Rock

Died On This Date (September 21, 2011) John Larson / The Ides Of March

John Larson
DOB Unknown – September 21, 2011

John Larson was a trumpet who is perhaps best remembered for his tenure in the ’60s rock band, the Ides of March, and more specifically, for his performance in their hit song, “Vehicle.”  Larson joined his fellow Chicago-area classmates in the band in 1968 and immediately contributed to their horn-driven sound which was not dissimilar to that of fellow rock band, Chicago, but with perhaps a bit more dirty soul.  When “Vehicle” came out in 1970, it quickly shot to #2 on the Billboard singles chart, and to this day is considered one of the greatest rock songs of its era.  The band’s fan base quickly grew and so did interest in them on the road.  They went on to tour with Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and Janis Joplin, to name a few.  They also toured Canada as part of the legendary Festival Express which was filmed and made into a documentary of the same name in 2003.  The group split up in 1973, but reunited in 1990, with Larson on board for their entire run, until his final gig in 2010.  John Larson died of cancer on September 21, 2011.  He was 61.

Thanks Craig Rosen at Number 1 Albums for the assist.

What You Should Own

Vehicle - The Ides of March

Died On This Date (September 20, 2012) Robert Whitaker / British Photographer Who Took Beatles “Butcher” Image

Robert Whitaker
1939 – September 20, 2011

Robert Whitaker was a celebrated British photographer whose shots of the Beatles are some of the most iconic images in pop music history.  Whitaker’s career in photography can be traced back to the late ’50s when he was attending college  in Melbourne, Australia.  It was while freelancing in 1964 that he had a chance meeting with Beatles manager, Brian Epstein while the band was in the midst of an Australian tour.  That lead to numerous photo sessions with the band over the next few years, including one on March 25, 1966 where Whitaker captured the infamous image that shows John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and Paul McCartney wearing white lab coats and covered with baby doll parts, raw meat, and false teeth.  The photo was selected for the band’s Yesterday and Today cover as seen below, but Capitol records quickly recalled it, but only after several thousand got it.  The cover was changed making original copies of the “Butcher” cover extremely valuable to this day.  Away from the Beatles, Whitaker photographed the likes of Gerry & The Pacemakers, the Seekers, Mick Jagger, and Cream who used his photos of band members within the collage of their Disraeli Gears album cover.  Robert Whitaker continued to work in photography throughout the rest of his life, at times as a photojournalist for TIME and Life magazines.  He was 71 when he passed away on September 20, 2011.

Thanks to Harold Lepidus and Scott Miller for the assist.

What You Should Own



Died On This Date (September 9, 2011) Jonas Bergqvist aka B / Co-Founder Of Lifelover

Jonas Bergqvist
DOB Unknown – September 9, 2011

Jonas Bergqvist, known professionally as B, was as songwriter and founding guitarist for Swedish narcotic metal band, Lifelover.  Formed in 2005, Lifelover began building a sizable following thanks in part to such albums as 2006’s Pulver, Dekadens (2009) and their most recent, Sjukdom, released in February of 2011.  They were also a popular concert draw across Europe.  Jonas Bergqvist died unexpectedly on September 9, 2011.  Cause of death was not immediately released.

What You Should Own

Click to find at amazon.com

Sjukdom - Lifelover

Died On This Date (September 4, 2012) Hilde Heltberg / Norwegian Singer-Songwriter

Hilde Heltberg
September 30, 1959 – September 4, 2011

Hilde Heltberg was a popular singer-songwriter from Oslo, Norway.  She launched her career during the late ’70s, finding inspiration from the likes of Linda Ronstadt and Dolly Parton.  By the early ’80s,  Heltberg had played in such local groups as Uncle John’s Band and X-tra.  She released her first solo album in 1982, and went on to release a total of 12.  She competed in the esteemed Eurovision Song Contest on four separate occasions.  Hilde Heltberg was 51 when she died of cancer on September 4, 2011.

What You Should Own

Elske Fritt - Hilde Heltberg

Died On This Date (August 28, 2012) Johnny Giosa / Drummer For The BulletBoys

Johnny Giosa
DOB Unknown – August 28, 2011

Johnny Giosa was a rock drummer from Los Angeles, CA (by way Pennsylvania) who is perhaps best remembered as a recent drummer for the revitalized ’80s metal band, BulletBoys. Over the course of his career, Giosa played with several other acts and still found time to model, act, and style hair, reportedly “for the stars.”  During the early morning hours of August 28, 2011, Johnny Giosa was killed when his car swerved into a pillar along the 405 freeway.  Cause of the accident was not immediately released.  Giosa was 42.

Thanks to David Plastik at eRockPhotos for the assist.