Died On This Date (November 26, 2011) Keef Hartley / Replaced Ringo Starr in Rory Storm & The Hurricanes

Keith “Keef” Hartley
April 8, 1944 – November 26, 2011

Photo by Jan Persson

Keef Hartley was a British drummer whose first notable gig came when he replaced Ringo Starr in Rory Storm and the Hurricanes when Starr was hired away by the Beatles.  It wouldn’t be a stretch in fact, to call Storm and his band equally popular as the Beatles throughout England – albeit during their early days only.  Following his tenure with Storm, Hartley went on to play with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers.  He can be heard on such Mayall albums as The Blues Alone and Crusade.   Hartley went on to form the Keef Hartley Band – a jazz rock combo in the vein of Chicago.  In 1969, the group played Woodstock, but unfortunately followed Santana who had just played one of their greatest sets ever, so needless to say, they didn’t leave as lasting an impression as they might have otherwise.  Hartley went on to release several albums that did moderately well over the years.  Keef Hartley was 67 when he passed away on November 26, 2011.  Cause of death was not immediately released.

Thanks to Henk de Bruin at 2+ Printing for the assist.

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Keef Hartley Band

Died On This Date (November 23, 2011) Horacio “Gamexane” Villafañe / Todos Tus Muertos

Horacio Villafañe
DOB Unknown – November 23, 2011

Horacio “Gamexane” Villafañe was the founding guitarist for popular yet politically charged Argentine punk band, Todos Tus Muertos.   The group, which formed in 1985, found a sizable following thanks in part to their seamless marriage of punk, reggae and hip-hop. After being named Best International Group by La Banda Elastica,  Todos Tus Muertos signed with Grita! Records, the label founded by ex-Bad Religion drummer, Jay B. Ziskraut.  The band, who has recorded with Manu Chao and Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, to name just a couple, took a hiatus in 2000, but relaunched in 2004.  They continued to tour and record until Villafañe fell ill while on a recent tour of Mexico.  As was reported in Tiny Mix Tapes, Horacio Villafañe was diagnosed with a digestive hemorrhage which ultimately lead to his death on November 23, 2011.  He was 48.

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Todos Tus Muertos - Greatest Hits - Todos Tus Muertos

Died On This Date (November 15, 2011) Moogy Klingman / Co-Founder of Todd Rundgren’s Utopia

Mark “Moogy” Klingman
September 7, 1950 – November 15, 2011

Moogy Klingman was a keyboardist, singer, and songwriter who is perhaps best remembered as a founding member of Todd Rundgren’s Utopia.  Klingman was still in high school when he was fronting such bands as the Living Few and Glitterhouse.  At 16 he found himself playing in the Blue Flame with Jimi Hendrix and Randy California.  In 1969, Klingman hooked up with Rundgren and began playing keyboards in his band.  He went on to play on several Utopia albums as well as nearly a dozen Rundgren long-players.  He also played on and produced the Bob Dylan/Bette Midler duet, “Buckets of Rain.”  Other artists Klingman worked with include Eric Clapton, Linda Ronstadt, Cyndi Lauper, and Jeff Beck, to name a few.  Moogy Klingman, who had been suffering from cancer, passed away on November 15, 2011.  He was 61.



Died On This Date (November 14, 2012) Laura Kennedy / Bassist For Bush Tetras

Laura Kennedy
DOB Unknown – November 14, 2011

Laura Kennedy is perhaps best remembered as the original bassist for influential New York post punk band, Bush Tetras.  Formed in 1979, the no wave band built a legion of loyalists thanks in part to their early ’80s club hits, “Too Many Creep,” and “Can’t Be Funky/Cowboys In Africa.”  The band is often recognized as the first all female post punk band and for their part in developing a scene that also included Television, Sonic Youth, and Lydia Lunch.  As reported on prefix, Laura Kennedy died on November 14, 2011 as a result of Hepatitis C which she had been living with for nearly two decades.

 

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Happy - Bush Tetras

Died On This Date (November 14, 2011) Jackie Leven / Scottish Singer-Songwriter

Jackie Leven
June 18, 1950 – November 14, 2011

Jackie Leven was an influential Scottish folk singer who actually first found recognition as part of a new wave band, Doll by Doll.  The group, formed by Leven in 1975, was critically acclaimed, but never quite caught on like many of its peers, perhaps due to their darker sound.  Following the break up of Doll by Doll in 1983, Leven went on to have a notable solo career during which time he released over 20 albums.  In 1984, Leven was randomly attacked and strangled which left him unable to speak for nearly two years.  In 1994, Leven signed with the influential Cooking Vinyl Records, who was also home, at one point of another, to Billy Bragg, Prodigy, Killing Joke, and the Lemonheads, to name a few.  He released his final album, Wayside Shrines And The Code Of The Traveling Man, in September of 2011.  Jackie Leven died of lung cancer on November 14, 2011.  He was 61.

Thanks to Paul Bearer for the assist.

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Forbidden Songs of the Dying West - Jackie Leven