Died On This Date (October 21, 2006) Sandy West / The Runaways
themusicsover 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.
What You Should Own
Elliott Smith was a celebrated contemporary folk and indie rock singer-songwriter who quietly gained a legion of fans in the late ’90s. After several years in a rock band, Smith went solo in 1994, first recording for hip indie labels, Cavity Search and Kill Rock Stars, and then major, Dreamworks Records. In 1997, his “Miss Misery” was nominated for an Academy Award after it appeared Good Will Hunting. Elliott Smith died after being stabbed twice in the chest. Initial reports indicated that he committed suicide, but autopsy reports were inconclusive and his case is still considered open by the Los Angeles Police Department.
