15 April 2024
Ramones’ (the band name was inspired by Paul McCartney, who would check into hotels under the alias Paul Ramon) hero/frontman JOEY RAMONE (real name: Jeffrey Ross Hyman) died after losing a long battle with lymphatic cancer, aged only 49. In 2023 a block of East 2nd Street in New York City was officially renamed Joey Ramone Place.
1-2-3-4
(Image: Cover of Joey Ramone‘s solo album)
7 April 1994
LEE BRILLEAUX, the flamboyant frontman/harmonica player of British R&B rock legends DR. FEELGOOD passed away 30 years ago this day, on 7 April 1994 due to throat cancer, only aged 41.
The band, co-founded by eccentric guitar prodigy Wilko Johnson topped the UK Charts with their 1979 live LP, titled Stupidity, and scored several hit singles. In 1976 Brilleaux helped fund the iconic punk/new wave label Stiff Records.
ROXETTE
Their debut single – 1974
STUPIDITY
.
DR. FEELGOOD: Story – Albums
5 April 2024
Kurt Cobain the fabulous, charismatic but also painfully troubled voice and
songwriter of legendary Seattle band Nirvana took his own life 30 years ago
today, on 5 April 1994. Hew as only 27.
Cobain: “If you die you’re completely happy and your soul somewhere lives on.
I’m not afraid of dying. Total peace after death, becoming someone else is the
best hope I’ve got.”
Here’s one of my favorite songs
(the Unplugged version is awesome)
to remember the lost icon.
ALL APOLOGIES
NIRVANA: Bio – Discography – Instagram
1 April 2024
Soul legend MARVIN GAYE was born, named Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. on 2 April 1939 in Washington D.C. The world-famous star was shot by his father after a severe discussion that completely got out of hand on 1st April 1984, this day 40 years ago, one day before his 45th birthday. R.I.P.
MARVIN GAYE: Biography
25 March 2024
British singer-songwriter SCOTT WALKER was born Noel Scott Engel in Hamilton, Ohio on
9 January 9, 1943. The older generations know him best for his years with 60s gloomy pop trio The Walker Brothers (John, Scott, and Gary) and their two big 1965 hits Make It Easy On Yourself and The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore.
After the brothers split up musically Scott started a solo career, made several LPs.
The siblings reunited between 1975 and 1978, for three albums and Scott concentrated afterward again on his solo journey, which included three of his most poignant,
wayward and fascinating longplayers.
Climate Of A Hunter (1984), Tilt (1995) and Bish Bosh (2012). Three critically praised avant-garde pop records. His intriguing mystic, his surreal imagery and his unfathomable and arresting baritone voice dragged you into his complex and melodramatic world.
A rare, puzzling artist.
Walker passed away, aged 76 in London, on 22 March 2019 due to cancer. He had
one daughter. His death was announced 3 days later, on 25 March by his record
company 4AD.
– THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE –
The Walker Brothers – 1965
– EPIZOOTICS! –
From his 15th and final LP Bish Bosh (2012)
CLIMATE OF HUNTER
.
SCOTT WALKER: Biography Solo Albums
17 March 2024
Sad, sad news. STEVE HARLEY (born Stephen Malcolm Ronald Nice 73 years ago
in Deptford, London. the former frontman of 70s glam rock legends Cockney Rebel
passed away yesterday, due to cancer.
His daughter Greta broke the news with this message.
Cockney Rebel formed in 1972 and were in the spotlights for 5 years with 5 longplayers, several hit singles and spectacular shows. Years later the band reunited for a while and released one last LP in 2005. Already from 1975 on the band was named Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel.
3 top moments.
– SEBASTIAN –
Bombastic rock opera at its sublime best
– JUDY TEEN –
From their 1974 breakthrough LP The Psychomodo
– MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) –
More than 94 million streams on Spotify
Steve Harley: Instagram – Bio – Discography
(Image on top: from the cover of their 1974 LP ‘The Psychomodo’)
3 February 2024
Only 18 months ago WAYNE KRAMER, the guitarist and only surviving member of Detroit‘s legendary noise rock crusaders, announced that a new album would come out in October 2022. It would have been the band’s 3rd studio LP, following Back In The USA (1970) and High Time (1971). But it was with their first LP, a live on, named KICK OUT THE JAMS that they cemented their name for history. Since 1992 the band reunited regularly to play live.
