Died On This Date (January 28, 2016) Paul Kantner / Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship

Paul Kantner
March 17, 1941 – January 28, 2016

Paul-KantnerPaul Kantner was the original lead guitarist for influential ’60s counterculture rock band, Jefferson Airplane.  Although the group was founded by singer, Marty Balin, Kanter quickly took over running things, and when Balin left, he lead its new incarnation, Jefferson Starship to even greater heights.  Formed in San Francisco in 1965, Jefferson Airplane was arguably the flash point of what would become known as psychedelic rock – rock music that was created to help enhance the experience of acid, and in particular, LSD.  Along with bands like the Grateful Dead the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and Big Brother and the Holding Company, Jefferson Airplane came to represent all that was associated with the Summer of Love.  But of all the bands on the scene, it was Jefferson Airplane that was the first to gain worldwide fandom and huge success.  Besides being the only band to play at all three major American rock festivals of the era – Monterey, Woodstock, and Altamont, they scored early hits with “White Rabbit” and “Somebody To Love.”  In spite of their initial success, the band suffered from turmoil from within.  When the original Jefferson Airplane disbanded in the early ’70s, Jefferson Starship resurfaced and went to release such hit albums as Red Octopus, Earth, Spitfire and Freedom at Point Zero.  Their hit singles during this period included, “With Your Love,” “Jane,” “Miracles,” and “Count on Me.” They broke up in 1984, but Kantner and Balin reformed it in 1991, with Kanter continuing to perform and record under this moniker as recently as 2013.  In 1996, Kantner and his Jefferson Airplane band mates were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.   In March of 2015, Kantner suffered a serious heart attack but was able to take the stage with the band later that year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Jefferson Airplane.  In January of 2016, Kantner again suffered a heart attack but this time it led to his death just days later. He died of multiple organ failure on January 28, 2016.  He was 74.

Thanks to Harold Lepidus for the assist.

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Died On This Date (December 28, 2015) Lemmy Kilmister / Motorhead

Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister
December 24, 1945 – December 28, 2015

LemmyLemmy Kilmister was the lead singer, bassist, primary songwriter, and only original member of Motorhead, the legendary English rock band he formed in 1975.  Over the course of four decades, the band, which was equal parts punk rock and heavy metal, released over 22 albums, which sold upwards of 30 million worldwide.  Kilmister was born in Straffordshire, but spent most of his early years in North Wales.  After leaving high school early, he worked various menial jobs while learning to play the guitar.  When he was 16, he saw one of the Beatles‘ iconic Cavern Club shows and instantly knew he wanted to make music.  The next day, he bought Please Please Me and learned to play the guitar while playing along with it.  After performing in a series of local bands, Kilmister moved to London where he shared a flat with Noel Redding of the Jimi Hendrix Experience and the band’s manager.  They hired him to roadie for them throughout the UK in 1967.  In 1968, Kilmister joined Hawkwind, a space rock band that would later prove to be highly influential to countless prog rock, metal and punk bands.  He sang lead on several Hawkwind records, including their biggest hit, “Silver Machine,” which reached #3 in 1972.  He was ultimately fired from Hawkwind after being arrested trying to carry drugs across the Canadian/US border in 1975.  He ended up not being charged or convicted of a crime once it was determined that he was holding speed, which was legal in Canada at the time.  Kilmister soon formed Motorhead, who quickly found a cult following for its hard, fast, and loud rock – a sound that appealed to the growing punk scene of the UK as well as the older hard rock fans of Hawkwind and such. Motorhead, and particularly Kilmister’s fierce playing and vocal delivery has been credited for laying the foundation for what would be called thrash and speed metal.  On the other side of the metal spectrum, Motorhead was arguably flash point of what would later be known as the New Wave of British Heavy Metal.  Over the next 40 years, the band’s lineup changed several times, while their music fell in and out of favor as tastes around the world changed.  But Kilmister forged on and seemed indestructible in spite of his vices.  In 2010, the documentary film, Lemmy was released to both critical and fan acclaim.   The poignant film focused on Kilmister’s private life, which was mostly spent either on tour or sitting at the bar at the Rainbow Bar & Grill on the Sunset Strip.   The documentary introduced and reintroduced Motorhead to fans around the world, leading to the two critically acclaimed and commercially successful late-career albums, Aftershock (2013) and Bad Magic (2015).  And although he suffered a few health setbacks over the past few years, Kilmister seemed as if he’d continue to outlive many of his peers.  On December 26, 2015, he reportedly learned he was suffering from a very aggressive form of cancer.  Lemmy Kilmister was just eight days past his 70th birthday when the cancer took his life on December 28, 2015.

