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Posts Tagged ‘Van Halen’

Died On This Date (April 7, 2013) Andy Johns / Legendary Record Producer & Engineer

Posted by themusicsover on April 7, 2013

Andy Johns
January 1, 1952 – April 7, 2013

andy-johnsAndy Johns was an English record producer and engineer whose resume reads like an encyclopedia of rock.  Still in his teens, Johns hit the ground running working as Eddie Kramer‘s second engineer on recordings by the likes of Jimi Hendrix.  Over the next four decades, Johns left his mark on such iconic albums as Led Zeppelin‘s IV, Physical Graffiti, and Houses Of The Holy;  the Rolling StonesSticky Fingers, Exile On Main St., and Goat’s Head Soup; Free‘s Highway; and  Television’s Marquee Moon.  He also produced or engineered albums for Van Halen, Humble Pie, Ron Wood, L.A. Guns, Cinderella, Chickenfoot, Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, Steve Miller, Mott The Hoople, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, and many more.  Albums on which he worked have reportedly sold more than 160 million copies in all.  He was the younger brother of the equally impressive producer and engineer, Glyn Johns.  Andy Johns was 61 when he died on April 7, 2013.  Cause of death was not immediately released.

Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number 1 Albums and Brett Ortone at Go Aloha Entertainment for the assist.

 

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Died On This Date (June 10, 2010) Barbara Skydel / Veteran Booking Agent

Posted by themusicsover on June 10, 2010

Barbara Skydel
DOB Unknown – June 10, 2010

Barbara Skydel was a well-known and respected booking agent for the better part of the last forty years.  She began her career with Premier Talent Agency where she immediately proved her worth by taking on Led Zeppelin’s legendary 1969 U.S. west coast tour.  Skydel soon found herself working with such acts as Bruce Springsteen, Grand Funk Railroad, Van Halen, U2, and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.  By the mid ’80s, she was a partner at the firm, which by then was one of the biggest in the world.  As the first female executive at a major talent agency, Skydel earned the respect of both peers and artists alike.  No less than U2’s Bono had referred to her as “Aunty Barbara.”  In 2002, Premier merged with the William Morris Agency where Skydel remained as Senior Vice President until her retirement in 2009.  Later acts that she handled included Sebastian Bach, the Pretenders, Keith Richards and the Who.  Barbara Skydel passed away on June 10, 2010.  Cause of death was not immediately released.

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Died On This Date (May 17, 1999) Bruce Fairbairn / Producer

Posted by themusicsover on May 17, 2010

Bruce Fairbairn
December 30, 1949 – May 17, 1999

Bruce Fairbairn was a Canadian trumpet player, but made a huge mark on popular music as a rock producer. Fairbairn hit his stride in the ’80s producing such albums as Loverboy’s Get Lucky, Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet, Aerosmith’s Permanent Vacation,   and later, Bon Jovi’s New Jersey, Aerosmith’s Pump, Poison’s Flesh and Blood, Van Halen’s Balance, AC/DC’s The Razor’s Edge Kiss’ Psycho Circus, and many more.  It was while working on Yes’ Ladder, in May of 1999 that Jon Anderson discovered Bruce Fairbairn’s body in his home.  Cause of death was not immediately released.

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Died On This Date (January 19, 2006) Wilson Pickett / Soul Legend

Posted by themusicsover on January 19, 2010

Wilson Pickett
March 18, 1941 – January 19, 2006

The great Wilson Pickett was a soul performer and songwriter who would be responsible for some of the genre’s greatest recordings.  He began his career in Gospel, but with a flair for showmanship akin to Little Richard and James Brown, it wasn’t long before he made the jump to secular R&B.  In 1965, Pickett began recording a series of hits that included, “In the Midnight Hour,” “Land of 1000 Dances,” “Ninety Nine and a Half Won’t Do,” and “Mustang Sally.”  His songs have been recorded by the greatest acts in rock music.  That list includes Led Zeppelin, Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, Van Halen, Aerosmith, Los Lobos, Creedence Clearwater Revival and the Grateful Dead, to name just a few.  Pickett continued to make records well into the ’90s, though his hit-making days ended back in the mid ’70s.  And he made concert performances up all the way up until 2004, only to step down due to health reasons.  On January 19, 2006, 64 year-old Wilson Pickett died of a heart attack.

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Wilson Pickett

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Died On This Date (October 21, 2006) Sandy West / The Runaways

Posted by themusicsover on October 21, 2009

Sandy West
July 10, 1959 – October 21, 2006

Sandy West was the founding drummer for the influential all-girl rock band, the Runaways.  Born and raised near the beaches of Southern California, West picked up the drums at the age of nine.  She met record producer, Kim Fowley in 1975 and told him of her desire to form an all-girl rock band.  He put her in contact with another like-minded teen, Joan Jett.  They soon found Lita Ford and Cherie Currie, and the Runaways were born.  Although the band stayed together for less than four years, their influence on rock ‘n roll cannot be denied.  With songs like “Cherry Bomb,” and “Rock & Roll,” the band was soon signed to Mercury Records and opening for such acts as Cheap Trick, Tom Petty, and Van Halen.  The Runaways disbanded in just four short years, so West went on to front her own band and play in other local groups, none sparking the kind of fame she experienced with the Runaways.  She also never benefited financially from the band’s popularity. On October 21, 2006,  Sandy West, 47, died of a brain tumor that was borne from lung cancer.

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The Runaways - The Runaways

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