The new longplayer, titled Heavy Lifting was planned to be released in October of 2022. But it wasn’t finished by then and last year Kramer announced that the album would be launched in 2024. Along the news came a snippet of the title track, written by Kramer with new MC5 singer Brad Brooks and longtime collaborator Tom Morello, guitarist of Rage Against The Machine. They shared a snippet of the song. Watch/listen below.
Final tour.
This morning, I was shocked by the sad, surprising news of Kramer‘s untimely death.
He passed away yesterday due to pancreatic cancer. Rest in piece, motherrocker.
“Kick out the jams motherfuckers
Yeah I, I, I, I, I’m gonna
I’m gonna kick ’em out, yeah”
MC5: Bio – Discography
Little note: after writing a piece about the 50th birthday of MC5 back in 2018, and
the accompanying tour, Wayne Kramer became a follower of my Twitter account. A very, very special moment I will never forget.
25 January 2024
American folk-pop songstress MELANIE was born Melanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk on
3 Feb 1947 in New York City. She had a unique, intensely passionate, slightly hoarse
voice, an important part of her musical work. She recorded/released 20+ LPs and
scored several hits with formidable songs like Brand New Key, Oh Happy Day (cover),
Lay Down and Beautiful People.
She passed away last Sunday, aged 76.
Her 3 children broke the news with this message.
Dear Ones,
This is the hardest post for us to write, and there are so many things we want to say, first, and there’s no easy way except to say it… Mom passed, peacefully, out of this world and into the next on January, 23rd, 2024.
We are heartbroken, but want to thank each and every one of you for the affection you have for our Mother, and to tell you that she loved all of you so much! She was one of the most talented, strong and passionate women of the era and every word she wrote, every note she sang reflected that.
Our world is much dimmer, the colors of a dreary, rainy Tennessee pale with her absence today, but we know that she is still here, smiling down on all of us, on all of you, from the stars.
We ask tonight, Wednesday January 24th, at 10pm central time, each of you lights a candle in honor of Melanie. Raise, raise them high, high up again. Illuminate the darkness, and let us all be connected in remembrance of the extraordinary woman who was wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to so very many people.
We are planning a Celebration of Life for Mom and it will be open to all of you who want to come and celebrate her. The details will be announced as soon as they are in place. We look forward to seeing you there.
At this time please allow us, her family, privacy as we grieve for her, remember
her, and figure out how to navigate this crazy world without her.
Thank you all for your love – you meant so very much to her.
Love and Peace,
Leilah, Jeordie, and Beau Jarred
– LAY DOWN –
– BRAND NEW KEY –
MELANIE: Bio – Discography
24 December 2024
(photo by Turn Up The Volume! Ostend 2015)
Why do I remember RICK PARFITT here every year since he passed away
7 years ago today, on 24 December. Because he was the 24/7 blonde God
riff-king of legendary 12-bar boogie rockers STATUS QUO.
And? Well, I saw the Quo about thirty times live. Am I serious? Absolutely
It was always no-nonsense, sweaty head-banging fun. And I liked-liked-liked-it,
rockin’ all over the world
Just like here with a let your hair hang down and boogie
live TV version of Down The Dustpipe in 1970 with the
audience in a coma.
STATUS QUO: Bio – Discography – Facebook
18 December 2023
TERRY HALL (born Terence Edward Hall in Coventry UK), the voice/face and co-songwriter
of ska legends THE SPECIALS passed away one year ago, on 18 December 2022, due to pancreatic cancer. He was only 63.
Hall also was successful with side-projects Fun Boy Three,
The Colourfield and recorded/released 3 solo LPs. Rest in peace.
– GHOST TOWN –
– FUN BOY THREE –
TERRY HALL: Bio