Died On This Date (July 25, 2010) Todd Sampson / Las Vegas Punk Pioneer
themusicsover Todd Sampson
DOB Unknown – July 25, 2010
Todd Sampson was a punk singer who began his professional career as a Las Vegas high schooler back in 1980. Just sixteen years old at the time, he was asked to join the Swell, which soon changed its name to M.I.A., and relocated to Newport Beach, California. No less than the All Music Guide has called them one of the top 50 Southern California punk bands of that generation. Soon after the move however, Sampson left the group and formed Self Abuse, which began to build a solid following throughout the local scene, mainly by covering other popular local punk band’s songs. That lead to Sampson’s Army which he formed in 1984, who, for the most part, called it quits during the early ’90s. In 2008, Sampson rejoined M.I.A. following the unexpected death of lead singer, Mike Conley. In the early hours of July 25, 2010, Todd Sampson, 46, passed away after nearly collapsing and being helped offstage during an M.I.A. performance at a Las Vegas Club. Cause of death was not immediately released.
Thanks to Bob Bell for the assist
Hiram Bullock, known to David Letterman fans as the “barefoot guitarist” in Paul Shaffer’s World’s Dangerous Band has passed away on July 25, 2008 after battling throat cancer for several months. Besides his work on the Letterman show, Bullock lent his talents to recordings by some of music’s greatest artists. He can be heard on Sting’s Nothing Like The Sun, Paul Simon’s One Trick Pony, and Billy Joel’s The Stranger. Bullock also released several of his own albums throughout his career. He was 52 when he passed away.
Rob Collins was the original keyboardist for British alternative pop band, the Charlatans (Charlatans UK in the States). His psychedelic organ added an edge to such Charlatans hits as “The Only One I Know” which introduced the band in 1990. In 1992, Collins was convicted of “assisting an offender after an offense” for picking up a friend who had just performed an armed robbery. Collins claimed to have had no knowledge of the crime. He served four months in prison. On July 22, 1996, while working on the Charlatans Tellin’ Stories, Collins was involved in a car accident during which he was thrown through the windshield. Official reports indicate that he had consumed a large amount of alcohol just prior to the accident and had not been wearing a seat belt. Collins died from head injuries at the scene. He was just 31. Bandmate 
Born in Sweden, Marcel Jacob was a heavy metal bassist who is best remembered for his work in Talisman and with Yngwie Malmsteen. He has been called “The Swedish King Of Bass.” Jacob helped form Rising Sun in 1978 along with Malmsteen. He soon moved on to the band Force and by the late ’80s he was playing alongside vocalist, Jeff Scott Soto in Talisman. Marcel Jacob reportedly took his own life on July 21, 2009. He was 45.