Died On This Date (June 27, 2018) Steve Soto / Bassist For The Adolescents & Agent Orange

Steve Soto
August 23, 1963 – June 27, 2018

Photo Credit: Punxskaoc via Wikimedia

Steve Soto, best known as the co-founder of influential Southern California punk bands, Agent Orange and the Adolescents, has passed away.  The 54-year-old musician died in his sleep on June 27, 2018 – reportedly of natural causes.  A multi-instrumentalist, Soto played bass in both bands – first in Agent Orange, which formed in 1979, then in the Adolescents, which he helped form the following year. Along with Social Distortion and the Vandals, Soto and his groups would emerge as the most influential punk bands, hardcore or otherwise, to come out of Orange County during the early ’80s. Members of the OffspringGreen Day and Rancid have since noted Soto’s direct influence on them. Signed to the legendary independent label, Frontier Records in 1981, the Adolescents released eight studio albums and several EPs, live albums and singles throughout their career.  Over the band’s 38 on-and-off years of existence, Soto was the only constant through the break-ups and reunions.

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The Music’s Over’s Favorite Albums of 2016

We lost an unprecedented number of musical greats in 2016. Nonetheless, there was still plenty of amazing music to celebrate this year.

Here are The Music’s Over’s Top 50 Albums of 2016.

1. David Bowie – Blackstar

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2. Gojira – Magma

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3. Against Me! – Shape Shift With Me

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4. Leonard Cohen – You Want It Darker

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5. Metallica – Hardwired…To Self-Destruct

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6. Red Fang – Only  Ghosts

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7. Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression

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8. Sturgill Simpson – A Sailor’s Guide To Earth

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9 (A). S U R V I V E – Rr7349

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9 (B). Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein (of S U R V I V E) – Stranger Things: A Netflix Original Series Soundtrack

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10. Brian Fallon – Painkillers

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11. Crippled Black Phoenix – Bronze

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12. Anthrax – For All Kings

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13. Charles Bradley – Changes

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14. El Caco – 7

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15. Megadeth – Dystopia

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16. Metal Church – XI

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17. James Hunter Six – Hold On!

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18. Tower Tower

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19. Anciients – Voice Of The Void

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20. Jeremy & The Harlequins – Into The Night

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21. Testament – Brotherhood Of The Snake

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22. The Last Shadow Puppets – Everything You’ve Come To Expect

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23. The Rolling Stones Blue & Lonesome

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24. Crowbar – The Serpent Only Lies

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25. The Monkees Good Times!

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26. Heliotropes – Over There That Way

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27. John Doe The Westerner

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28. Loretta Lynn Full Circle

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29. Alice Bag – Alice Bag

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30. Bobby Rush Porcupine Meat

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31. White Lung Paradise

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32. Kyng Breathe In The Water

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33. Aaron Lee Tasjan Silver Tears

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34. Fates Warning – Theories Of Flight

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35. Savages – Adore Life

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36. Mudcrutch – 2

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37. Luke Bell Luke Bell

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38. Summer Cannibals Full Of It

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39. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Skeleton Tree

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40. The Shrine – Rare Breed

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41. Alejandro Escovedo Burn Something Beautiful

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42. Fea – Fea

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43. Spiritual Beggars – Sunrise To Sundown

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44. Fleshtones The Band Drinks For Free

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45. William Bell This Is Where I Live

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46. Paul Cauthen – My Gospel

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47. I Don’t Cares Wild Stab

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48. Shovels & Rope – Little Seeds

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49. Night Beats – Who Sold My Generation

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49. Night Beats – Who Sold My Generation

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50. Parquet Courts Human Performance

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Died On This Date (August 16, 2014) Billy Rath / Bassist For Johnny Thunders And The Heartbreakers

