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Died On This Date (June 27, 2018) Steve Soto / Bassist For The Adolescents & Agent Orange

themusicsover June 27, 2018 0 Comments

Steve Soto
August 23, 1963 – June 27, 2018

Steve Soto, best known as the co-founder of influential Southern California punk bands, Agent Orange and the Adolescents, has passed away. The 54-year-old musician died in his sleep on June 27, 2018 – reportedly of natural causes. A multi-instrumentalist, Soto played bass in both bands – first in Agent Orange, which formed in 1979, then in the Adolescents, which he helped form the following year. Along with Social Distortion and the Vandals, Soto and his groups would emerge as the most influential punk bands, hardcore or otherwise, to come out of Orange County during the early ’80s. Members of the Offspring, Green Day and Rancid have since noted Soto’s direct influence on them. Signed to the legendary independent label, Frontier Records in 1981, the Adolescents released eight studio albums and several EPs, live albums and singles throughout their career. Over the band’s 38 on-and-off years of existence, Soto was the only constant through the break-ups and reunions.

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Died On This Date (June 22, 2018) Vinnie Paul / Drummer for Pantera, Damageplan, Hellyeah

themusicsover June 22, 2018 0 Comments

Vinnie Paul (Born Vincent Paul Abbott)
(March 11, 1964 – June 22, 2018)

The original uploader was Mjfelker at English Wikipedia. – Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by DingirXul., CC BY-SA 3.0.

Vinnie Paul, founding drummer for the highly influential metal band, Pantera, reportedly died in his sleep on June 22, 2018. He was 54. According to TMZ: “Vinnie’s family tells TMZ … he died in his sleep at his home in Las Vegas. His body’s been turned over to the medical examiner to determine a cause of death, and after that he’ll be flown back to his home state of Texas to be buried between his mom and brother.”

Born in Abilene, Texas, Paul’s first introduction to music likely came from his father, Jerry Abbott, a country music songwriter and producer who went on to helm Pantera’s early records. Formed in 1981, Pantera counted Paul’s brother, Darrell Abbott (later known as Dimebag Darrell) among its ranks. Pantera went on to become one of the biggest names in metal during the ’90s, selling over 60 million albums combined. After Pantera disbanded in 2003, Paul formed nu-metal band, Damageplan with his brother. Their only album, New Found Power, debuted at #38 on the Billboard charts. Before the band could pick up real steam however, tragedy struck when Dimebag was shot and killed along with four others when an assailant climbed the stage and began firing with no apparent motive. After taking an 18-month hiatus, Paul joined metal supergroup, Hellyeah, in 2008. The band went on to release five albums before Paul’s passing.

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Died On This Date (January 15, 2018) Dolores O’Riordan / The Cranberries

themusicsover January 15, 2018 0 Comments

Dolores O’Riordan
September 6, 1971 – January 15, 2018

Dolores O’Riordan, who fronted the popular Irish alternative rock band, the Cranberries, died unexpectedly in a London hotel on January 15, 2018. Cause of death of the 46-year-old was not immediately released. Born in County Limerick, Ireland, O’Riordan was just five years old when she began singing, and by the time she was in her teens, she was writing her own music. In 1990, O’Riordan responded to an ad by a band called The Cranberry Saw Us who were looking for a new singer following the departure of their original one. She got the job and the band soon changed its name to the Cranberries and signed to Island Records. They went on to find critical and commercial success throughout the ’90s with such albums as Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We, No Need To Argue, and To The Faithful Departed. After the band went on hiatus in 2003, O’Riordan recorded two solo albums and collaborated with the likes of Zucherro, Jam & Spoon, and Jah Wobble.

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Died On This Date (January 4, 2018) Ray Thomas / The Moody Blues

themusicsover January 4, 2018 0 Comments

Ray Thomas
December 29, 1941 – January 4, 2018

Photo by David Plastik – Click To Order Quality Prints – Discount code: 10OFF

Ray Thomas, a founding member of the English rock band, the Moody Blues passed away on January 4, 2018 at the age of 76. Cause of death was not immediately released. Thomas was just nine years old when his father taught him to play the harmonica, and by the time he was 16, he had already quit school by two years and had set his music career in motion. He had also taken up the flute, later, his primary instrument, by that time as well. His first band of note was called El Riot and the Rebels who opened a gig for the Beatles in 1963. The following year, he and fellow band mate, Mike Pinder recruited Denny Laine, Graeme Edge and Clint Warwick, and the Moody Blues was born. The band’s first album, The Magnificent Moodies was released in 1965. Having a Merseybeat/R&B sound then, which was very popular in the UK, the album produced a #1 UK hit and #10 US hit with the band’s cover of “Go Now.” Warwick and Laine soon exited, and in 1966, a new era for the band was born with the addition of John Lodge and Justin Hayward. The group’s sound became more orchestral and complex. The first resulting album was 1967’s Days of Future Passed, which propelled the band to fame across Europe and North America. Songs like “Tuesday Afternoon,” and in particular, “Nights in White Satin,” laid the foundation for what would be called Prog Rock. Thomas’ flute solo in “Nights in White Satin” is considered a watershed moment for the genre. He was later nicknamed “The Flute,” for obvious reasons. Health concerns and the Moody Blues’ move into more of a synth sound during the ’80s lead to Thomas’ retirement in 2002, but he did show up on a recording here and there in later years. In 2013, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. And December 13, 2017 – less than a month before Thomas passed away, it was announced that the Moody Blues would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Class of 2018.

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Died On This Date (December 13, 2017) Warrel Dane / Lead Singer of Sanctuary & Nevermore

themusicsover December 13, 2017 0 Comments

Warrel Dane (Born Warrel Baker)
March 7, 1961 – December 13, 2017

Second from left, with Sanctuary. Photo by David Plastik – Click To Order Quality Prints – Discount code: 10OFF

Acclaimed American Metal singer, Warrel Dane, who fronted both Sanctuary and Nevermore, died of a heart attack while working on a solo album in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He was 56. Born in Seattle, Washington, Dane trained as an opera singer before ultimately finding his way to Metal. His first band of note, Sanctuary, signed with Epic Records in 1987. Their debut album, Refuge Denied, was notable for being produced by Dave Mustaine, who was just growing into his own with Megadeth. It was released in 1988. Although the band’s follow up, Into The Black, received some exposure via a video on MTV, it was the early ’90s, and they fell victim to the newfound popularity of grunge. Rather than give in to label wishes for them to shift their sound toward grunge, Dane left the band in 1992 and formed Nevermore which leaned more progressive than Sanctuary’s thrash sound. Nevermore signed with Century Media who went on to release their seven studio albums over the next 15 years. In 2011, the band went on hiatus while Sanctuary reunited and released their most successful album to date, 2014’s The Year the Sun Died. They went on to release two more studio albums before Dane’s passing.

Died On This Date (June 22, 2018) Vinnie Paul / Drummer for Pantera, Damageplan, Hellyeah

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Died On This Date (January 15, 2018) Dolores O’Riordan / The Cranberries

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Died On This Date (January 4, 2018) Ray Thomas / The Moody Blues

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Died On This Date (December 13, 2017) Warrel Dane / Lead Singer of Sanctuary & Nevermore

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