Metal

Died On This Date (December 23, 2012) Mike Scaccia / Guitarist For Rigor Mortis & Ministry

themusicsover December 23, 2012 No Comments

Mike Scaccia
June 14, 1965 – December 23, 2012

Mike Scaccia was a metal guitarist who is best remembered for his work with both Ministry and Rigor Mortis. Born in New York, Scaccia co-founded Rigor Mortis with high school friends Harden Harrison and Casey Orr in 1983. After relocating to Dallas, Texas, the band more-or-less introduced thrash metal to the region. Within a few years, the band capitalized on the record industry’s interest in the genre and scored a deal with Capitol Records who released their self-titled debut in 1988. Unceremoniously dropped by Capitol not long after, the band found a longer-lasting home with Metal Blade before Scaccia went on to tour with Ministry in 1989. He officially left Rigor Mortis in 1991 and became a full-fledged member of Ministry in time to play on their classic, Psalm 69 album which has sold over a million copies. He left the Ministry in 1996 and reformed Rigor Mortis in 2003, continuing to perform and record with them until the time of his death. He also went back to work with Ministry and played with Revolting Cocks throughout. While performing with Rigor Mortis in Fort Worth, Texas on December 23, 2012, Mike Sciaccia collapsed and died on stage apparently due to a seizure brought on by strobe lighting in the venue. He was 47.

Thanks to Paul Bearer for the assist.

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Metal Rock Singer

Died On This Date (November 1, 2012) Mitch Lucker / Lead Singer Of Suicide Silence

themusicsover November 1, 2012 1 Comment

Mitch Lucker
DOB Unknown – November 1, 2012

Mitch Lucker was the lead singer of the popular Riverside, California extreme metal band, Suicide Silence. Formed with Lucker in 2002, the band quickly built a loyal following thanks in part to their live shows and debut EP. Within a few years of forming, the band signed to respected metal label, Century Media, who released The Cleansing, their full length debut, in 2007. The album debuted at #94 on the Billboard Top 200 and was followed by No Time To Bleed and The Black Crown which reached #32 and #28, respectively. Meanwhile, the band were a very popular draw at extreme metal festivals across the US and beyond. At around 9:00 pm on October 31, 2012. Mitch Lucker, 28, reportedly lost control of his motorcycle while riding it in Huntington Beach, California. He was quickly taken to an area hospital where he died of his injuries the next morning. Exact cause of the accident was still undetermined in the in the immediate aftermath.

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Metal Musician

Died On This Date (May 24, 2010) Paul Gray / Bassist For Slipknot

themusicsover September 6, 2012 1 Comment

Paul Gray
April 8, 1972 – May 24, 2010

Paul Gray is best remembered as the founding bassist for popular alterna-metal band, Slipknot. Formed in Iowa in the mid ’90s, the band released their self-titled debut in 1999. Over the course of the coming year, they began to build an extremely loyal following thanks to appearances at OzzFest and other such high-profile gigs. Slipknot eventually went platinum. Their fourth album, All Hope Is Gone, debuted at number 1 when it was released in August of 2008. During the band’s first ten years, they sold in excess of 14 million albums. It has been reported that in the months leading up to his death, Gray was working on a project with David Ellefson, Tim “Ripper” Owens, and Andreas Kisser. Many online sources are reporting that Paul Gray, 38, was found dead of a morphine overdose in a Des Moines, Iowa hotel on May 24, 2010.

UPDATE: On September 5, 2012, it was reported in the Des Moines Register that Paul Gray’s doctor at the time, Daniel Baldi, had been arrested and faces manslaughter charges for the deaths of Gray and seven of his other patients. According to officials, Dr. Baldi allegedly prescribed high amounts of pain medication to each patient which is believed to have led to their deaths.

Thanks to Dan Gibson for the assist.

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Metal Musician Rock

Died On This Date (July 16, 2012) Jon Lord / Deep Purple; Whitesnake

themusicsover July 16, 2012 No Comments

Jon Lord
June 9, 1941 – July 16, 2012

Deep Purple 101 — Photo by David Plastik – Click To Order Quality Prints – Discount code: 10OFF

Jon Lord was an influential English keyboardist who, as co-founder of Deep Purple, has been recognized for pioneering the use of baroque and classical elements in rock music. Lord was just 5 years old when he began studying classical piano. As he grew older, he started gravitating toward the raw organ sounds coming from American blues artists like Jimmy Smith and Jimmy McGriff. After settling in London during the late ’50s, Lord did session work (he can be heard on the Kinks‘ “You Really Got Me”) and played in various jazz and blues groups. In 1968, he and drummer, Ian Paice formed Deep Purple. Lord went on to play in all variations of the group through 2002. With worldwide hits like “Hush,” “Smoke On The Water,” and “Highway Star,” – all prominently featuring Lord’s iconic organ sounds – Deep Purple, along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, are considered the flash point of heavy metal. They would go on to sell over 100 million albums are were even recognized as the “Globe’s Loudest Band” by Guinness Book Of World Records. In 1978, Lord joined up with one-time Deep Purple band mate, David Coverdale in his new group, Whitesnake. Although more a hired-gun than a full-time member, Lord’s tenure with Whitesnake lasted until 1984. The collaborators with whom he worked throughout his career seems endless. He also made several albums of his own. During the early months of 2012, Lord was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer which ultimately contributed to his death by pulmonary embolism on July 16, 2012. John Lord was 71 when he passed away.

Thanks to Bruce Kilgour at Slipped Disc Entertainment for the assist.

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deep-purple-music — Click to find at amazon.com

Metal Rock Singer

Died On This Date (June 3, 2012) Bobby Durango / Rock City Angels

themusicsover June 3, 2012 No Comments

Bobby Durango
DOB Unknown – June 3, 2012

Bobby Durango is perhaps best remembered as the lead singer of the ’80s hard rock band, Rock City Angels. Formed out of the ashes of a punk band called the Abusers – Durango performing as Bobby Bondage, Rock City Angels eventually morphed into a glam-by-way-of punk band that built a sizable following on their home turf of South Florida. By the late ’80s, they found themselves in Hollywood and Durango was going by Bobby St. Valentine. Numerous line up changes later, including a stint with pre-21 Jump Street Johnny Depp on guitar, the band caught the attention of Geffen Records who signed them to a lucrative deal. The band released their debut album, Young Man’s Blues in 1988 and subsequently toured with the likes of Joan Jett and the Georgia Satellites before focusing on their second album. Unfortunately for bands like Rock City Angels, it was the early ’90s and bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and their grunge brethren to the north, were starting to draw kids – and record labels – away from the hair and post-hair metal bands of the Sunset Strip, so Geffen dropped them before their new album came together. The band eventually broke up but reunited to record Use Once & Destroy in 2001. Durango continued on with the group, in one form or another, for the better part of the next decade and were reportedly working on a new album to be released in late 2012. But Bobby Durango passed away unexpectedly on June 3, 2012. Cause of death was not immediately released.

Thanks to Janiss Garza for the assist.

Died On This Date (December 23, 2012) Mike Scaccia / Guitarist For Rigor Mortis & Ministry

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Died On This Date (November 1, 2012) Mitch Lucker / Lead Singer Of Suicide Silence

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Died On This Date (May 24, 2010) Paul Gray / Bassist For Slipknot

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Died On This Date (July 16, 2012) Jon Lord / Deep Purple; Whitesnake

What You Should Own

Died On This Date (June 3, 2012) Bobby Durango / Rock City Angels

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