Billy Rath
August 8, 1948 – August 16, 2014

billy-rath
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Billy Rath is perhaps best remembered as the second bassist for Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers.  The band formed in 1975, and Rath came on board in 1976 to replace Richard Hell who left to form the Voidoids.  Hitting Europe just as punk rock was taking hold, the Heartbreakers immediately fell into the scene and were quickly invited to tour with the Sex Pistols on their doomed Anarchy in the UK tour.  The band soon recorded their first and only album, L.A.M.F (Like A Mother Fucker), to mostly mixed reviews – although critics liked the band and the songs, they didn’t care much for the album’s production.  The Heartbreaker’s label soon went out of business, and the band’s dissolved in late 1977.  They did reform for occasional gigs in New York City during the late ’70s and early ’80s, but Rath left for good in 1985.  Over the next two decades or so, Rath stayed away from music business.  He studied Psychology and Theology, and eventually worked as a counselor addicts.  In 2010, he resurfaced at a  Max’s Kansas City reunion which lead to the formation of his own band, Billy Rath’s Street Pirates.  Rath continued to perform live to adoring crowds,even touring the UK during the final years of his life.  Billy Rath died at the age of 66 on August 16, 2014.  Cause of death was not immediately released.

Thanks to David Plastik of eRockPhotos for the assist.

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Died On This Date (July 11, 2014) Tommy Ramone / The Ramones

Tommy Ramone (aka Thomas Erdelyi; Born Erdélyi Tamás)
January 29, 1952 – July 11, 2014

tommy-ramoneThomas Erdelyi, later to be more widely known by his stage name, Tommy Ramone, was the founding drummer for the highly influential rock band, the Ramones.  Until he passed away, Erdelyi had been the last surviving member of the original foursome.  Formed with former high school classmates, Douglas Colvin (Dee Dee Ramone), John Cummings (Johnny Ramone), and Jeffrey Hyman (Joey Ramone) in 1974, the Ramones were considered by many to be the first real punk band.  When discussing his Underground Garage channel on Sirius Satellite, Little Steven Van Zandt described its programming as “groups that inspired the Ramones, groups inspired by the Ramones, and the Ramones.”  Originally slated to be the band’s manager with Hyman on drums, Erdelyi was quickly moved behind the kit when Hyman realized he couldn’t keep up with the tempo of the songs they were writing.  He pretty much became drummer by default since no one else wanted to.  Erdelyi remained in the band until 1978.  He played on and co-produced the band’s first three studio albums as well as their 1979 live album, It’s Alive. Erdelyi was also an accomplished producer as well, most notably of the Replacements‘  Tim album.  He returned to the Ramones camp to produce their 1984 album, Too Tough To Die.  Tommy Ramone was 62 when he died in hospice care following treatment for bile duct cancer.

Thanks to Harold Lepidus at Bob Dylan Examiner for the assist.

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Died On This Date (March 16, 2014) Scott Asheton / Drummer For Iggy Pop & The Stooges

Scott Asheton
August 16, 1949 – March 16, 2014

scott-ashetonScott Asheton was the drummer for Detroit group the Stooges, a garage band lead by the wildly charismatic Iggy Pop.  With the Stooges, Asheton was considered by many as ground zero for what would become known as punk rock some ten years later.  Born in Washington DC, Asheton was 14 when his family moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan where he eventually co-founded the Stooges with brother, Ron Asheton, Iggy Pop and David Alexander.  After its inception, the band quickly established itself as a must-see act in and around the Detroit area for their aggressive playing and Pop’s shocking stage antics.  It must be noted that this was still the late ‘60s, a time when such blistering noise and in-your-face singing was difficult for many of the Woodstock generation to swallow.  But the Stooges persevered and soon landed on Elektra Records who released their brilliant self-titled debut in 1969. Another album followed before some line-up changes and a third album for Columbia Records.  The band broke up in 1974, so the Asheton brothers continued on, both together and in support of other acts for the next several years. In 2003, the Ashetons and Pop reformed the group.  They released The Weirdness in 2007. In 2011, Asheton suffered a severe stroke following a show in France.  Although it forced him off the road, he contributed to the band’s 2013 release,  Ready To Die.  Scott Asheton was 64 when he died on March 16, 2014.  Cause of death was not immediately released

Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number 1 Albums for the assist.

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