Rockers we've lost in 2017....R.I.P.
Everyone knows that we have lost some rockers so far in 2017 . Legendary performers such as Chuck Berry, Chris Cornell , Gregg Allman , Allan Holdsworth, J. Geils , Sib Hashing ( Original Boston Drummer ) Chester Bennington have all passed. Here are a few other that may not have gotten the press that the others have ......R.I.P.
Trish Doan
On Feb. 13, Kittie announced that bassist Trish Doan had passed away at the age of 31. She played on the band's 2007 album 'Funeral for a Yesterday' and rejoined the band in 2012, remaining active with the group until her death.
The band, stricken with grief, were admittedly at a bit of a loss for words as they described the pain of the loss, extending kind words and warm memories about their bandmate. As the news has had time to sink in, frontwoman Morgan Lander has penned a lengthy statement, expressing her feelings and reflecting on her relationship with Doan.
Lander posted the statement on her Instagram page (seen below) along with a picture of her and Doan standing together. “I have been struggling with the right words and having trouble processing the loss of someone who I counted among my best friends,” she began.
“Thank you to everyone for reaching out, your kind words, stories and photos,” Lander continued. “She was truly loved by more people than she could ever know. From the moment I met Trish there was an instant bond between us that I could never really explain. Perhaps we saw within each other many of the things that were reflected within ourselves; qualities that made us intrinsically who we are, and we clung to that dearly.”
The Kittie singer / guitarist went on to explain how Doan regarded her as a role model and they looked to each other for support. “I loved her like a sister,” said Lander, adding, “and she was a part of my family, now forever changed. She with her boundless energy, 10,000 ideas and a fiery, vibrant light that could never be extinguished, even now. I love you Trish and I miss you.”
Keni Richards
Original Autograph drummer Keni Richards passed away at the age of 60. He was a member of the group between 1983 and 1988, performing on three studio albums. He rejoined the band briefly in 2013 and 2014 when Autograph reunited.
As reported by Metal Sludge:
Richards, 60, played drums for the Southern California based band during their peak years. He was also slated to be on board for their 2013 comeback but not before things went sideways and the drummer was left out of the lineup going forward.
Now the drummer’s death is being investigated as a possible homicide.
Autograph guitarist Steve Lynch recently spoke about Richards‘ death in a interview with Shockwave Magazine.
Lynch says; “Keni had lived out in the desert for a while and went through a lot of different problems with different substance abuse and everything and that was unfortunate. He got mixed up with the wrong kind of people and something happened there, it’s a homicide investigation actually…. All I can say is it’s a homicide investigation and I really don’t know much more then that. But, of course, when you’re dealing with that kind of people and people are doing heroin and meth and all that, they’re not saints. Let’s put it that way.”
Original members Lynch (guitars) and Randy Rand (bass) helped relaunch the band but sadly for Richards, he didn’t get past a few early rehearsals.
Word is that the group reformed with the blessing of original frontman Steve Plunkett but the band’s original voice and chief songwriter opted to not take part in the reunion.
Enter former Jailhouse frontman Simon Daniels (aka Danny Simon).
The word according to Daniels is that Richards was instrumental in bringing the new frontman into the group.
Daniels talked to Shockwave Magazine about how his relationship was, and came to be with Richards; “I did because, for a couple of months, he recruited me and we talked and he was a person and then all of a sudden, from night to day, he just switched to a person I didn’t quite recognize any more and just started making no sense. It was sad because, to me, nothing made any sense but we went from really good friends to enemies. Then, I just stayed away from it.”
Lynch jumps back in and adds: “There’s one word that can sum that whole thing up and that’s “drugs.””
Sleaze Roxx spoke to Dean, who was one of Richards‘ close friends during the last few years of his life. Dean stated as follows about Richards and the last few days prior to his death: “I had been friends with Keni Richards for few years. In the last year [prior to Richards‘ death], we talked all the time. He was working on a book and painting. He was falling on hard times and needed some help. I was there for him. He left me some disturbing messages that people were watching him and I told him he needed to call the police but he would not do that. So he just lived on the edge but he was very worried because he said people were breaking into his home.
“Keni was a great guy. He was dealing with depression. He was going to come out here and move, and you know, this happened and there are no answers. Keni wanted me to post something on Facebook and I never did. He wanted to know if the fans really cared about him and loved him. He said that he didn’t really think that he made a difference in people’s lives. He was struggling with that and wanted me to find out how many people really cared about him and what he meant to them. He shared with me some great stories about the Motley Crue tour and David Lee Roth, and you know, he had done a lot of things after Autograph.”
The Autograph wikipedia states that Richards died on April 8th 2017, and it appears to be a drug-related homicide.
Geoff Nicholls
Black Sabbath keyboardist Geoff Nicholls was the band's most under-appreciated member. His work can be found on nine albums, starting with 'Heaven and Hell.' He also created the famous bass line off that album's title track. Nicholls was 68 and died from lung cancer on Jan. 28.
As reported in Rolling Stone:
Geoff Nicholls, Black Sabbath's longtime keyboardist who performed with the heavy metal legends for 25 years, died Saturday following a battle with lung cancer. He was 68.
