Died On This Date (April 3, 2015) Bob Burns / Original Drummer For Lynyrd Skynyrd

Bob Burns
November 4, 1950 – April 3,  2015

Photo by Willis Reese III
Photo by Willis Reese III

Bob Burns is perhaps best remembered as the founding drummer of iconic Southern rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd. Formed in 1964, the band would help create the foundation of a genre of music that married rock and roll with country and blues, and amped up the electric guitars.   The band slugged it out on the road in and around the southeast region of the U.S. until they got their break by getting signed to MCA Records in 1972.  The following year, they released their debut album, pronounced leh-nerd skin-nerd, which included such future hits and Southern rock staples as “Gimme Three Steps,” “Tuesday’s Gone,” and of course, “Free Bird.” Burns also played on the band’s equally influential second album, Second Helping, before leaving in 1974 due to the stress of the lifestyle.  From time to time, Burns joined the band on stage for special occasions including their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2006.  On April 3, 2015, Bob Burns died of injuries sustained when the car he was driving reportedly went off the road accidentally and struck a tree.  He was 64.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com
Click to find at amazon.com


Died On This Date (March 20, 2015) A.J. Pero / Adrenaline Mob; Twisted Sister

Anthony “A.J.” Pero
October 14, 1959 – March 20, 2015

Photo by David Plastik - Click To Order Quality Prints - Discount code: 10OFF
Photo by David Plastik – Click To Order Quality Prints – Discount code: 10OFF

A.J. Pero was a hard-hitting American drummer who is best remembered for his many years playing with Twister Sister, as well as his recent years behind the drums for Adrenaline Mob.  Born in Brooklyn, New York, Pero took to the drums at an early age, and by the time he was in high school, he was playing in local bands.  In 1982, he joined Twisted Sister who, within two years, became one of the biggest bands in the world thanks to their hook-laden loud teen anthems and MTV-perfect videos.  Although Twisted Sister cringed at the “glam metal” moniker many placed on them, they were heavily influenced by such ’70s glam acts as KISS, New York Dolls, and Alice Cooper.  Pero left to group in 1986, but returned for periodic reunions, and then permanently rejoined the group when they officially reformed in 2003.  In 2013, while still playing with Twisted Sister, he joined Adrenaline Mob, another hard and heavy band formed and fronted by Russell Allen of Symphony X fame.   It was while touring with Adrenaline Mob that A.J. Pero died of a heart attack on March 20, 2015.  He was 55 years old.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com
Click to find at amazon.com


Died On This Date (March 15, 2015) Mike Porcaro / Bassist For Toto; Session Great

Mike Porcaro
May 29, 1955 – March 15, 2015

mike-porcaroMike Porcaro is perhaps best remembered as the longtime bassist for Toto, however, he didn’t become an official member until he replaced original bassist, David Hungate, in 1982.  He went on to tour and record with the band until his retirement in 2007. He can be heard on such Toto albums as Isolation, Fahrenheit,  The Seventh One, and their popular soundtrack to the motion picture Dune. As an in-demand session player, Porcaro’s list of credits reads like a who’s who of popular music of the past five decades.  That list includes albums by Aretha Franklin, Cher, Country Joe McDonald, Dan Fogelberg, Donna Summer, Jefferson Airplane, Santana, Sparks, Steve Perry, Stevie Nicks, and Wanda Jackson.  In 2007, Porcaro retired from playing due to a numbness he was feeling in his fingers, and three years later, it was announced that he was suffering from Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or as it is more commonly known, “Lou Gehrig’s Disease.”  On March 15, 2015, Mike Porcaro finally lost his brave battle with the disease.  He was 59.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com
Click to find at amazon.com


Died On This Date (February 12, 2015) Steve Strange / Lead Singer Of Visage

Steve Strange (Born Steven Harrington)
May 28, 1959 – February 12, 2015

steve-strangeSteve Strange is perhaps best remembered as the front man for the popular ’80s new wave band, Visage.  Like many young people in the UK during the mid ’70s, Strange couldn’t resist the pull of punk rock.  After witnessing a Sex Pistols show in 1976, he began setting up gigs for punk bands in and around his Welsh neighborhood. Soon thereafter, he formed his own punk band, the Moors Murderers that counted future Pretenders leader Chrissie Hynde and future Clash drummer, Topper Headon, as members during it’s rather short lifespan. Strange soon moved to London where he worked for Malcolm McLaren before forming Visage in 1978.  The group helped pioneer the New Romantic movement which also included such acts as Duran Duran, Culture Club and Spandau Ballet.  Visage’s second single, 1980’s “Fade To Grey,” was a big hit across the UK and beyond.  More hit singles and albums followed until Strange closed the initial chapter on the band in 1985.  During the late ’80s and early ’90s, Strange developed into a popular club DJ, helping to popularize the trance movement in its early days.  In 2004, he reformed Visage which continued on in one form or another through the remainder of his life.  Steve Strange passed away following a heart attack on February 12, 2015.  He was 55.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.ocm
Click to find at amazon.ocm


Died On This Date (February 7, 2015) Joe B. Mauldin / Bassist For The Crickets

Joe B. Mauldin
July 8, 1940 – February 7, 2015

At right with The Crickets
At right with The Crickets

Joe B. Mauldin is best remembered as the influential double-bassist for Buddy Holly & the Crickets. Born in Lubbock, Texas, Mauldin’s first band of note was the Four Teens, which he joined in 1955. Two years later, he joined up with Holly and the Crickets who went on to record some of the most iconic songs in the history of music, among them, “That’ll Be The Day,” “Rave On,” and “Peggy Sue.”  The Crickets have been rightfully acknowledged as a direct inspiration to many important bands to follow, including the Beatles.  After Holly died in 1959, Mauldin performed with various incarnations of the Crickets.  He also became a recording engineer, contributing to the sound of such artists as Brian Wilson, Phil Spector, and Herb Alpert.  Joe B. Mauldin died of cancer on February 7, 2015.  He was 74.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com
Click to find at amazon.com