Eldon “El Duce” Hoke
March 23, 1958 – April 19, 1997
Eldon Hoke was the drummer and lead singer of subversive band, the Mentors, a band that inhabited rock’s underworld alongside the Dwarves, G.G. Allin, and the Plasmatics. Some called it “shock rock,” others called , “rape rock.” Generally trying to shock their audiences, the Mentors sang of topics that were considered obscene by many while usually wearing executioners’ hoods. The Mentors’ “popularity” peaked in 1985 when during Tipper Gore’s PMRC hearings, the band’s “Golden Showers” was singled out, it’s lyrics read aloud. All that did was cause an outburst of laughter, prompting many to agree that the hearings were a joke. Following Kurt Cobain’s death on April 5, 1994, Hoke went on Jerry Springer’s show as well as to the National Enquirer claiming that Courtney Love offered him $50,000 to kill Cobain, a claim that was never proven. It has been reported that on April 17, 1997, Hoke went to a friend asking where to get a fake driver’s license. He allegedly told this friend that he was told who “killed Kurt Cobain” and was afraid for his life. Two days later, he was found dead after having been hit by a train.
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