Died On This Date (December 8, 1975) Gary Thain / Uriah Heep
themusicsover Gary Thain
May 15, 1948 – December 8, 1975
Member of the 27 Club
Gary Thain is best remembered as a bassist for the British progressive metal band, Uriah Heep. Thain had been playing in the Keef Hartley Band when, in early 1972, he was asked to join Uriah Heep. Over the next three years, he played on four studio albums and can be heard on Uriah Heep Live.On September 15, 1974, while the band was playing a stadium show in Dallas, Texas, Thain was electrocuted, causing serious injuries. Thain was also suffering from drug addiction, so the band ultimately fired him in the early months of 1975. On December 8, 1975, Gary Thain, age 27, died as a result of a heroin overdose.
Big Walter Horton was a Mississippi-born blues harmonica player who is considered to be one of the blues’ most influential musicians. Horton’s career began in the late ’20s and by 1939, he began making records, the first of which, backed by guitarist, Little Buddy Doyle. He all but retired from the music business during the ’40s, but in the early ’50s, he became one of 
Darby Crash is best remembered as founder and lead singer for influential Los Angeles punk band, the Germs. Formed in 1977, the Germs were part of the same scene that produced X, Fear, the Circle Jerks and Black Flag. In 1977, they released a single, “Forming,” which is regarded by many to be the first punk record to come out of Los Angeles. The Germs disbanded in 1980, with Crash going on to form the Darby Crash Band, that didn’t last much longer than a handful of gigs. He got the Germs back together for a reunion show on December 3, 1980. Four days later he took his own life by overdosing on heroin in an apparent suicide pact with friend, Casey Cola who actually survived the OD. In 1981, Crash and the band were featured prominently in Penelope Spheeris’ acclaimed documentary on the L.A. punk scene, The Decline of Western Civilization.