http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/story/237911p-204188c.html
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| Rockers grave on
By ISAAC GUZMAN Saturday, October 2nd, 2004 It's no secret that there's always been a cultish obsession with death in rock music. In song, death is the theme that made Black Sabbath scary and gave Jay-Z street cred. In life, it turned fallen rockers such as Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. into secular saints. In recent months, death has been a common topic among rock fans. We lost pioneering deejay Scott Muni last week. A few weeks earlier, Johnny Ramone succumbed to cancer, becoming the third member of the original Ramones quartet to die since 2001. Also, New York Dolls bassist Arthur (Killer) Kane died of leukemia in July. His passing made the Dolls one of the most fatality-prone bands in rock. Of the group's first six members, only two remain. And what about those who are left behind? When a star singer or guitarist dies, it occasionally puts his bandmates out of a job. But even more bands decide to carry on, no matter how large the body count. Despite having lost four members, a new version of the Dolls played Randalls Island in August. And groups such as the Temptations, Allman Brothers and Bar-Kays - which all experienced the deaths of multiple members - have virtually thumbed their noses at the grim reaper. As the heroes of classic rock reach retirement age, the actuarial tables have begun to tilt against them. Only the lucky (Is it really possible that only one member of the Rolling Stones has died? And that was Brian Jones, more than 30 years ago.) will continue to rock this mortal coil. So with apologies to those who don't share our morbid fascination, we look rock 'n' roll death in the eye and examine some of the most ghoulish trends in rock history.
Worst single tragedy in music On March 16, 1991, seven members of Reba McEntire's band die in a plane crash.
The deadest bands in rock 1. The Temptations Formed in 1961, the original Temptations lineup included little-known singer Elbridge (Al) Bryant. But tenor David Ruffin replaced him before the group's first big hit, 1964's "The Way You Do the Things You Do." Since then, no less than five of the first six Temptations have died. They include Paul Williams (1973, suicide), Bryant (1978, liver failure), Ruffin (1991, drug overdose), Eddie Kendrick (1992, cancer) and Melvin Franklin (1995, heart failure). As he trumpets proudly on the Temptations' Web page, Otis Williams is "The Only Living Original Member." But that hasn't stopped him from leading a radically revamped Temptations. This year, they issued a new studio album, "Legacy."
2. The Bar-Kays In one of rock's worst air disasters, a 1967 plane crash killed four members of the Bar-Kays and soul legend Otis Redding. One member of the Stax house band, Ben Cauley, survived the crash and another, James Alexander, was fortunate to have missed the flight. The remaining two recruited new members, including vocalist Larry Dodson, and went on to back Isaac Hayes during the "Shaft" era. Since then, the band also lost longtime producer Allen Jones (1987, heart attack), who shepherded the group through its best years. The Bar-Kays still tour today, with Alexander as the only original member. Their Web site touts a yet-to-be-seen "new album release 2004," but it also listed one for 2003 that never happened.
3. The Grateful Dead Living up to the band's name, the Dead has lost no less than four members, including leader Jerry Garcia (1995, heart attack). Original members Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann are still with us, but there have been serious problems keeping the keyboard slot filled (see The Deadliest Jobs in Rock). After Garcia died, the group called it quits, but has since reformed, touring first as The Other Ones and now simply as The Dead.
4. The Allman Brothers Band Motorcycles were the bane of these Southern rock icons, who have seen four members die. Crashes killed singer-guitarist Duane Allman in 1971 and bassist Berry Oakley just a year later. Ever since, bassists have been hard to keep around (another Deadliest Job in Rock). Though the lineup has constantly shifted, the band still tours regularly, selling out an annual multinight run at the Beacon Theatre.
5. The New York Dolls Notorious for living life on the edge, the Dolls have paid a hefty price for their indulgences. Among the casualties are founding drummer Bill Murcia (1972, overdose), guitarist Johnny Thunders (1991, overdose), replacement drummer Jerry Nolan (1992, stroke) and bassist Arthur Kane (2004, leukemia). Even though David Johansen and Syl Sylvain are the Dolls' only surviving members, they played Randalls Island with a new backing band in August.
6. Lynyrd Skynyrd It was just after the release of "Street Survivor" in 1977 that Lynyrd Skynyrd suffered its first tragedy. An airplane crash killed singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and his sister, backup singer Cassie Gaines. Though Van Zant and guitarist Allen Collins originally wrote "Free Bird" as a tribute to Duane Allman, the song morphed into a memorial for the fallen trio. Collins himself is now gone (1990, respiratory failure). He was followed by bassist Leon Wilkeson (2001, liver failure). Like the Allmans, Temptations and others, Lynyrd Skynyrd still tours constantly, with Van Zant's brother, Johnny, on vocals.
