Died On This Date (March 24, 2012) Vince Lovegrove / Australian Singer, Manager & Journalist
themusicsover Vince Lovegrove
1948 – March 24, 2012
Vince Lovegrove was a famous Australian artist manager, television producer, journalist, and one-time pop star himself. As a singer, Lovegrove performed with several Perth bands during the early ’60s. In 1966, he founded the Valentines in which he sang co-lead with future AC/DC front man, Bon Scott. In fact, it was Lovegrove who ultimately introduced Scott to the other members of AC/DC who of course, went on to become a rock and roll dynasty. The Valentines scored several Australian hits before disbanding in 1970. Lovegrove went on to become a pop music journalist, writing for such magazines as Go-Set and Immedia!. As a manager, Lovegrove, at one point or another, oversaw the careers of AC/DC, Cold Chisel, Jimmy Barnes, and the Divinyls. During the mid ’80s, Lovegrove’s wife, Suzi Sidewinder, was diagnosed with HIV. Prior to this knowledge, Suzi passed the virus along to their then-unborn son, Troy Sidewinder, while he was in her womb. Suzi died of AIDS in 1987, while Troy passed away from it in 1993. Lovegrove forged on as an HIV awareness activist, educating people that the virus was much more than a “gay disease.” He made two very personal and critically acclaimed documentaries on the subject, Suzi’s Story, and A Kid Called Troy. Lovegrove continued writing and performing well into the 2000s. Vince Lovegrove was killed in an automobile accident on March 24, 2012. He was 64.
Thanks to Henk de Bruin at 2+ Printing for the assist.
Steve Prestwich was a drummer and songwriter who was the long-time member of Cold Chisel, one of Australia’s most popular rock bands of the late ’70s and ’80s. Born in Liverpool, Prestwich and his family moved to Adelaide, South Australia while still in his teens. He was soon playing in a few local bands before settling in with up-and-coming pub rock greats, Cold Chisel in 1974. The band also included Jimmy Barnes who would find solo success years later. Prestwich wrote several songs for the group, including their hits, “Forever Now” and “When The War Is Over.” After leaving Cold Chisel in 1983, Prestwich briefly played for Little River Band and later released a couple of solo albums. He also reunited with Cold Chisel on a few occasions. In early 2011, Steve Prestwich discovered he had a brain tumor and died as a result on January 16, 2011, less than two weeks later. He was 56.
