Cheap Trick – Page 2 – The Music's Over

Died On This Date (January 23, 1990) Peter Sweval / Looking Glass; Starz

themusicsover January 23, 2010 10 Comments

Peter Sweval (Born Piet Sweval)
April 13, 1948 – January 23, 1990

Peter Swevel was the founding bassist for New Jersey pop band, Looking Glass. In 1972, they released their only hit, “Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl)” which shot to #1 on the singles chart while selling over a million copies. No honorable ’70s pop collection is complete without it. After Looking Glass broke up in 1974, Swevel and Jeff Grob formed Starz, a hard rock band that also had one big hit, “Cherry Baby.” The band signed with Capitol Records and built a sizable cult following that still exists to this day. Musically, Starz has been compared to Aerosmith, Kiss and Cheap Trick, and have been cited as a direct influence on the likes of Motley Crue and Poison. Peter Swevel, age 42, passed away on January 23, 1990 of unknown causes.

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27 Club Musician Rock Singer Songwriter

Died On This Date (December 27, 1978) Chris Bell / Big Star

themusicsover December 27, 2009 0 Comments

Chris Bell
January 12, 1951 – December 27, 1978

Member of the 27 Club

Chris Bell was a guitarist, singer and brilliant songwriter who is best remembered as a founding member of the highly influential power pop band, Big Star. Formed during the early ’70s in Memphis, Tennessee with friend, Alex Chilton, Big Star set out make music that took the best pop elements of the British Invasion and added a dash of Memphis soul. In 1972, Big Star released #1 Album, which although it was a commercial failure, was highly influential to the Replacements, R.E.M., Wilco, Whiskeytown the Flaming Lips, and Teenage Fanclub. One song from the album, the Bell-Chilton penned, “In The Street,” was re-recorded by Cheap Trick in 1999 and used as the theme song for That ’70s Show. Bell left the band following the release of #1 Album and set out on a solo career. He did however, make several contributions to Big Star’s subsequent albums. Although he recorded numerous songs during his solo years, none made it to album until after his death. On December 27, 1978, Chris Bell, age 27, was killed when he lost control of his car and crashed into a light pole while driving home from his father’s Memphis restaurant. In 1992, a collection of his unreleased recordings came out under the name, I am the Cosmos.

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Musician Rock

Died On This Date (November 30, 2000) Scott Smith / Loverboy

themusicsover November 30, 2009 2 Comments

Scott Smith
February 13, 1955 – November 30, 2000

Scott Smith is best remembered as the original bassist for the Canadian rock band, Loverboy who had a string of hits during the ’80s. Learning to play the guitar as a child, Smith switched over to bass just as he was hitting his teen years. While in college in 1980, he was asked to join Loverboy. The band’s debut self titled album was a hit, selling over 2 million copies in the U.S. alone and helping the band land tours with such superstar acts as Journey, ZZ Top, and Cheap Trick. The band released a series of hit singles that included “Working For The Weekend,” “Turn Me Loose,” and “The Kid Is Hot Tonight.” The band would become synonymous with ’80s arena rock. The band broke up in the late ’80s, but reunited in 1991. On November 30, 2000, Scott Smith lost his life at sea after being swept overboard by an unexpected wave while sailing with friends off the coast of San Francisco. He was 45 years old.

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loverboy-music — Click to find at amazon.com

Musician Rock Singer Songwriter

Died On This Date (October 21, 2006) Sandy West / The Runaways

themusicsover October 21, 2009 5 Comments

Sandy West
July 10, 1959 – October 21, 2006

Sandy West was the founding drummer for the influential all-girl rock band, the Runaways. Born and raised near the beaches of Southern California, West picked up the drums at the age of nine. She met record producer, Kim Fowley in 1975 and told him of her desire to form an all-girl rock band. He put her in contact with another like-minded teen, Joan Jett. They soon found Lita Ford and Cherie Currie, and the Runaways were born. Although the band stayed together for less than four years, their influence on rock ‘n roll cannot be denied. With songs like “Cherry Bomb,” and “Rock & Roll,” the band was soon signed to Mercury Records and opening for such acts as Cheap Trick, Tom Petty, and Van Halen. The Runaways disbanded in just four short years, so West went on to front her own band and play in other local groups, none sparking the kind of fame she experienced with the Runaways. She also never benefited financially from the band’s popularity. On October 21, 2006, Sandy West, 47, died of a brain tumor that was borne from lung cancer.

Died On This Date (January 23, 1990) Peter Sweval / Looking Glass; Starz

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Died On This Date (December 27, 1978) Chris Bell / Big Star

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Died On This Date (November 30, 2000) Scott Smith / Loverboy

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Died On This Date (October 21, 2006) Sandy West / The Runaways

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