Died On This Date (July 10, 2013) Peppie Marchello / The Good Rats
themusicsover Peppie Marchello
1948 – July 10, 2013
Peppie Marchello was the front man of the group Rolling Stone once called “the world’s most famous unknown band,” Long Island, New York’s the Good Rats. Formed while Marchello was in college during 1964, the group, originally called U-Men, achieved moderate success but remained largely a cult band throughout their run. In 1969, now going by the Good Rats, they released their self-titled debut which was followed by their most popular album, 1974’s Tasty. Meanwhile, the band built a sizable following thanks to their live performances fronted by the charismatic Marchello. More solid albums followed throughout the ’70s and ’80s along with key opening slots for the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith, Rush, and KISS, but none of that was quite enough to push the band beyond cult status – to the amazement of many. Since then, Marchello continued on with one variation of the band or another right up until the time of his passing. He also spent some years performing, writing and producing with his son, Gene Marchello under the band name, Popzarocca. On July 10, 2013, Peppie Marchello suffered a fatal heart attack. He was 68.
What You Should Own
Gary Cox is best remembered as the founding lead guitarist for legendary American power pop band, Artful Dodger. Formed in Fairfax, Virginia in 1973, the band enjoyed a brush with fame and a loyal cult following thanks to their Beatles/Stones/Faces influenced sound. They were often compared to the Raspberries. In 1975, the band was signed to Columbia Records who released their debut self-titled album which was produced by Jack Douglas of Aerosmith fame. Even though the album was a critical fave and the band toured nearly non-stop – even opening several 1976 dates for KISS, the album failed to sell much beyond their core fan base. A couple more albums followed before Cox left the group in 1981. He rejoined the Artful Dodger for a reunion in 1991 and then again in the mid 2000s. In between, Cox ran his own professional event disc jockey service and worked as a physical therapy assistant. Gary Cox died of a brain tumor on August 12, 2012. He was 59.
Tonmi Lillman was a Finnish musician who is perhaps best remembered as the most recent drummer in the outrageous metal band, Lordi. Formed in 1996, Lordi gained a worldwide fan base thanks in part to their elaborate monster costumes and live shows that drew influence from the likes of KISS and Alice Cooper. Lillman joined the band in 2010 under the character name, Otus, and stayed with them until his passing. He unfortunately never had the chance to play on one of their albums. Other bands he played with include To/Die/For, Sinergy, and Kylähullut. Lillman was an in-demand studio player as well, performing on countless hard rock albums throughout his career. He was also a talented graphic artist who worked on package design and/or videos for Mind Of Doll, Vanguard, Sinergy, and many more. Tonmi Lillman was 38 when he passed away on February 14, 2012. Cause of death was not immediately released.
