Died On This Date (September 22, 1996) Ilari Peltola aka Claude / Smack

Ilari “Claude” Peltola
1966 – September 22, 1996

Ilari Peltola was known as simply, Claude when he was the lead singer of Finnish rock band, Smack.  Smack were a glam-punk band who were active between 1982 and 1990.  The band, who were not dissimilar to the New York Dolls, were very popular in and around Finland, but never achieved much more that a cult following here in the US, despite moving to Los Angeles in 1989.  In 1990, Peltola left the band to move back to Finland where he formed a new band, the Fishfaces. He died of heart failure on September 22, 1996.

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On You - Smack

Died On This Date (September 16, 1977) Marc Bolan / T. Rex

Marc Bolan (Born Mark Feld)
September 30, 1947 – September 16, 1977

Marc Bolan was a British rock singer songwriter and musician who, with his band T. Rex was one of the foundations of the glam rock movement that followed.  Bolan formed his first band when he was barely into his teens, and by 17, he was making a go of it along the British folk circuit.  In 1967, he joined a mod band called John’s Children who achieved moderate success throughout the UK.  Later that year, he left the group and joined forces with Steve Peregrin Took to form T. Rex.  With albums like T. Rex and The Slider, sparking the early ’70s glam movement that would directly influence rock bands from the New York Dolls to Gun ‘n Roses and beyond.  Songs like “Bang A Gong (Get It On),” “Jeepster,” and “20th Century Boy” would become signature songs of the era.  On September 16, 1977, the 29-year-old Marc Bolan was killed instantly when the car in which he was a passenger spun out of control and struck a tree.

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Electric Warrior (Remastered) - T. Rex

Died On This Date (September 5, 2009) Mickie Jones / Bassist For Angel

Mickie Jones
December 17, 1952 – September 5, 2009

mickiejonesMickie Jones was the co-founder of and bassist for pioneering ’70s glam metal band, Angel.   Formed with guitarist, Punky Meadows in in 1975, Angel would be the link between Bowie and heavy metal.  It was Gene Simmons of Kiss who helped the band get signed to Casablanca Records, and in an ironic twist, the members of Angel chose to market themselves dressed in all white as sort of the “anti-Kiss.”  The band’s slick pop metal and androgynous image helped pave the way for such ’80s hair bands as Poison, Warrant and Motley Crue.  Even the band’s own keyboardist, Gregg Guiffria would go on to have ’80s metal hits of his own.  Even though Angel released some of the most memorable hard rock albums of the ’70s, (IE: Helluva Band and On Earth As It Is In Heaven), they never reached much beyond a cult status.  Outside of Angel, Jones played in BUX with Meadows and Joe Perry Project singer, Ralph Morman, and Empire with LA Guns drummer, Steve Riley.  It has also been reported that Jones was once asked to join the New York Dolls.  In recent years, he was working in the film industry.  Mickie Jones died of liver cancer on September 5, 2009.

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White Hot - Angel