# 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:** 3
**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, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/41 "2009-07-19T06:03:40Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Wow…and not like it was recent, either. :eek: Well, if wikipedia is correct he died when I was like…5. So apparently it just never occured to me to ask “hey is this guy dead?” or “how come Jim Croce hasn’t made a come-back tour like all these other guys?”. ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/42 "2009-07-19T08:37:37Z")
**Boston** - Brad Delp offed himself. **Shadow Gallery** - Vocalist Mike Baker died of a heart attack last year, he was only 45. And - I can’t believe no one has mentioned it - **Frank Zappa** , prostate cancer. If it’s necessary to be technical and name a group, The Mothers of Invention, then. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/43 "2009-07-19T10:31:10Z")
Pretty well known in the UK with 3 top ten entries in 1970/71, Badfinger comprised, among others, Peter Ham and Tom Evans. This duo is arguably better known for writing _Without You_, which featured on the band’s 1970 album _No Dice_, and was subsequently and famously covered by Harry Nilsson and about 200 other artistes. Both Peter Ham and Tom Evans took their own lives. Ham hanged himself in his garage in 1975. Eight years later Evans followed suit, using a tree in his back garden for the same purpose. As far as I’m aware, no band members died as a result of drug misuse. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/44 "2009-07-19T10:51:36Z")
Dee Murray, the super-bassist of the Elton John Band, succumbed to cancer. Darrell Sweet, Nazareth’s drummer, died of a heart attack. Definitely not rock, but Chic’s bassist Bernard Edwards and drummer Tony Thompson died from pneumonia and cancer, respectively. One of the tightest rhythm sections in history are gone. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/45 "2009-07-19T11:06:35Z")
D. Boone of the Minutemen died in a car wreck, 22 December 1985. Mike Watt and George Hurley are still around, altho George rarely plays anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/46 "2009-07-19T15:45:26Z")
> [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](#): > > \ 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. Eric “Stumpy Joe” Childs died by choking on vomit, though I don’t believe it was his… ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/47 "2009-07-19T19:10:06Z")
Marc Bolan from T-Rex. He was a passenger in car driven by his girlfriend, who hit a tree. The girlfriend was Gloria Jones, the original singer of the song “Tainted Love” made popular in the 80s by Soft Cell. Incidentally, Steve Currie of T-Rex died a year later in another car wreck. ---
**Author:** ![maplekiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@maplekiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maplekiwi)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/48 "2009-07-19T20:32:53Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > Marc Bolan from T-Rex. He was a passenger in car driven by his girlfriend, who hit a tree. The girlfriend was Gloria Jones, the original singer of the song “Tainted Love” made popular in the 80s by Soft Cell. Incidentally, Steve Currie of T-Rex died a year later in another car wreck. Mickey Finn is also dead from alcoholism related stuff. Steven Peregrine Took (from the original Tyrannasaurus Rex) died from choking on a cherry stone. ---
**Author:** ![maplekiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@maplekiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maplekiwi)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/49 "2009-07-19T20:38:21Z")
I listen to You Tube listen to the old bands I love & I’m just amazed by how many of them died young. I loved glam rock band **Sweet**. Brian Connolly died of liver failure (no doubt brought on by his alcoholism) & Mick Tucker died of leukaemia. ---
**Author:** ![maplekiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@maplekiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maplekiwi)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/50 "2009-07-19T20:55:22Z")
Another glam rock band was **Mud.** I looked at their list of hits on Wikipedia but only remember the outrageously catchy Tiger Feet. Les Gray died on 21 February 2004 in Portugal, of a heart attack, as a result of throat cancer. Dave Mount took his own life on 2 December 2006. ---
**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, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/51 "2009-07-19T21:18:37Z")
Terry Kath of Chicago. His last words were “Don’t worry, it’s not loaded.” ---
**Author:** ![maplekiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@maplekiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maplekiwi)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/52 "2009-07-19T21:34:20Z")
Paul Hester from \*\*Split Enz \*\*& **Crowded House** committed suicide. ---
**Author:** ![Eugene\_of\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@Eugene\_of\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eugene_of_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/53 "2009-07-19T21:55:34Z")
**Styx** original drummer John Panozzo, liver failure/hemorrhage. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/54 "2009-07-19T23:06:40Z")
Suicide was also the cause of death of Stuart Adamson from Big Country, Wendy O. Williams of the Plasmatics, and Danny Rapp of the 60s group Danny & The Juniors. Darby Crash of The Germs did die of a heroin overdose, but it was an intentional act of suicide, not misadventure of drug use. ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/55 "2009-07-20T00:26:57Z")
Eric Carr of KISS died from cancer. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/56 "2009-07-20T02:33:19Z")
How about Power Station? All the non-Duran Duran members have died: Robert Palmer, of a heart attack; Tony Thompson, of kidney cancer; and Bernard Edwards (who replaced John Taylor) died of pneumonia. As noted upthread, Edwards and Thompson were members of Chic also. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/57 "2009-07-20T02:43:36Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > How about Power Station? All the non-Duran Duran members have died Not all; Michael DesBarres sang lead on the tour (and for the band’s performance at Live Aid) and he’s still alive and kicking. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/58 "2009-07-20T02:47:34Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > Not all; Michael DesBarres sang lead on the tour (and for the band’s performance at Live Aid) and he’s still alive and kicking. Sure, if you want to count him… but he was pinch-hitting for Palmer who was promoting _Riptide_ at the time. I rate DesBarres as a competent stand-in; no disrespect but as he didn’t contribute to the writing or creative process, he’s more like a half-member. Shame too. I was a big PS fan and was gutted when at Live Aid they announced that the band would be playing, and this non-Robert Palmer hits the stage… ---
**Author:** ![maplekiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@maplekiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maplekiwi)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/59 "2009-07-20T02:59:41Z")
Carl Wayne from The Move died of cancer 2004. Nicolette Larsen died in 1997 of complications from cerebral edema (no, I don’t know what that is either.) ---
**Author:** ![Juliette\_Culture\_Junkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5fc32e/32.png) [@Juliette\_Culture\_Junkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juliette_Culture_Junkie)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427/60 "2009-07-20T03:02:57Z")
Bob Pistoor, a guitarist for **The Legendary Pink Dots** , died of cancer in 1998. No other deaths in the band (that I know of), and I hope it will stay that way for a long time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-bands-with-dead-members-but-no-deaths-by-drug-overdose/503427.md?page=4)