Rock

Died On This Date (April 6, 1998) Wendy O. Williams / The Plasmatics

Wendy O. Williams
May 29, 1949 – April 6, 1998

Wendy O. Williams was the dynamic lead singer of shock-punk band, the Plasmatics. Williams was considered one of the most frighteningly controversial singers of her, and most generations due in part to her near nudity and simulated sexual antics on stage. If that got boring, you could always count on exploding gear and chain-sawing of guitars to heat things up. After a young life that included working as a macro-biotic cook, performing in a gypsy dance troupe, stripping, doing live sex shows, and then working in porn, Williams decided to clean up her act and moved to New York where she answered a casting call that lead to the formation of the Plasmatics.  The group exploded on to the New York underground scene in 1978.  The band’s following continued to grow as they toured the world, causing an uproar in most locales, sometimes leading to arrest on indecency charges. By 1984, Williams had gone solo, her first album, W.O.W being produced by Gene Simmons was virtually a KISS album with all members performing on it in one form or another. The album earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Female Performance. A couple of B-movie bit parts followed, with Williams all but retiring by 1991.  In spite of her reckless persona, Williams was deeply devoted to her health, animals and vegetarianism. After her run in show business, she worked as an animal rehabilitator and natural foods activist.  On April 6, 1998, the 48 year-old Wendy O. Williams walked into the woods near her house and died of what authorities ruled a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Own A Piece Of Rock ‘n Roll History

Photo by David Plastik / Click to order quality prints – Discount code: 10OFF

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com

New Hope for the Wretched / Metal Priestess - Plasmatics



Died On This Date (April 6, 2004) Niki Sullivan / Buddy Holly & the Crickets

Niki Sullivan
June 23, 1937 – April 6, 2004

Niki Sullivan will always be remembered as the original guitarist in Buddy Holly & the Crickets. His back-up vocals and guitar playing can be heard on many of Holly’s biggest hits. But just as the band was breaking big, Sullivan suddenly left the group, just two years after he helped form it. He apparently disliked life on the road although his official reason for quitting the band has always remained a mystery. He all but retired from the music business in 1966 and went on to work for Sony in the electronics division. Sullivan died suddenly of a heart attack on April 6, 2004 at the age of 66.



Died On This Date (April 6, 2010) Vinnie Chas / Bassist For Pretty Boy Floyd

Vinnie Chas
DOB Unknown – April 6, 2010

Vinnie Chas is best remembered as the original bassist for popular Los Angeles glam metal band, Pretty Boy Floyd.  The band was one of the top draws along Hollywood’s storied Sunset Strip during a time when bands like Guns ‘N Roses, Ratt and Poison also played the same clubs.  Signed by MCA Records during the late ’80s, the band released the moderately successful Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz in 1989. The band broke up in 1991 and Chas went on to play in a band called Rattlin’ Bones.  In 2007, Chas and other former members of Pretty Boy Floyd began working together on new band material.  Vinnie Chas passed away unexpectedly on April 6, 2010.  Cause of death was not immediately released.



Died On This Date (April 6, 1981) Bob “The Bear” Hite / Canned Heat

Bob Hite
February 26, 1943 – April 6, 1981

Just the fact that he worked in a record store as a teen is enough for Bob Hite to get honored here, but he was also the lead singer of blues rock band, Canned Heat. In the early ’60’s, “The Bear” and fellow record junkie Alan Wilson got together and formed a band to play an electrified boogie version of the great blues albums they had collected. Canned Heat endeared themselves to both the psychedelic rock fans and the blues crowd by not only kicking ass at Woodstock AND Monterey, but by producing and recording with John Lee Hooker. The result was Hooker ‘n’ Heat. Although he was an intimidating hulk of a man, Hite couldn’t be nicer to his friends, fans and strangers. He had absolutely no problem with fans coming up to him on the street and sometimes even made the first move toward them to say hello. And that good-heartedness carried on to the stage as well, making Canned Heat concerts some of the most fun during the ’60s and ’70s. Hite suffered a fatal heart attack just before a show on April 6, 1981.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com

Hooker 'n' Heat - John Lee Hooker & Canned Heat

Died On This Date (April 5, 1994) Kurt Cobain / Nirvana

Kurt Cobain
February 27, 1967 – April 5, 1994

Member of the 27 Club

Kurt Cobain and his band Nirvana were unleashed in 1989 and many say they, along with Pearl Jam, almost single-handedly changed what the world then knew as rock music. They created a dirty, flannel and jean-wearing beautiful mess that combined equal parts punk, metal, alternative rock, disillusionment and apathy. It would become know as “grunge” and dealt a fatal blow to “hair metal,” the likes of which hadn’t been seen since the last days of disco. Cobain formed Nirvana with Krist Novoselic in 1987. They were signed to Sub Pop Records who released their debut,  Bleach in 1989. Their drummer at the time was Chad Channing but he was soon replaced by Dave Grohl whose pounding assault was exactly what the band needed to take their message beyond the dimly lit clubs of Seattle. Two years later, the band released their amazing Nevermind album which included the radio and video hit, “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” a song so revered that it even earned a parody from Weird Al Yankovic.  While all this was going on, Cobain met and fell in love with Courtney Love of the band, Hole. They were wed on February 24, 1992 and had their first and only child later that year. Cobain appeared to be in a very happy place even though many Nirvana fans resented his relationship with Love, some comparing her to Yoko Ono and her perceived role in breaking up the Beatles. Needless to say, Cobain continued to struggle with his own internal demons (both mental and physical) in spite of, or perhaps because of all the “positive” changes in his life. His drug problems are already well documented, so need to go into them here.   On March 1, 1994 while on tour in Munich, Love woke up one morning to find Cobain had overdosed on champagne and Rohypnol. Love later declared that this was Cobain’s first attempt at suicide. After apparent struggles (he claimed he was fine) back home in Seattle, Cobain agreed to go to rehab in Los Angeles. He checked in on March 30th, but just one day later, he hopped the fence and took a plane back home to Seattle. Over the next couple of days there were various Cobain sightings in Seattle clubs, but his family had no idea where he was. Love reached out to a private detective to help find him. On April 8th, Cobain was found dead.  The police ruled his death a suicide by shotgun wound. The date of death was declared to be April 5, 1994.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com

Nevermind - Nirvana