Died On This Date (March 5, 1995) Vivian Stanshall / Bonzo Dog Band
themusicsover Victor “Vivian” Stanshall
March 21, 1943 – March 5, 1995
Vivian Stanshall was, among other things, an eccentric English musician, songwriter and singer. He is perhaps best remembered a founding member of the eclectic psychedelic jazz rock band, Bonzo Dog Band. Formed in 1962 while Stanshall was in art school, the ensemble soon became popular thanks, in part to its vaudeville-type live shows and revolving group of invited guests. That list included Eric Clapton, Elton John, and Eric Idle. Of note to current indie rock fans, Death Cab For Cutie is also the title of a song written by Stanshall. As the band’s popularity increased, so did the demand for their live show. It has been reported that Stanshall battled with stage fright and increasing panic attacks so he turned to prescription drugs and alcohol for release. That, plus the others getting burned out by the heavy touring schedule, lead to their break-up in 1970. Following the Bonzo Dog Band, Stanshall continued to form other, but less notable bands over the next several years. On March 5, 1995, Vivian Stanshall died in his bed as the result of a fire due to faulty wiring. He was 51 years old.
What You Should Own
Glenn Hughes (not to be confused with Glenn Hughes of Black Sabbath and Deep Purple) was an original vocalist in one of disco music’s most famous and most lasting institutions, the Village People. He was primarily known for his leather biker outfits and awesome handlebar mustache which made him a pop culture icon well beyond the group. And although straight himself, Hughes was cast in a gay leather archetype, thereby becoming a face of that subculture. Around 1976, Hughes responded to producer, 
Ron Banks was a founding member of longtime Detroit soul vocal group, the Dramatics. Formed in 1962, various formations of the group have stayed together ever since, with Banks being one of the last two originals. During the ’70s, the Dramatics had two big pop hits, “Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get” and “In The Rain.” The former sold more than one million copies and the latter reached the #1 on the R&B charts. “Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get” was such a respected song at the time, that it was featured during the opening credits of the landmark Wattstax concert film of 1972. Their 1978 album Do What You Wanna Do, was their most popular, going gold at the time. In 1993, the Dramatics sang on Snoop Dogg’s “Doggy Dogg World.” In November of 2009, Ron Banks performed what would be his last show with the Dramatics. On March 4, 2010, the 58-year-old singer died of what appears to have been a heart attack.