# Rock bands with dead members but no deaths by drug overdose **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 18, 2009, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427 "2009-07-18T13:09:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/21 "2009-07-18T19:54:38Z")
> [@Khan](#): > > Also, [Randy Rhoads](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Rhodes#Death). He was in Ozzy’s solo band, but not Black Sabbath. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/22 "2009-07-18T20:11:13Z")
Mark Sandman of the band **Morphine** died of a heart attack on-stage during a show. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/23 "2009-07-18T20:19:43Z")
Tom Fogerty died of AIDS, contracted during a blood transfusion. He’s the only member of Creedence Clearwater Revival who’s no longer alive. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/24 "2009-07-18T20:39:06Z")
Pantera lost Dimebag to a nutjob fan, but, as far as I know, none of them have died from drugs yet. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/25 "2009-07-18T20:51:20Z")
Two members of King Crimson are deceased, both from the 1971-72 incarnation of the band. Ian Wallace died of esophogeal cancer; Boz Burrell of a heart attack. Two members of Jethro Tull have died, both after prolonged illness: John Glascock from a heart defect, and Mark Craney from complications of diabetes/kidney failure. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/26 "2009-07-18T20:55:26Z")
> [@The\_Falling\_Reverend](#): > > Dave Alexander from The Stooges died from pneumonia The song “Dum Dum Boys” gives his cause of death as “OD’ed on alcohol”, so it seems Iggy himself believed that substance abuse was involved. [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Alexander_(musician)) says “He died of pulmonary edema in 1975 at the age of 27 in Ann Arbor after being admitted to a hospital for pancreatitis, which was linked to his drinking.” Even if Dave Alexander’s death is considered non-drug related, The Stooges definitely doesn’t count because Zeke Zettner died of a heroin overdose. Ron Asheton also recently passed away, although that was not drug related, he had a heart attack. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/27 "2009-07-18T21:00:54Z")
**Queen** - Freddie Mercury died from AIDS > **[Freddie Mercury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_Mercury)** > > Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara; 5 September 1946 – 24 November 1991) was a British singer and songwriter who achieved worldwide fame as the lead vocalist and pianist of the rock band Queen. Regarded as one of the greatest singers in the history of rock music, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and four-octave vocal range. Mercury defied the conventions of a rock frontman with his theatrical style, influencing the artistic direction of Queen. > Born in 1946 in Zanzibar to Par... ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/28 "2009-07-18T22:32:30Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > **Queen** - Freddie Mercury died from AIDS > > [Freddie Mercury - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_Mercury) psst… post #7 ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/29 "2009-07-18T22:39:55Z")
10,000 maniacs had Robert Buck die of liver disease. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/30 "2009-07-18T22:54:21Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > psst… post #7 Damn, I read the thread a zillion times to see if anyone posted it. Least I spelled his name right… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/31 "2009-07-18T23:23:02Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Crashed planes took out a few, for instance Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, and the Big Bopper. I think there’s another major plane crash, but I can’t think who that was. Or you might be thinking of the helicopter crash that killed Stevie Ray Vaughan. Or if you listend to Christian rock in the 80’s, Keith Green. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/32 "2009-07-18T23:40:39Z")
Vivian Stanshall of the Bonzo Dog Band died in the fire when his apartment burned. Rick Danko of the Band died of heart disease. Traffic had two: Jim Capaldi (stomach cancer), Rebop Kwaku Baah (cerebral hemorrhage) Chris Wood had serious alcohol problems, but his death was officially pneumonia. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/33 "2009-07-19T02:32:02Z")
> [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](#): > > Or you might be thinking of the helicopter crash that killed Stevie Ray Vaughan. Or if you listend to Christian rock in the 80’s, Keith Green. Or Jim Croce. Or Rick Nelson, John Denver, Patsy Cline and Hawkshaw Hawkins, Jim Reeves, Aaliyah, Reba McEntire’s band, the Bar-Kays. . . ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/34 "2009-07-19T03:53:23Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Rick Danko of the Band died of heart disease. But Richard Manuel makes the Band’s case problematic. He didn’t actually OD, but there’s little doubt that his suicide was drug- and alcohol-fueled. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/35 "2009-07-19T04:02:03Z")
Steve Marriott died in a fire caused by smoking in bed; both of his main bands included another member who died of pneumonia: Ronnie Lane of the Small Faces and Greg Ridley of Humble Pie. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/36 "2009-07-19T04:44:00Z")
**The Traveling Wilburys** : Roy Orbison (heart attack), George Harrison (lung cancer). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/37 "2009-07-19T04:56:07Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Or Jim Croce. Or Rick Nelson, John Denver, Patsy Cline and Hawkshaw Hawkins, Jim Reeves, Aaliyah, Reba McEntire’s band, the Bar-Kays. . . \ I didn’t know Jim Croce was dead. People who travel a lot are more prone to transportation accidents. An ex-boyfriend of mine used to say there were three ways for rock stars to die, 1) car/plane crash, 2) drown in own vomit, and 3) obscurity. Obviously, this thread proves him (and whoever made that joke first) wrong. ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/38 "2009-07-19T05:05:08Z")
The Ramones _almost_ qualified. Damn you dee dee. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/39 "2009-07-19T05:06:33Z")
Jim Grant, bass player for The Five Americans, is dead. Nothing I’ve seen indicates it was from drugs. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/40 "2009-07-19T05:07:35Z")
> [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](#): > > \ I didn’t know Jim Croce was dead. Wow…and not like it was recent, either. :eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427.md?page=3)