Today’s show focused on the inevitable: Death. The idea was that I would play songs by musicians and/or bands that had musicians that had passed away. However, it seems that several listeners didn’t quite get the idea as many sent me blue messages saying that such and such band was still around and making music. However, the idea was not to celebrate bands that were dead, it was to honor the musicians from these groups who have passed away.

This is by far an incomplete list as I had a lot more songs to play... however I started the show over an hour late as my wife and I were out picking up stuff for the house. Nonetheless, here’s a list of the artists I featured on the show.


AC/DC – singer, songwriter: Bon Scott (July 9, 1946 – February 19, 1980) Acute alcohol poisoning.

GG Allin – singer, songwriter, musician: (August 29, 1956 – June 29, 1993) Heroin overdose.

Armageddon – singer: Keith Relf (March 22, 1943 - May 14, 1976) Electrocution.

Chicago – singer, songwriter, musician: Terry Kath (January 31, 1946 – January 23, 1978) Accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The Clash – guitars: Joe Strummer (August 21, 1952 – December 22, 2002) Undiagnosed congenital heart defect.

Coil – singer, songwriter, musician: John Balance (February 16, 1962 – November 13, 2004) Accident resulting from injuries at home.

The Doors – singer, songwriter: Jim Morrison (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971) Heroin overdose.

Nick Drake – singer, songwriter, musician: (June 19, 1948 – November 25, 1974) Overdose of the prescribed antidepressant.

Grateful Dead – singer, songwriter, musician: Jerry Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) Heart attack.

Led Zeppelin – drummer: John Bonham (May 31, 1948 – September 25, 1980) Asphyxiation from vomit.

John Lennon – singer, songwriter, musician: (October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980) Assassination.

Morphine – singer, songwriter, musician: Mark Sandman (September 24, 1952 – July 3, 1999) Heart attack.

Harry Nilsson – singer, songwriter, musician: (June 15, 1941 – January 15, 1994) Heart failure.

Pink Floyd – singer, songwriter, musician: Syd Barrett (January 6, 1946 – July 7, 2006) Pancreatic cancer.

Skinny Puppy – drummer: Dwayne Goettel (February 1, 1964 - August 23, 1995) Heroin overdose.

Sun City Girls - drummer: Charles Gocher (November 12, 1952 - February 19, 2007) Cancer.

The Who – drummer: Keith Moon (August 23, 1946 – September 7, 1978) Overdose of Clomethiazole (Heminevrin).

Wings – keyboards: Linda McCartney (September 24, 1941 – April 17, 1998) Breast cancer.

Frank Zappa – singer, songwriter, musician: (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) Prostate cancer.


Many of the songs I played were also about death. Overdose by AC/DC, In My Time of Dying by Led Zeppelin, Wish I Was Dead by Harry Nilsson, Broccoli by Coil (lyrics: “wise words from the departed…”), My Generation by The Who (lyrics: “hope I die before I get old”) and Wish You Were here by Chicago.

Best wishes,

This post has been edited by Phantom Catsup Lord on Sep 3 2008, 08:35 AM