Died On This Date (June 21, 2012) Jeff Sugarman / The Prime Movers
themusicsover Jeff Sugarman
DOB Unknown – June 21, 2012
Jeff Sugarman was the founding bassist for popular Boston-area garage band, the Prime Movers. Formed in 1981, the band, with their Who and Kinks influenced beat, built a sizable following throughout the northeastern states. In 1984, they released their Matters of Time EP on Throbbing Lobster Records and found their cult status rising across the country. The Prime Movers disbanded in 1987, but reunited in 1995, and again, more permanently, in 2003. Remarkably, it wasn’t until 2006, that they released their debut full length album, Back In Line. Outside of the Prime Movers, Sugarman also played in local bands, the Strangemen and the Slaves. Jeff Sugarman died of cancer on June 21, 2012.
Terry Teene was an American singer, musician, and prolific songwriter who reportedly penned over 300 songs during his career. He personally claimed to have played on over 100 additional records and wrote songs under more than 70 different pen names. Noteworthy records of his include “Pussy Galore” (written for, but unused in the James Bond film Goldfinger), “Just Wait Til I Get You Home,” and his biggest hit, 1960’s “Curse Of The Hearse.” The latter went on to become a yearly staple on Dr. Demento’s annual Halloween radio programs. Over the years, Teene shared the stage with Alice Cooper, the Kinks, and Cheap Trick, to name a few. Away from music, Teene enjoyed a successful career as a clown – even writing books and teaching courses on the subject. He also appeared in such films as Man On The Moon and Raging Bull. On March 7, 2012, Terry Teene was seriously injured when he was hit by a tow truck while riding a bicycle. He succumbed to his injuries on March 9, 2012. He was 70.
Reg King was a respected British singer and songwriter whose band, the Action, with all due respect to the Kinks, Small Faces and the Who, were widely considered the best of the UK mod scene. King also helped popularize “blue eyed soul” throughout the region. What endeared the Action to mods was that they were edgier than their contemporaries and often included the latest American soul covers in their live sets. Even though they never were able to break out of a cult status, their fans were markedly loyal. Formed in 1963, the Action were signed to Parlophone Records in 1965. Even though they had developed a rabid fan base thanks to their live shows, none of their records sold very well. In spite of that, future stars like Paul Weller and Phil Collins claim them as favorites and inspirations. In fact, Collins played with the Action for a reunion show in 2000. Reg King was 65 when he died of cancer on November 8, 2010.
Herman Brood was a popular Dutch rock musician, TV host, and painter who was called by at least one critic, “the Netherlands’ greatest and only rock ‘n’ roll star.” He achieved his musical fame during the ’70s and ’80s and became equally revered for his art work later in life. After tooling around in a few different bands and spending some time in jail for drug dealing, Brood started his own group, Herman Brood & the Wild Romance. The year was 1976, and Brood was quickly becoming famous – and equally infamous – for his sexually charged and drug fueled lyrics, as well as his candid and eyebrow-raising comments on those same topics in the press. Meanwhile his hard drug use was becoming legendary throughout the Netherlands. His then-girlfriend, Nina Hagen even released a song entitled “Herrmann Hiess Er” (“Herrmann Is High”) , reportedly about him. In 1979, Brood enjoyed a small bump when he toured the U.S. with the Cars, the Kinks, and Foreigner. During the ’80s and early ’90s, he recorded several albums, but soon began devoting most of his energy to visual arts. His dynamic and sometimes graffitti-inspired prints became very popular throughout Europe, while many of his murals found homes on public walls throughout Amsterdam. By the summer of 1991, Brood was apparently depressed over his inability to kick drugs and how their abuse had impared his health. On July 11, 2001, Herman Brood leaped to his death from the roof of the Amsterdam Hilton. He was 56.
