What famous musicians death most shocked you

[miles'tone]

1 hour ago, White Cloud said:

John Entwistle ... legend.

Same here. Didn't expect it at all.

I was at Glastonbury at the time and a page from their daily festival paper blew into my legs. I picked it up and the first thing I saw was the announcement of his death. Weird, profound and even poetic in a way. 

Was on my mind the rest of the weekend. 

Amy too. I believe hers was just a matter of time though.

[Mykesbass]

John Phillips of the Mamas & Papas. I was working on the release of his second ever solo album. Woke up in a horrible hotel in Minneapolis, put the TV on and his face filled the screen. Even without the sound on I just knew it was an In Memorium piece. Sad, as there was an incredible re-working of Claifornia Dreaming on the album which Charlie Gillet loved - now his was a shocking death 🙁

[Bassman Sam]

Rory Gallagher,  John Lennon, Freddy Mercury, Chris Squires, David Bowie and Greg Lake. They all made such an impact on my life. 

[jezzaboy]

For me it was Cozy Powell, a monster drummer who played on most of my favourite records and was seemingly a right decent guy: Rick Parfitt,  just cos it was Rick and he seemed indestructible and Tom Petty, someone who I only got right into a few years before his death, what a loss to music.

The last one to shock me was Ted McKenna who died during a routine operation in January.

Edited May 1, 2019 by jezzaboy

[Linus27]

I thing some of the big names artists surprised me and made me stop and think, artists like Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Prince, George Michael and David Bowie. However those who I have felt sad for were Michael Hutchence of Inxs, Chester Bennington of Linkin Park and very much Mark Hollis of Talk Talk.

[lowdown]

Glenn Miller.

 

 

Luther Vandross. Louis Johnson. Also Al Jarreau  was a real choker for me.

[KingPrawn]

Mark Hollis death has really stayed with me. Such an incredible talent and one of those individuals that I felt I connected with, however knew nothing about him

[seashell]

Kurt Cobain. I actually had tickets to see Nirvana in a few weeks. I knew he was struggling, but I didn't see that coming. 

It's funny that it hit me more than all the deaths of musicians I absolutely loved in the 70's. Maybe because I was in my thirties by the time Curt died and I realised there's nothing glamorous about it. Just a terrible tragedy for all his friends and family.

[funkgod]

yea, chris squire for me was a jaw on the floor moment.

"we are all on the conveyor belt,  sit and enjoy the ride, just don't try and jump off or run past anyone" ! !

Edited May 1, 2019 by funkgod

[KK Jale]

With a nod to Bowie - it's definitely a poorer world without him wandering around in it somewhere - I was most taken aback by Elliott Smith, whose music meant a lot to me, and still does. 

Also a bit saddened by the passing of guitarist Robert Quine, who I once met and talked with for hours. Unfortunately the circumstances of his passing seem to have been as grim and questionable as those of Elliott's. 

Edited May 1, 2019 by KK Jale

[BreadBin]

Keith Flint, and Chris Cornell. Both massive parts of my musical past.

I still find it so tragic that such great talents don't feel able to go on in life.

[Barking Spiders]

While I've been somewhat saddened for a short while by the death of a few famous musicians I can't say I've ever cried/been shocked/'absolutely gutted' etc  especially if it's because of a drug overdose etc. I enjoy music as much as the next man but it's never been the #1 thing in my life.   I may sound callous but I never join in mass outpourings of grief like when princess Di died.

[stingrayPete1977]

6 hours ago, oZZma said:

Kurt Cobain. I was 17, naive and still too sensitive.

Same here but I was 16. Proper double take when I heard it on the radio news.

[lozkerr]

Kirsty MacColl. Awful way to go.

[peteb]

3 hours ago, chris_b said:

 

The incredibly brilliant guitarist, the shining light in our sometime Allman Brothers band, just died. He was only 40! I'm still shocked!

You're not the only one - desperately sad and so unexpected

[LeftyP]

3 hours ago, pete.young said:

Sandy Denny.

Yes, that stopped me in my tracks.  I loved her voice and was a fan of Fotheringay, who I saw perform at Newcastle.  She was so young and such a talent.  The Fotheringay album is still one of my favourites plus many of her solo recordings.  Then, of course, there was Karen Carpenter - another voice that will never be repeated.  Harry Chapin was another that caught me off guard.  I have most of his albums (many on 12" LP) and for him to be killed when his name was becoming known in the UK was very sad.

[skankdelvar]

Sammy "Stumpy" Bateman.

[Jazzmaster62]

Scott Weiland for sure. 

[Lozz196]

Probably George Michael. I’m in no way a fan, but I suppose him being of a similar age, coming from the same area, and being more like a regular bloke it seemed sadder somehow. Like you kind of expect those who have lived lives of excess to go, but not the ordinary ones - though afterwards it was revealed that he did live a little in the fast lane so to speak.

[casapete]

I'm with the many others in missing Elvis, John Lennon, Hendrix, Marvin Gaye , Prince and Bowie. Amy and Whitney (although some might say) were perhaps less surprising yet still saddened me greatly, and (as with the others mentioned) just way before their time. 

On a more personal level, the death of Chuck Berry hit me hard. Despite his advanced years, he was a key musician who got me into popular music. The same goes for Aretha and BB King. I also always find it sad when long established bands lose their players - Ian Mc Lagan and Ronnie Lane from the Small Faces / Faces, Rick Parfitt from Quo, Tom Petty, and Brian Jones from the Stones spring to mind. However, the mighty E Street band losing Danny Federici and the great Clarence Clemons made me realise I'd never see that classic line up again - probably the best band I've seen.

Edited May 1, 2019 by casapete

[davie]

Merle Haggard. He was a true Country music legend

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, lozkerr said:

Kirsty MacColl. Awful way to go.

Terribly, terribly sad, but dying saving one of her kids? She's a real hero.

[Newfoundfreedom]

2 hours ago, Barking Spiders said:

While I've been somewhat saddened for a short while by the death of a few famous musicians I can't say I've ever cried/been shocked/'absolutely gutted' etc  especially if it's because of a drug overdose etc. I enjoy music as much as the next man but it's never been the #1 thing in my life.   I may sound callous but I never join in mass outpourings of grief like when princess Di died.

I'm totally in agreement with this. I think life throws enough misery and loss at us all on a personal level without dipping into the trough of public grief. I'm not really emotionally effected at all by the loss of a public figure (musician or otherwise). Don't get me wrong. It's sad to lose such talented people, but more in a respectful acknowledgement of a passing talent kind of a way than any true emotion. Numerous thousands of people die every day, we can't grieve for them all, and I've always find it a little distasteful to value one life over another because they can play a guitar or kick a football or whatever. 

[Frank Blank]

Paul Raven. Just the funniest man I’ve ever met, a proper gentleman and someone you could genuinely trust and depend on. I met him in 1983 and considered him a friend from then on, it slaughtered me when he died but I’m left with many excellent memories, all hilarious. Cracking bass player too!

[lozkerr]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Terribly, terribly sad, but dying saving one of her kids? She's a real hero.

True. But the boat shouldn't have been there in the first place, AIUI.