Died On This Date (August 11, 2011) Jani Lane / Lead Singer Of Warrant
themusicsover Jani Lane (Born John Oswald)
February 1, 1964 – August 11, 2011
Jani Lane is perhaps best remembered as the front man and main lyricist for the wildly successful late ’80s / early ’90s hair metal band, Warrant who went on to sell over four million albums. Lane was just barely out of diapers when he first learned to play the drums in Akron, Ohio, and by the time he was 11, he was performing at local clubs. After graduating from high school, he joined his first proper band, Cyren, and by the mid ’80s, he was in the thick of L.A.’s exploding pop-metal scene with his own band, Plain Jane. In 1986, Lane and band mate Steven Sweet joined forces with guitarist, Erik Turner in the latter’s up-and-coming glam metal band, Warrant. The group quickly built a following throughout West Hollywood’s storied Sunset Strip clubs thanks in part to Lane’s commanding stage presence and talent as a songwriter. It wasn’t long before they were signed to Columbia Records, who went on to release a string of hit albums that included the double-platinum sellers, Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich and Cherry Pie. The colorful band fast became darlings of MTV with such videos “Down Boys” and “Cherry Pie,” and found themselves playing in front of countless screaming fans around the world. Following the release of Warrant’s third album, Dog Eat Dog, Lane decided to leave the group, but returned the following year and continued on until 2004, only to leave again and return for one last time in 2008. By the end of that year however, he was gone for good due to conflicts within the band. Throughout the 2000s, Lane lent his vocal talents to several other projects, released a solo album, and was part of the hard rock supergroup of sorts, Saints of the Underground, which included members of Ratt and Alice Cooper’s band. Lane also dabbled in acting, appearing such early ’90s films as Caged Fear and High Strung. In 2005, he competed in VH1’s reality fitness program, Celebrity Fit Club where he lost 23 pounds. On August 11, 2011, Jani Lane, age 47, was found dead in a Woodland Hills, California hotel room. The Los Angeles Coroner’s office ultimately ruled that he died of acute ethanol poisoning.
Thanks to Bruce Kilgour for the assist.
What You Should Own
Eric Stevenson was a founding member and drummer for Boston, Massachusetts area metal/hardcore band, Only Living Witness. Formed in 1989, the band self-released a handful of demos before being signed by respected metal label, Century Media who released their acclaimed debut, Prone Mortal Form in 1993. Then band went on to tour the world and the label released a follow-up, but only after the group had already split up in 1995. Only Living Witness reunited for a handful of shows in 2008. Prior to his tenure with the band, Stevenson played in Formicide. In early 2011, Eric Stevenson learned he was suffering from melanoma which ultimately took his life on August 8, 2011. He was 46.
Mike Reaves was a guitarist in alternative metal band, Full Devil Jacket. Formed as Voodoo Hippies in Jackson, Tennessee, the band changed its name to Full Devil Jacket just before being signed to Island Records during the late ’90s. The band went on to release an EP and their self-titled full length debut which quickly went gold. The band was a popular live draw and toured with the likes of Creed, Stone Temple Pilots, and Type O Negative. Following his departure from Full Devil Jacket, Reaves played with Travisty and collaborated with 3 Legged Dog, Jasmine Cain and Randy Lovelace. During the spring of 2010, Reaves was diagnosed with prostate cancer which ultimately took his life on July 25, 2011. He was 52.
Taiji Sawada was a respected Japanese musician who is perhaps best remembered for his bass work with popular metal bands, X Japan and Loudness. A gifted musician by his early teens, Sawada dropped out of high school to form his first band, Trash in which he played guitar until switching to bass a couple of years later. He went on to play in a handful of other bands until joining X Japan in 1986. One of Japan’s most influential hard rock bands, X Japan released several singles and one full length album before being signed by Sony Music in 1988. Sawada played on the band’s first three album, including Blue Blood, which is arguably one of the best metal releases of the ’80s. After leaving X Japan, Sawada was asked to join Loudness, playing on just one studio and one live album before departing to form his own band. Over the better part of the next 20 years, he played in numerous bands including D.T.R., Cloud Nine, and the Killing Red Addiction, as well as his own projects. Meanwhile, Sawada reportedly suffered from epilepsy and chronic strokes for many years. On July 11, 2011, he was arrested after an alleged altercation with a flight attendant on a plane en route from Japan to Saipan. Sawada faced federal charges in the United States as a result. While in a holding cell, he allegedly tried to commit suicide by hanging himself with a bed sheet only to be discovered by staff and rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced brain-dead and remained on life support for the next several days. On July 17, 2011, Taiji Sawada passed away after being removed from life support at the request of his family. He was 45.
