Died On This Date (October 10, 2013) Jan Kuehnemund / Lead Guitarist For Vixen
themusicsover Jan Kuehnemund
November 15, 1961 – October 10, 2013
Jan Kuehnemund is perhaps best remembered as the founding lead guitarist for Vixen, an all-female glam metal band who achieved a worldwide fan base during the late ’80s. Originally formed with Kuehnemund was in high school in 1974, the band quickly split up but then reformed in 1980. After settling in Los Angeles, the group – often referred to as “the female Bon Jovi” started building a sizable following throughout the flourishing Sunset Strip scene. In 1987, they appeared in Penelope Spheeris’ acclaimed rock doc, The Decline of Western Civilization II: The Metal Years. That was quickly followed by a recording contract with EMI Records who released their self-titled debut in 1988. The album, which included the Richard Marx-penned hit single “Edge Of A Broken Heart,” rose to #41 on the Billboard charts and was nearly as chart-successful in the UK. Rev It Up followed in 1990, while the band was taking the hair metal world by storm. Throughout those couple of years, the band toured with the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Bon Jovi, Deep Purple, KISS, and Scorpions. The band split up in the middle of 1991 and then reformed a few times over the next several years with Kuehnemund not coming back to the fold until 2001. A version of the band with just Kuehnemund from the original line up released two albums in 2006. The classic late ’80s/early ’90s edition got together for VH1’s Bands Reunited series in 2004. Jan Kuehnemund passed away following a courageous battle with cancer on October 10, 2013. She was 51.
What You Should Own
Own A Piece Of Rock and Roll History
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.
