What well-known bands have no surviving members from their classic line-ups?
The only one I know of is the Jimi Hendrix Experience: Hendrix, Mitchell, Redding; all deceased.
In my typically morbid way, it occurred to me today that this will soon become increasingly common, but that aside from the JHE it hasn’t happened yet.
Note that I’m not asking about bands where all of the important members have died, I’m talking about bands where everyone from one line-up is now dead.
A good* teyknykal *argument could be made for Lynyrd Skynyrd.
The Ramones? All that’s left is their revolving roster of drummers.
I have to quibble on behalf of one of my favorite bass players: yes, the original Jimi Hendrix Experience lineup died with Mitch Mitchell a few years ago, but Billy Cox, who played with Hendrix in the Band of Gypsys lineup and the latter-day reformation of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, is still alive. He’s the last surviving long-term member of Hendrix’s bands - both the percussionists who played with Hendrix at Woodstock are also still alive. I’m sure there’s a high fatality rate for some of the earliest rock bands, but I see one or two guys who played with Bill Haley in the Comets are still around.
This of course doesn’t rule out a new album release.