"I'm so saddened to hear the loss of one of my dearest and closest friends Geoff Nicholls," Tony Iommi wrote on Facebook Saturday. "Geoff and I have always been very close and he has been a real true friend to me and supported me all the way for nearly 40 years. I will miss him dearly and he will live in my heart until we meet again. Rest in peace my dear friend."Quartz, Nicholls' previous band before he joined Black Sabbath in 1979, also confirmed Nicholls' death on Facebook. "Everyone in the band, and associated with the band, are struggling to find the words to express their feelings and sadness regarding the passing of their dear friend Geoff Nicholls earlier this morning at home," Quartz wrote."Geoff had been unwell for a long time battling cancer and had under gone extensive radio and chemotherapy plus other trial treatment but all sadly to no avail in the end. In this darkest and lowest moment of time Geoff's lyrics and music speak volumes to us and for us and through these his memory will live on forever."Following a five-year stint with Quartz – whose self-titled debut was produced by Iommi – Nicholls, along with vocalist Ronnie James Dio, were recruited to join Black Sabbath following Ozzy Osbourne's firing in 1979.Nicholls first appeared on Black Sabbath's 1980 LP Heaven and Hell – he's credited with crafting the menacing bassline for that album's classic title track – and remained with the band through nine studio albums, Live at the Hammersmith Odeon, world tours and a steady flow of lineup changes. In 1985, Nicholls became an "official" member of Black Sabbath, a title he held intermittently until 1996, when Osbourne rejoined the band. Nicholls' tenure with Black Sabbath ended in 2004 when keyboardist Adam Wakeman, a member of Osbourne's touring unit, was hired to replace him in Sabbath."Very sad to hear of old friend and Sabbath keyboard player Geoff Nicholls passing. RIP Geoff," Black Sabbath's Geezer Butler wrote Saturday.
Joey Alves
Y&T guitarist Joey Alves passed away at the age of 63 on March 12. Mainman Dave Meniketti said Alves had been suffering from ulcerative colitis among other complications that ultimately lead to the death of the musician. He performed on eight Y&T albums, including 'Mean Streak' and 'In Rock We Trust.'
Y&T frontman Dave Meniketti, who established the group in the early '70s with Alves, bassist Phil Kennemore, and drummer Leonard Haze, paid tribute to his late bandmate as “a rhythm guitar monster and fun guy.”
In a social media post, Meniketti recalled Alves as "one of the finest rock rhythm guitarists, and I’ll always remember playing next to him chunking out those monster chords with his classic red double cutaway ‘59 Les Paul Jr. As Ronnie Montrose once said about Joey, 'There are rhythm players, then there's Joey. A class of his own…”
He also described his friend as “a fun guy who always played with attitude and conviction, and was responsible for writing some memorable riffs for Y&T over the years. His friendship and presence will be missed. This is a great loss for all the Y&T family and faithful.”
David Z
David Zablidowsky, who, as David Z, was the bassist for both the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Adrenaline Mob, was killed yesterday afternoon when a tractor-trailer struck Adrenaline Mob’s RV. The band was en route to a gig at the State Theater in St. Petersburg at the time of the accident.
Gainesville.com is reporting that the RV had pulled off to the side of Interstate 75 in Micanopy, Fla., to change a flat tire when the other vehicle veered off the road, striking both the RV and the van and trailer that was carrying the band’s equipment. The RV caught fire, which was extinguished within 20 minutes of the Marion County Fire Rescue arriving on the scene.
The other three members of the band — singer Russell Allen, drummer Jordan Cannata and guitarist Mike Orlando — are listed as being in serious condition, and a woman named Janet Revis is in critical conditon at UF Health Shands Hospital and North Florida Regional Medical Center.
This is the second tragedy to hit Adrenaline Mob in as many years. In 2015, drummer AJ Pero, best known for his work on Twisted Sister‘s seminal albums, died while on tour with them.
Zablidowsky and Cannata had only recently joined the band. In addition, Zablidowsky had played with Trans-Siberian Orchetra from 2000-2006, with another stint beginning in 2010 and continuing until the time of his death. Loudwire adds that he was also in ZO2, the group featured in the IFC TV series Z Rock.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra wrote on their Facebook page, “We are terribly saddened with the passing of our talented friend, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Adrenaline Mob and ZO2 bass player, Dave Z (David Zablidowsky). Dave was so very special to our family and our thoughts and prayers go out to Dave’s family, and all those affected by Friday’s tragic accident.”
Paul O'Neill
Paul O'Neill's death was announced in a brief note posted on the Trans-Siberian Orchestra website on April 5, 2017, which cited chronic illness. The Hillsborough, Florida medical examiner’s office has determined the official cause of Paul O’Neill’s death as accidental, resulting from an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications to treat his numerous chronic illnesses (including bone augmentation surgery, complications from spinal fusion surgery, heart disease, and hypertension). His body was discovered in an Embassy Suites hotel room in Tampa, Florida. On June 24, 2017, TSO announced on their Facebook page that will indeed continue for the 2017 Winter Tour of "The Ghost of Christmas Eve" in Paul's legacy and honor.
Among other bands, O'Neill helmed Aerosmith's Classics Live I and Classics Live II albums. Badlands ( featuring Jake e Lee ) debut album, before beginning a fortuitous relationship with the band Savatage that led to conceptual pieces such as Hall of the Mountain King, Gutter Ballet, Streets: A Rock Opera and Dead Winter Dead. It also introduced him to Jon Oliva, Bob Kirkland Al Pitrelli, as well as reconnecting him with legendary studio engineer Dave Wittman, who all became key original collaborators in O'Neill's grand vision – Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
