Another year, another difficult list of dead musicians to compile. Among the heavier ones, Brian Wilson, the pop genious behind The Beach Boys, and Ozzy Osbourne whom no-one's ever called a genious, and yet has left a huge mark on rock and heavy metal. Just as influential, albeit in the narrow confines of Greek folk and rock, was the "Greek Dylan" Dionysis Savvopoulos. Other important losses include psychedelic soul wizard Sly Stone, and Marianne Faithfull - a wonderful lady whose voice sent more chills up one's spine as she progressed with age. Also, hugely underrated funk guitarist Steve Cropper, neo-soul singers Angie Stone and D'Angelo and classic soul legend Roberta Flack, Kiss' spaceman Ace Frehley, reggae pioneer Jimmy Cliff, and so many others who have given us so much. Please take a minute to read through the list, to give a mental farewell, and to say
Thanks For The Music
to:
Brian Wilson (The Beach Boys, 82)
Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath, 76)
Sly Stone (Sly and the Family Stone, 82)
Marianne Faithfull (singer-songwriter, 78)
David Johansen (New York Dolls, 75)
Jimmy Cliff (Reggae singer, 81)
Ace Frehley ("Spaceman", Kiss guitarist, 74)
Dionysis Savvopoulos (Greek singer-songwriter, 80)
Steve Cropper (Booker T. & the M.G.'s/ Blues Brothers, 84)
Brian James (The Damned/ Lords of the New Church, 74)
Mick Ralphs (Mott the Hoople/ Bad Company 81)
Danny Thompson (folk jazz bassist, Pentangle 86)
Jesse Colin Young (The Youngbloods, 83)
Angie Stone (Hip-hop and soul singer, 63)
Roberta Flack (Singer and songwriter, 88)
D'Angelo (soul singer-songwriter, 51)
John Lodge (The Moody Blues, 82)
Roy Ayers (Jazz-funk vibraphonist 84)
Dave Cousins (lead singer, Strawbs)
Chris Dreja (The Yardbirds 79)
Garth Hudson (The Band 87)
Bill Fay (Singer-songwriter, 81)
Chris Jasper (The Isley Brothers 73)
Perry Bamonte (The Cure, 65)
Rick Buckler (The Jam, 69)
Sam Rivers (Limp Bizkit, 48)
David Ball (Soft Cell/ The Grid, 66)
Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul and Mary, 86)
Max Romeo (Jamaican reggae singer, 80)
Sam Moore (Soul duo Sam & Dave 89)
Amadou Bagayoko (of Malian duo Amadou & Mariam 70)
David Thomas (Pere Ubu/ Rocket from the Tombs 71)
Mick Abrahams (Jethro Tull/ Blodwyn Pig, 82)
Mani (The Stone Roses/Primal Scream, 63)
Dave Allen (Gang of Four, 69)
Mike Peters (The Alarm/ Big Country, 66)
Lalo Schifrin (Argentine pianist, 93)
Chuck Mangione (Jazz trumpeter, 84)
George Kooymans (Golden Earring, 77)
Clem Burke (drummer of Blondie, 70)
Joe Ely (country singer, 78)
Chris Rea (Singer-guitarist, 74)
Terry Reid (singer-songwriter, 75)
Larry Tamblyn (The Standells, 82)
James Lowe (The Electric Prunes, 82)
Joseph Byrd (The United States of America, 87)
Serge Fiori (of Canadian prog band Harmonium 73)
Flaco Jiménez (Texas Tornados/Los Super Seven, 86)
Simon House (Hawkwind violinist/ multi-instrumentalist, 76)
Mark Volman (The Turtles/ Mothers of Invention/ Flo & Eddie 78)
Bobby Whitlock (Derek and the Dominos/ Delaney & Bonnie 77)
Viv Prince (drummer, Pretty Things, The Jeff Beck Group 84)
John Palmer (Family, Blossom Toes, Bakerloo 82)
Rick Davies (singer/keyboardist, Supertramp 81)
Rick Derringer (rock guitarist, The McCoys, 77)
Eddie Palmieri (Jazz pianist, composer 88)
Barry Goldberg (The Electric Flag, 83)
Gabriel Yacoub (Malicorne, 72)
Chad Morgan (Country singer and guitarist, 91)
Sara Surkamp (Pavlov's Dog, 72)
Wayne Osmond (The Osmonds, 73)
Brenton Wood (Soul singer, 83)
Ed Askew (Folk singer, 84)
Bobby Hart (Boyce and Hart 86)
Stephen Luscombe (Blancmange 70)
Sonny Curtis (The Crickets 88)
Beej Chaney (singer/guitarist of The Suburbs 68)
Fredrik Lindgren (guitarist of Unleashed/Terra Firma, 53)
Ragne Wahlquist (Heavy Load 69)
