Died On This Date (February 17, 2012) Michael Davis / Bassist For The MC5
themusicsover Michael Davis
June 5, 1943 – February 17, 2012
Michael Davis was the bassist for Detroit garage rock legends, the MC5 who were heavy influences on the punk movement to soon follow. More than just another loud blues-rock band, the MC5 were endeared by fans for their anti-establishment lyrics. The band’s use of itself as a political voice inspired future generations to do the same. Bands like the Clash and Rage Against the Machine have cited them as an influence for doing just that. Following his departure from the group, Davis played in Destroy All Monsters, an underground band that found a strong cult status among punk fans. In the mid 2000s, Davis and his wife founded The Music Is Revolution Foundation whose mission is to build public awareness that music education can help students improve their overall grades. Davis was also a talented visual artist who found his work gracing clothing, skateboard decks and much more. Michael Davis died of liver failure on February 17, 2012. He was 68. MC5 band mates, Rob Tyner and Fred “Sonic” Smith passed away in 1991 and 1994 respectively.
What You Should Own
Jon McIntire is best remembered as the two-time manager of the Grateful Dead. It was under his watch – first in the early ’70s and again during the ’80s – that the “Deadhead” phenomenon was born, and most sources credit McIntire for making it happen. When the band’s Grateful Dead album (also known as Skull and Roses) came out in 1971, McIntire had a note inserted that read “Dead Freaks Unite! Who are you? Where are you? How are you? Send us your name and address and we’ll keep you informed.” What followed was a devotion by fans around the world, the likes of which had never been seen and will likely be never seen again. It was during the McIntire era that the band also released Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty – two of rock’s most influential albums. He parted ways with the Dead in 1974 and went on to shepherd Bob Weir’s solo career. He returned to manage the band in 1984 and oversaw their biggest commercial successes, In the Dark, and the “Touch of Grey” single, which was their only one to ever crack the Top 10. Jon McIntire was 70 when he died of cancer on February 16, 2012.
Dory Previn was an American singer-songwriter and lyricist who counted several Academy Award nominations to her credit. Beginning in the late ’50s, Previn, along with her then-husband and songwriting partner, Andre Previn, wrote numerous songs for such films as Pepe, Two for the Seesaw, and Valley of the Dolls. Their songs have been recorded by such music luminaries as 
Tonmi Lillman was a Finnish musician who is perhaps best remembered as the most recent drummer in the outrageous metal band, Lordi. Formed in 1996, Lordi gained a worldwide fan base thanks in part to their elaborate monster costumes and live shows that drew influence from the likes of KISS and Alice Cooper. Lillman joined the band in 2010 under the character name, Otus, and stayed with them until his passing. He unfortunately never had the chance to play on one of their albums. Other bands he played with include To/Die/For, Sinergy, and Kylähullut. Lillman was an in-demand studio player as well, performing on countless hard rock albums throughout his career. He was also a talented graphic artist who worked on package design and/or videos for Mind Of Doll, Vanguard, Sinergy, and many more. Tonmi Lillman was 38 when he passed away on February 14, 2012. Cause of death was not immediately released.