Alan Gordon was a songwriter many popular songs during the ’60s and ’70s. The list of those who have recorded his songs or co-written with him is staggering. It includes, Three Dog Night, the Turtles, Tammy Wynette, Alice Cooper, Bobby Darin, Freddy Fender, the Ojays, Frank Zappa, and the Lovin’ Spoonful. Two of the biggest hits co-written by Gordon and writing partner, Garry Bonner, were “Happy Together” (the Turtles) and “Celebrate” (Three Dog Night). Alan Gordon was 64 when he died of cancer on November 22, 2009.
Matthew Ashman was one of the great true guitarists of the new wave era. He brought in a gritty rockabilly sound thanks to his big Gretsch hollow body guitar. He first came on to the scene during the late ’70s when he was asked to play guitar in Adam Ant’s band, Adam & the Ants. After the release of the band’s first album, 1979’s Dirk Wears White Sox, Sex Pistol’s manager Malcolm McLaren convinced Ashman and the rest of the band to leave Ant and work with him and his 14-year-old new wave prodigy, Annabella Lwin. The band they formed with Bow Wow Wow who would prove to be influential on such U.S. bands as Red Hot Chili Peppers. Their biggest hit came in 1982 with a cover of “I Want Candy,” oringinally recorded by the Strangeloves in 1965. Bow Wow Wow broke up in 1983, so Ashman continued on with different bands over the next several years, but nothing reached the success he had seen with Bow Wow Wow. On November 21, 1995, Matthew Ashman, 35, died of complications from diabetes.
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Kevin Dubrow is best remembered as the lead singer of the world famous ’80s metal band, Quiet Riot. The band was formed by guitar great, Randy Rhoadsand Kelly Garni in 1973 with Dubrow coming on board shortly thereafter. After Rhoads left to join Ozzy Osbourne in 1980, the band was relaunched as Dubrow and eventually changed back to the name, Quiet Riot. In 1983, the band released Metal Health, and quickly became one of the era’s most popular rock bands thanks to heavy video play during MTV’s explosive early years. Hits like “Cum On The Noize” and “Metal Health” received heavy video and radio airplay, helping them fill arenas and stadiums across the U.S. and beyond. But by 1987, internal fighting and other factors lead to the departure of Dubrow who formed his own band while the others continued on as Quiet Riot with a different lead singer. Unfortunately, grunge would soon rear its ugly head and cast all such hard rock bands aside for the next several years. Dubrow eventually reunited with yet another line up of the band who, in 2006, released the album Rehab, and began touring again. But on or around November 19, 2007, Kevin Dubrow, age 52, died of an accidental cocaine overdose in his Las Vegas home. Although his body wasn’t discovered until November 25th, the coroner estimated his day of passing likely six days earlier.
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Tom Evans is best remembered as founding guitarist and sometime vocalist for British rock band, Badfinger. Evans had been Liverpool when, in 1967, he was asked to join the Iveys, a Welsh band fronted by Pete Ham. Within a year the band was signed to the Beatles’ Apple Records. The Evan’s penned “Maybe Tomorrow” was the band’s first single and cracked the US top 100. In 1969, the band changed its name to Badfinger to record The Magic Christian which included “Come and Get It,” written by Paul McCartney. Evans sang lead on the track which became a top 10 single around the world. One of Badfinger’s follow-up singles was “No Matter What,” another instantly recognizable hit. As a session player, Evans played or sang on John Lennon’sImagine, George Harrion’sAll Things Must Pass, and Ringo Starr’s “It Don’t Come Easy.” Perhaps Evans’ most famous song as a songwriter was the huge Harry Nilsson hit, “Without You,” co-written with Ham. In 1975, Pete Ham committed suicide, putting an end to the original Badfinger. Evans continued on performing in other bands, including a couple of new versions of Badfinger. On November 19, 1983, Tom Evans, 36, took his own life by hanging from a tree in his yard. It has been speculated that he was overwhelmed by disputes over royalties and legal action that could have potentially destroyed him financially.
Danny Whitten was a guitarist who is best remembered for his work with Neil Young and Crazy Horse. He also was a talented songwriter whose “I Don’t Want To Talk About It” was a hit for both Rod Stewart and Rita Coolidge. Born in Columbus, GA, Whitten eventually moved to San Francisco where he would end up co-founding a band that would end up being called the Rockets. The band struggled to find its place in the music industry when in 1969, they found themselves playing at the Whiskey A Go-Go. One particular night, someone in the club took notice and approached the band to see if they would be interested in jamming with him. That person was Neil Young, and before long, he invited the core of the band, Whitten, Billy Talbot and Ralph Molina, to record with him. It was during the early sessions that they said goodbye to the Rockets and became forever known as Crazy Horse. Whitten’s contributions to Neil Young and Crazy Horse can be heard on such landmark albums as Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, After The Goldrush, Tonight’s The Night, and Crazy Horse’s self-titled debut of 1971. It has been said that the sound this band created with Young heavily influenced the grunge sound of the ’90s. Unfortunately, Whitten was struggling with a heroin addiction at the time and his abilities were becoming impaired. Young’s poignant “The Needle and the Damage Done” is reportedly about Whitten. By 1972, Whitten’s addiction was so strong that Young had to fire him from the band. In November of that year, Young bought Whitten a ticket to Los Angeles and gave him money for rehab. Sadly though, Whitten died of an overdose shortly thereafter. He was 29.
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