Died On This Date (May 26, 2012) John Harrison / Founding Bassist Of Hawkwind
themusicsover John Harrison
DOB Unknown – May 26, 2012
As the founding bassist for the English heavy rock band, Hawkwind, John Harrison was one of space rock’s pioneers and an influence on countless heavy metal bands to follow. Although he helped form the band in 1969, Harrison departed in 1970 and was replaced by Thomas Krimble. A few years later, Lemmy Kilmister, who later formed Motorhead, filled that position in Hawkwind. While Harrison was still in the band, however, he played on their landmark debut album, Hawkwind, which has been cited as an influence on bands like the Flaming Lips and Muse. In later years, he worked as a producer and engineer at the legendary Village Recorders studio in Los Angeles. In the early 2000s, Harrison was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease which ultimately took his life on May 26, 2012. John Harrison was 69 when he passed away.
Thanks to Paul Bearer for the assist.
What You Should Own
Known as the Godfather of Black Radio, Hal Jackson was an African-American broadcaster whose career stretched all the way back to the 1930s. Jackson started his radio career at Howard University where he announced the school’s home games along with those of the local Negro Baseball League, making him the first African-American sports commentator in U.S. history. In 1939, he became the first Black host at Washington DC’s WNIX where he hosted an interview show and later, a jazz program. By the mid ’50s, Jackson was living in New York City where he was employed by three radio stations where he hosted a nightly shows dedicated to jazz and celebrity interviews. He eventually became the Vice President and General Manager of Inner City Broadcasting, owners of WLIB and WBLS where he hosted Sunday Classics until the time of his passing. Hal Jackson was 96 when he passed away on May 23, 2012.
Known as the Polka King, Eddie Blazonczyk rose to prominence during the 1950s. He first began playing at Polish festival in and around Chicago as Happy Eddie and his Polka Jesters. For a time during his early years, he made pop music as Eddie Bell and the Bel-Aires, even performing on American Bandstand. But in 1962, he returned to polka and formed the Versatones. He quickly became the biggest name in American polka. In 1963, he founded his own record label, Bel-Aire Records. Throughout the years, Blazonczyk released over 30 albums, with his 1986 release, Another Polka Celebration earning him a Grammy. And in 1998, he was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship. After suffering a stroke, Blazonczyk retired from performing in 2002. Eddie Blazoczyk was 70 when he passed away on May 21, 2012.
Steeve Hurdle was the one-time guitarist for respected Canadian death metal band, Gorguts. What started out as a fairly standard heavy band in 1989, quickly evolved into one of the most technically advanced outfits of the scene. Hurdle joined the band in 1998 and played on their breakthrough album of that same year, Obscura. He either wrote or co-wrote every song on the 60-minute opus. Although highly praised, the album hit just as death metal was losing steam, so Gorguts was subsequently dropped from their label. Hurdle and the band soon parted ways as well. In 1994, he formed Negativa who garnered a loyal legion of fans for its avant metal sound. They released their debut, Negativa, in 2006. Steeve Hurdle died from complications of an initially undisclosed surgery on May 20, 2012. He was 41. More about Steeve can be found on this 
Robin Gibb was an English singer and songwriter brother, 