Halloween is around the corner, which got me thinking about what I want to be. This year I'm thinking Dead Rock Star and there is no shortage to choose from.
- BUDDY HOLLY - Holly, 22, Richie Valens, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson and their pilot were killed when their small plane crashed soon after taking off from Clear Lake, Iowa Feb. 3, 1959. Don McLean referred to it as "The Day the Music Died" in his song "American Pie".
- CLIFF BURTON - Metallica's ex-bassist Burton was asleep on his tour bus Sept. 26, 1986 when the bus hit black ice, skidded off the road and flipped. Burton was thrown out a window of the bus, which fell on him. He was 25 years old.
- DARRELL "DIMEBAG" ABBOTT - Ex-Pantera guitarist Abbott was per- forming with Damageplan at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, when he was shot by fan Nathan Gale. Abbott, 38, was shot five times, including once in the head, killing him instantly.
- JOHN BONHAM - Bonham spent the day at a jam rehearsal drinking quadruple vodkas Sept. 24, 1980. After midnight, Bonham had fallen asleep and was taken to bed and placed on his side. Zeppelin's manager found him dead the next afternoon. Bonham died Sept. 25, 1980 due to pulmonary edema. He was 32 years old.
- BON SCOTT - The 33-year-old AC/DC singer passed out after a night of heavy drinking in a London club called the Music Machine Feb. 19, 1980. He was left to sleep it off in a friend's car. The following afternoon, Scott was found dead from pulmonary aspiration of vomit.
- JIMI HENDRIX - Early Sept. 18, 1970, Jimi Hendrix died in London under circumstances never fully explained. His girlfriend claimed Hendrix had taken nine of her prescribed sleeping pills. According to the doctor who initially treated Hendrix, he had asphyxiated in his own vomit, mainly red wine that had filled his airways and even swamped his lungs. He was 27 years old.
- SHANNON HOON - After a disastrous performance in Houston, Blind Melon's original singer Hoon launched into an all-night cocaine binge. He was 28 years old when he overdosed.
- KEITH MOON - The Who's 32-year-old drummer took 32 tablets of Clomethiazole, a sedative prescribed to alleviate his alcohol withdrawal symptoms. However, the drug also has a high risk of death when mixed with alcohol. Police determined there were 32 pills in his system, with the digestion of six being sufficient to cause his death, while the other 26 were still undissolved when he died.
- ANDREW WOOD - Mother Love Bone's singer Wood was only 24 when he died of a heroin overdose coupled with a cerebral hemorr- hage just before the release of the band's debut album Apple.
- JIM MORRISON - The Doors' singer Morrison died July 3, 1971. In the official account of his death, he was found in a Paris apartment bathtub by his girlfriend. Pursuant to French law, no autopsy was performed as there was no evidence of foul play. Many believe Morrison died of a heart attack at 27 years old.
- STEVIE RAY VAUGHN - To complete the summer portion of his In Step tour, 35-year-old Vaughan played at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, WI. His tour manager reserved four helicopters to get the band to the next show. Vaughan's pilot was unfamiliar with the area and didn't climb to sufficient altitude, crashing into a hill and killing Vaughn instantly.
- JOHN LENNON - The 40-year-old founding Beatle was pronounced dead on arrival at New York's Roosevelt Hospital at 11:21 p.m. Dec. 8, 1980. The cause of death was reported as hypovolemic shock, caused by massive blood loss. Mark David Chapman pled guilty to second degree murder and was sentenced to 20 years to life. He's still behind bars and has been denied parole five times.
- MICHAEL HUTCH-ENCE - INXS's orginal singer remains the poster boy for auto-erotic asphyxiation, although his death is officially listed as suicide. He was 37 years old.
- KURT COBAIN - April 8, 1994, Nirvana's 27-year-old singer Cobain was found dead in the spare room above the garage at his Lake Washington house. A shotgun was found resting on Cobain's chest. Cobain's death certificate stated that his death was a result of a "contact perforating shotgun wound to the head," and an overdose and concluded his death a suicide. Though that's never been proven.
I could go as one of the more recent deaths in music, Michael Jackson. Though I'm not sure I wanna dress up like an "alleged" pedophile. Happy Halloween Vancouver! Hope it's a frightfully safe night.
SOURCES INCLUDE WIKIPEDIA
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