were recording was a box marked 'Handle with Care' and this became the title of the song. Also present was Bob Dylan and Tom Petty and by coincidence, Roy Orbison happened to be in town. George and Jeff thought what a great idea it would be to get the Big O to sing the 'I'm so tired of being lonely' line.

The result was a superb single and cracking album. Jeff went on to produce Petty's first solo album (Full Moon Fever in 1989) and Roy Orbison's proper last album Mystery Girl (also 1989).

Various members of the Wilburys appear on these albums, and then George played on Jeff Lynne's first solo offering Armchair Theatre (1990).

Has anyone mentioned the guy from Sparks (the one who looked like Hitler)?.

If I remember rightly, he died last year

as far as i know ron mael (tash) is alive & well although as i mentioned in an earlier post guitarist dinky diamond passed away earlier this year!
by the way boppinbruce didnt roy also lose some of his family in a house fire--wasnt it his first wife and im sure some children were involved!-he had a tragic life and yeah youre right about the pain in his songs!!----thanx for the willbury info by the way--didnt know that bit about the crate!:thumbsup:
cheers everyone.

sorry ousetunes forgot to mention your name when i said thanx for the willbury info!---thanx alot:)

Harry Nilson, was a decent warbler

yeah i remember him--he was a big pal of ringos and that number one-without you!---been dead quite a while now!:sad: :sad: :sad:

Originally posted by Magneteer
Harry Nilson, was a decent warbler

Fantastic! I heard an absolutely beautiful Nilson track just last night which I think was called If God Lived in New York, something like that. Very similar to Everybody's Talkin' (with jangly banjo in the background).

That Without You song carries some weight because it must be the saddest song ever due to the fact that just about everyone connected with it died under sad circumstances.

Badfinger singer/songwriters Pete Ham and Tom Evans (who co-wrote Without You) both committed suicide, Evans in 1983 (due, it is said, to his wanting his share of royalties for his songs, esp the multi-million selling Without You). By this time Pete Ham had hanged himself in his garage in May 1975...,

Nilson brought such depth to that song it's hard not to be moved by it - especially the second chorus sung at full stretch. In January 1994 Nilson died from a heart-attack.

As with the songs of the Big O, I sense I can hear so much pain in Nilson's version of that song. Badfinger's version is quite jolly by comparison. Just the opening piano notes on Nilson's version has me rooted to the spot with the heart pumping.

This to me is Music with a capital M.

Harry Nilson, incidently, didn't write 'Everybody's Talking', that was written by Fred Neil, and is a far far far superior version. Harry was known, as were many including Murrey the K, George Martin to name a few, as the 5th Beatle because of his association with them.

The title of the song Ousetunes is refering to is 'I Think The Lord Must Live In New York City'

But at the end of the day he was a lightweight pop singer that sired many, and I mean many, children.

Not forgetting of course Keith Moon.......mad as a tree!

Originally posted by LordChaverly
Has anyone mentioned the guy from Sparks (the one who looked like Hitler)?.

If I remember rightly, he died last year

that would be Ron Mael, the keyboardist, (his brother was Russel Mael, the lead singer)

PT

Originally posted by Plain Talker
that would be Ron Mael, the keyboardist, (his brother was Russel Mael, the lead singer)

PT

I thought I remember reading that he had died, but Mikeyspikey says that it wasn't him.

I can't find any obituaries for Ron on the net, so perhaps he is still alive.

Ron, is this world still big enough for the both of us?

.......and Bobby Darwin, he knocked out some decent tunes!

the early, sudden deaths seem to be, restrospectively, good career moves.

Most of them probably are, but I would exclude Eddie Cochrane, Buddy Holly, John Bonham and no doubt several others from this category.

hi everyone,
thanx to youall for keeping this thread going i honestly didnt know if it would prove as popular as it has!--i myself have found out about some of the stars who i didnt know had left us over the years!---bet you have also!--keep them coming!
:thumbsup: cheers
mikey

a few more stars that have left us over the years!
pearl bailey,brook benton,jackie wilson,laura brannigan,sont bono,maurice gibb,andy gibb,bobby hatfield,van mccoy,dusty springfield,tiny tim,ricky nelson,bill haley,marvin gaye,harry chapin,rosemary clooney,julie london,mel torme,tom fogarty(johns brother/creedence),