7. The Ramones Like their songs, the lives of the Ramones were loud, powerful and short. Having spearheaded the punk movement, the group called it quits in the late '90s. Without the band around, Joey (2001, lymphatic cancer), Dee Dee (2002, heroin overdose) and Johnny (2004, prostate cancer) followed suit. Tommy Ramone, the last founding member, left the band in 1977. He's had a successful career as a producer and, thankfully, has announced no plans for a Ramones "farewell" tour.
8. The Byrds So many musicians passed through the Byrds' ranks that it's no wonder the prototypical folk-rockers have said goodbye to four of their former brethren, though only one, Clarence White (1973, auto accident), passed while an active member. The other fallen Byrds include Gram Parsons (1973, overdose), Gene Clark (1991, heart attack) and Michael Clarke (1993, liver failure).
The day the music died... ...when their plane crashed on Feb. 3, 1959 Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, Big Bopper
Deadliest jobs in rock Keyboardist for the Grateful Dead It's hard enough to survive all of the Dead's meandering solos and endless vamping. But playing keys for them seems to be hazardous to your health. The group lost its founding ivory tinkler, Ron (Pigpen) McKernan (1973, liver failure), then it was Keith Godchaux (1980, auto accident) and Brent Mydland (1990, overdose). Lately, pianist Bruce Hornsby has tempted fate by touring with the group. Bassist for The Allman Brothers After Berry Oakley's fatal 1972 motorcycle ride, the band replaced him with Lamar Williams (1983, cancer), who managed to live a few years after leaving the band. Another fill-in, Allen Woody (2000, unknown according to the NYC coroner), formed Gov't Mule after his ABB stint. Oteil Burbridge currently holds down the Allmans' bottom end. Drummer for Spinal Tap Legend has it that a series of bizarre gardening accidents and unfortunate explosions has claimed no less than six of the mythical band's drummers. Among the fictionally fallen were Joe (Mama) Besser, Peter (James) Bond, Eric (Stumpy Joe) Childs, John (Stumpy) Pepys and brothers Mick and Ric Shrimpton.
Survivors: Risk-taking rockers who've outlived expectations COURTNEY LOVE: If her abuse of OxyContin and David Letterman caused Love to die young, she'd have been the second half of rock's most tragic couple (along with husband Kurt Cobain, a 1994 suicide). Now 40, there's always hope she'll pull through for daughter Frances Bean. DAVID CROSBY: In what is perhaps the most tumultuous 63 years in rock, Crosby survived a nasty cocaine habit, jail, a motorcycle wreck and a supposedly terminal case of Hepatitis C liver failure. Yet he still managed to father Melissa Etheridge's children. OZZY OSBOURNE: A lifetime of debauchery has left him shaking and shambling after 55 years, but Sharon has managed to keep him together. 50 CENT: Fifty, 28, has been shot and stabbed so many times - nine shots, one stabbing - that he oughta look like Swiss cheese. But the gods of hip hop (and Eminem) have shown mercy. IGGY POP: Though 57, Iggy has the body of a 16-year-old. But his craggy face tells the true story of a twisted rock warrior who has subjected himself to too much heroin, booze and broken glass. KEITH RICHARDS: Maybe it's the alleged oil-change-style blood transfusions, but something has kept the hard-partying Stone rolling for 60 years.
Halfway to Heaven The Beatles: The much-prayed-for Beatles reunion become impossible when John Lennon (1980, murder) met a deranged fan. The remaining Fab three worked togetheron several projects before George Harrison (2001, cancer) went to meet his sweet Lord. The Who: In a band full of maniacs, drummer Keith Moon (1978, alcohol poisoning) was the wild man. Bassist John Entwistle (2003, cocaine-induced heart attack) was the quiet one with some seriously freaky forms of recreation. The Pretenders: After releasing two seminal albums, Chrissie Hynde practically had to find a new band when guitarist James Honeyman-Scott (1982, heroin and cocaine overdose) and bassist Peter Farndon (1983, heroin overdose) flamed out. She carried on alone for years, but original drummer Martin Chambers was back on board for the band's most recent tour.
Waking the dead GRACELAND: Elvis' personal Taj Mahal of bad taste gets 600,000 visitors a year. JIM MORRISON'S GRAVE: Still so popular that Paris' Père Lachaise cemetery posts gendarmes to toss out unruly Doors fans. STRAWBERRY FIELDS: John Lennon's somber slice of Central Park attracts hundreds of fans on the anniversary of his death. But in 1999, then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani put an end to the all-night vigil with a 1 a.m. curfew.
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