Died On This Date (August 14, 2002) Dave Williams / Lead Singer Of Drowning Pool
Dave Williams
February 29, 1972 – August 14, 2002
Dave Williams was the original lead singer of Texas metal band, Drowning Pool. Formed in 1996, the band built a sizable following thanks to well-received performances at Ozzy Osbourne’s early Ozzfests. In 2001, the band released their first album, Sinner, which included the hit single and MTV staple, “Bodies.” That exposure helped the album sell more than one million copies within the first year. While on tour on August 14, 2002, Dave Williams collapsed and died on the band’s tour bus in Virginia. Official reports concluded that he died of a heart muscle disease. He was 30 years old.
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Oystein Aarseth, known to fans as Euronymous, was the founding guitarist of Norwegian black metal band, Mayhem. Formed in 1983, the band went on to become one of the most influential Norwegian bands of the scene. The band was as controversial as it was popular, due in part, to their violent stage show along with the suicide of lead singer, Dead (
With his band, Samson, Paul Samson helped usher in the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal of the late ’70s. With contemporaries like Iron Maiden, Motorhead and Girlschool, Samson brought a cleaner, more progressive sound to the metal that originated from the likes of Black Sabbath. Forming the band in 1978, Samson built a steady cult following over it’s six-year existence. At one point, the band was fronted by Bruce Bruce who later changed his name back to Bruce Dickinson and left to join Iron Maiden. Samson’s guitar could also be heard on Ram Jam’s 1977 hit, “Black Betty.” Samson died of cancer while recording a Samson comeback album in 2002.


Born in Sweden, Marcel Jacob was a heavy metal bassist who is best remembered for his work in Talisman and with Yngwie Malmsteen. He has been called “The Swedish King Of Bass.” Jacob helped form Rising Sun in 1978 along with Malmsteen. He soon moved on to the band Force and by the late ’80s he was playing alongside vocalist, Jeff Scott Soto in Talisman. Marcel Jacob reportedly took his own life on July 21, 2009. He was 45.