P. Fluid a.k.a. Peter Forrest (24-7 Spyz, 64)
Jellybean Johnson (The Time, 69)
Linda Nolan (The Nolans 65)
Ornella Vanoni (Italian singer, 91)
Jamie Muir (King Crimson percussionist, 82)
Edweena Banger (The Nosebleeds/Slaughter & the Dogs, 65)
Sal Maida (bassist for Milk 'N' Cookies/Roxy Music/Sparks 76)
Brigitte Bardot (French actress/singer, 91)
Gary Grier (60's R&B The Contours)
Bruce Howe (Fraternity 77)
Mungo Jerry (singer 82)
Tommy Hunt (The Flamingos 91)
Snowy Fleet (The Easybeats 85)
Jerry Butler (The Impressions, 85)
Fred Bekky (Belgian pop group The Pebbles 81)
Linsey Alexander (Blues singer and guitarist, 82)
Robert John (Soft rock singer and songwriter, 79)
Coburn Pharr (Annihilator/ Omen 62)
Joey Molland (Badfinger 77)
Frank Maher (Folk musician 90)
Jeffrey Runnings (For Against 61)
Bob Rupe (Cracker, The Silos 68)
Randy Brown (R&B singer 72)
Troy Seals (singer and songwriter 86)
Danny Cox (singer-songwriter 81)
Bill Ashton (Jazz saxophonist 88)
Les Binks (Judas Priest drummer, 73)
Rob de Nijs (Dutch singer 82)
Rod Clark (The Moody Blues, 82)
Peter Farrelly (Fruupp 76)
Ian Lees (Moving Pictures)
Leanne Cowie (drummer of The Scientists)
Paul "Wags" Wagstaff (Black Grape/ Happy Mondays 60)
Kevan Staples (of Canadian rockers Rough Trade, 74)
Johnny Tillotson (Singer and songwriter 86)
Michael Hurley (Folk singer and songwriter 83)
Mike Berry (English singer and actor 82)
Roger McLachlan (bassist; Little River Band 71)
David Briggs (Keyboardist, 82)
Roy Phillips (The Peddlers, 83)
Freddie Aguilar (Filipino singer-songwriter, 72)
James Baker (The Scientists/ Hoodoo Gurus/ Beasts of Bourbon 71)
Billy Earheart (Country keyboardist; The Amazing Rhythm Aces, 71)
Larry Lee (The Ozark Mountain Daredevils 78)
Ray Mayhew (Sigue Sigue Sputnik 60)
Tetsu Yamauchi (Free/ Faces, 79)
Chubby Tavares (Tavares, 80)
Graham Fenton (Matchbox, 76)
Sheila Jordan (Jazz singer 96)
Brent Hinds (Mastodon 51)
John Edwards (The Spinners 80)
Junior Byles (Jamaican reggae singer 77)
Douglas McCarthy (Nitzer Ebb 58)
John Reid (Nightcrawlers 61)
Lou Christie (singer-songwriter 82)
Ron Woodbridge (The Searchers 87)
James Prime (Deacon Blue 64)
Cavin Yarbrough (Yarbrough and Peoples 72)
David L. Hamilton (Pavlov's Dog, 74)
Patrick Walden (Babyshambles, 46)
Connie Francis (Singer and actress 87)
Michael Sumler (Kool & the Gang, 71)
Gigi Canu (Planet Funk 66)
David Kaff (Rare Bird, Spinal Tap 79)
Frank Maffei (Danny & the Juniors 85)
Jock McDonald (Bollock Brothers 69)
Livio Macchia (I Camaleonti 83)
Paul Mario Day (Iron Maiden/More/Wildfire/The Sweet, 69)
Kenny Marco (Canadian guitarist; Blood, Sweat & Tears 78)
Robert Jaramillo (Cannibal & the Headhunters, 78)
Jim Kimball (Laughing Hyenas/The Jesus Lizard 59)
Chuck Girard (The Castells, The Hondells, 81)
Judy Cheeks (The Ikettes, 71)
Justin Baren (The Redwalls, 40)
Bob "Bongo Starr" Starkie (Skyhooks, 73)
Warren Williams (Australian rock pioneer, 85)
Billy Nichols (Musician and songwriter, 85)
Raul Malo (The Mavericks, 60)
Bruce Loose (Flipper 66)
Atomic Steif (drummer, Sodom 57)
Chris Doheny (Geisha 64)
Jim McNeely (Jazz composer, pianist 76)
Dave Benton (Spooner guitarist, 77)
Paul Van Bruystegem (Triggerfinger, 66)
Terry "Buzzy" Johnson (The Flamingos, 86)
Thommy Price (drummer, Blue Öyster Cult/Scandal, 68)
Ian Watkins (Lostprophets 48)
Dave Burgess (The Champs, 90)
Marcie Free (King Kobra, Unruly Child, 71)
Vivian Jones (reggae singer, 68)
Andrew Metcalfe (Sound of Guns)
Scott Sorry (Amen/ The Wildhearts, 47)
Ray Drummond (Jazz bassist, bandleader 78)
Donna Jean Godchaux (singer, Grateful Dead 78)
Victor Conte (Pure Food and Drug Act, Tower of Power; 75)
Todd Snider (singer-songwriter, 59)
Thomas Klein (Warrant, 59)
Gilson Lavis (Squeeze, 74)
Hilly Michaels (Sparks, 77)