Died On This Date (December 3, 2014) Ian McLagan / Legendary Rock Keyboardist
themusicsover Ian McLagan
May 12, 1945 – December 3, 2014
Ian McLagan was a much respected and highly influential English keyboard player who is perhaps best remembered for his years in the Small Faces/Faces, and for his collaborations with the Rolling Stones. He also recorded several albums with his own band throughout the years. Launching his career during the early ’60s, McLagan’s first band of note was Boz People, playing alongside Boz Burrell of future King Crimson and Bad Company fame. In 1965, McLagan was invited to join the Small Faces which morphed into the Faces when Rod Stewart joined the group in 1969. Each version of the group had numerous hits during their runs while influencing a generation of musicians along the way. When the Faces broke up in 1975, McLagan continued on primarily as a session player and touring keyboardist for the Rolling Stones – a position he would hold for decades. He also recorded with the likes of Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, and Bruce Springsteen, to name a few. He also released nearly a dozen albums with his own band over the course of his career, the most recent being 2014’s United States, for Yep Roc Records. Ian McLagan ultimately passed away on December 3, 2014, and according to an official statement by Yep Roc, he died “surrounded by family and friends in his adopted hometown of Austin, TX, due to complications from a stroke suffered the previous day. He was 69 years old. His manager Ken Kushnick says, ‘He was a beloved friend to so many people and a true rock n roll spirit. His persona and gift of song impacted the music across oceans and generations.’ Ian’s bandmate in Small Faces and Faces, Kenney Jones said, ‘I am completely devastated by this shocking news and I know this goes for Ronnie [Wood] and Rod [Stewart] also.'”
What You Should Own
Wayne Static was the lead singer and multi-instrumentalist for the Los Angeles based industrial metal band, Static-X. Formed in 1994, the band built a legion of followers thanks to a sound that co-mingled industrial metal, groove metal and nu-metal. Over the course of the band’s 16 year run, they released six albums including their Platinum-selling debut, Wisconsin Death Trip. Static was the only original member of the band throughout its entire lifespan. Seemingly musically gifted at an early age, Static’s parents bought him his first guitar at the age of seven, and by the time he was 12, he was in his first band. He eventually moved from Chicago to Los Angeles where Static-X was born. After a very successful run, the band went on hiatus in 2009 during which time Static released his solo debut, 2011’s Pighammer, which peaked at #97 on the US Album Charts. He formed a new version of Static-X in 2012, but disbanded it for good the following year. Outside of Static-X, Static collaborated with the likes of Skinny Puppy, Godhead, Soil, and Run DMC. He was scheduled to tour with Powerman 5000 and American Head Charge in November of 2014. Wayne Static was 48 when he passed away on November 1, 2014. Cause of death was not immediately released.