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Died On This Date (April 7, 2013) Andy Johns / Legendary Record Producer & Engineer

Andy Johns
January 1, 1952 – April 7, 2013

andy-johnsAndy Johns was an English record producer and engineer whose resume reads like an encyclopedia of rock.  Still in his teens, Johns hit the ground running working as Eddie Kramer‘s second engineer on recordings by the likes of Jimi Hendrix.  Over the next four decades, Johns left his mark on such iconic albums as Led Zeppelin‘s IV, Physical Graffiti, and Houses Of The Holy;  the Rolling StonesSticky Fingers, Exile On Main St., and Goat’s Head Soup; Free‘s Highway; and  Television’s Marquee Moon.  He also produced or engineered albums for Van Halen, Humble Pie, Ron Wood, L.A. Guns, Cinderella, Chickenfoot, Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, Steve Miller, Mott The Hoople, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, and many more.  Albums on which he worked have reportedly sold more than 160 million copies in all.  He was the younger brother of the equally impressive producer and engineer, Glyn Johns.  Andy Johns was 61 when he died on April 7, 2013.  Cause of death was not immediately released.

Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number 1 Albums and Brett Ortone at Go Aloha Entertainment for the assist.

 

Died On This Date (March 7, 2013) Peter Banks / Founding Guitarist Of Yes

Peter Banks
July 15, 1947 – March 7, 2013

peter-banks1Once called “The Architect Of Progressive Music,” Peter Banks was the original guitarist for prog rock pioneers, Yes.  Raised in North London, Banks first learned the guitar when his father gave him an acoustic one as a child.  By his teens, he was also playing the banjo.  The first band of note he played in was the Syn, which also counted future Yes members, Chris Squire and Steve Howe as members. The band’s biggest claim to fame was opening for Jimi Hendrix‘s legendary Marquee Club show that was witnessed my just about every member of England’s rock royalty of the day.  After the Syn broke up in 1967, Banks joined Mabel Greer’s Toy Shop who eventually morphed into Yes, a name suggested by Banks as temporary, until a better one presented itself.  Banks was a member of the band until 1970, playing on their self-titled debut as well as Time And A Word.  In later years, he joined the band on stage on occasion and participated in a 1997 tribute album to them.  He was also involved in later album and documentary projects.  Banks went on to play in Flash, Empire, and Harmony Of Diversion as well as do session work well into the 2000s.  On March 7, 2013, Peter Banks died of heart failure.  He was 65.

Thanks to Harold Lepidus of Bob Dylan Examiner for the assist.

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Died On This Date (August 4, 2012) Johnnie Bassett / Detroit Blues Great

Johnnie Bassett
October 9, 1935 – August 4, 2012

Johnnie Bassett was an American electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter who, over the course of a career that spanned some 60 years, worked as a band leader as well as an in-demand session player for many of music’s biggest names.  The list of those that the self-taught guitarist played with includes B.B.King, T-Bone Walker, John Lee Hooker, Smokey Robinson, and Ruth Brown.  After moving from Florida to Detroit during the mid ’40s, Bassett began making a name for himself at area talent shows and backing local singers.  After a stint in the Army, he found work back in Detroit as a session player for the great Fortune Records and later, Chess Records.  It was while at Chess that Barrett played on The Miracles’ first single, 1958’s “Get A Job.”  He eventually found himself in Seattle where he played with Ike & Tina Turner and Little Willie John.  He also ran with a young local up-and-coming guitarist by the name of Jimi Hendrix.  Bassett landed back in Detroit where, during the mid ’90s, he began releasing his own albums.  His last album was the excellent I Can Make That Happen, released just a few weeks before he passed away.  Johnnie Bassett died of cancer on August 4, 2012.  He was 76.

Thanks to Harold Lepidus for the assist.

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I Can Make That Happen - Johnnie Bassett