Died On This Date (October 12, 1978) Nancy Spungen / Girlfriend Of Sid Vicious

Nancy Spungen

February 27, 1958 – October 12, 1978

nancyNancy Spungen was just 17 when she left her Southeast Pennsylvania home for New York City to follow her true passion, punk rock.   She quickly became immersed in the city’s growing underground scene, gravitating toward bands like the New York Dolls, the Heartbreakers, and the Ramones.  Two years later, she moved to London where she met the Sex Pistols.  After reportedly being rejected by the band’s singer, Johhny Rotten, Spungen set her sites on bassist, Sid Vicious.  Over the course of the next two years, there relationship and lives spriraled out of control due to increasing dependence on heroin and other drugs.  Accounts differ as to which initially dragged the other along for the ride.   The last couple of months of their lives together were apparently marred by incidents of domestic violence.  On October 12, 1978, 20-year-old Nancy Spungen died from a single stab wound to her abdomen in the Chelsea Hotel room she shared with Vicious.  Vicious was immediately arrested for the murder.  While some of his own comments seemed to implicate him, there are other valid theories as to what happened, including her being killed in a botched robbery while Vicious was in a drug stupor.  Adding to the mystery, Vicious died of what is believed to have been an intentional overdose just prior to when he was to stand trial for the murder.  His suicide note indicated that they had made a death pact but did not implicate him in her killing.

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Died On This Date (October12, 2009) Brendan Mullen / Founder of L.A. Punk Club, The Masque

Brendan Mullen
DOB Unknown – October 12, 2009

Photo by Adam Wallacavage
Photo by Adam Wallacavage

Brendan Mullen is best remembered for The Masque, the legendary Los Angeles punk club that he opened in 1977.  After moving to Los Angeles from London in 1973, Mullen took over a filthy room that sat right behind the notorious Pussycat Theater in Hollywood and transformed it into a rehearsal space for  local bands.  In a matter of matter of months, the room became a venue that some consider the flashpoint of the local punk scene of the late ’70s.  Bands like the Germs, X, the Weirdos, the Go-Gos, and the Plugz all played some of their earliest gigs there.  As could be expected, Mullen clashed on numerous occasions with area merchants, the fire department and the L.A.P.D. before the club was temporarily shut down in 1978.  It briefly re-opened in another location in 1979 before closing permanently.  Mullen later went on to book shows at The Other Masque and Club Lingerie, both also in Hollywood.  In later years, Mullen wrote such books about the L.A. punk scene as We Got the Neutron Bomb: The Untold Story of L.A. Punk, Lexicon Devil: The Fast Times and Short Life of Darby Crash and the Germs, and Live at the Masque: Nightmare in Punk Alley.  Brendan Mullen died in a Los Angeles hospital on October 12, 2009.  He had suffered a massive stroke.

Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number1Albums for the assist.

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Died On This Date (October 12, 1999) Frank Frost / Blues Harmonica Great

Frank Frost
April 15, 1936 – October 12, 1999

Frank Frost was a delta blues harmonica player who was arguably one of the best.  He cut his musical teeth however, on guitar, most significantly as part Sonny Boy Williamson’s touring band.  It was Williamson who taught him to play the harmonica.  He left Williamson in 1959 and began working with drummer Sam Carr and guitarist Big Jack Johnson.  It was this combo that caught the eye of legendary producer, Sam Phillips who produced his first album, Hey Boss Man!.  In later years, Frost formed his own record label, Earwig Music Company to showcase his music.  Frank Frost continued making records until into the late ’80s and died of cardiac arrest on October 12, 1999 at the age of 63.

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Harpin' On It - Frank Frost

Died On This Date (October 11, 2009) Don Decker / Lead Singer Of Anal Blast

Don Decker
September 11, 1968  – October 11, 2009

analblastDon Decker was the lead singer and main songwriter for Anal Blast, the Minneapolis pornogrind/death metal band .  Formed in 1994, the band released just two albums, Vaginal Vampire and Battered Bleeding Bitch.  Cause of death has not been released, though some reports indicate it may be related to a condition for which he received a liver transplant in recent years.  Decker was 41 years old.



Died On This Date (October 11, 2008) Neal Hefti / Composed “Batman” and “Odd Couple” Themes

Neal Hefti
October 29, 1922 – October 11, 2008

Neal Hefti was a jazz musician and composer who is best remembered for writing the theme music for the Batman series and the Odd Couple movie and series.  Prior to his career as a composer, he played the trumpet in Woody Herman’s band.  He also arranged for Frank Sinatra, Buddy Rich and Count Basie.  Neil Hefti passed away in his home at the age of 85.

Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number1Albums for the assist.

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Neal Hefti