ok, I"ll play.
1. Our president is a murderer: Any president that sends troops to battle will qualify under this "reasoning" of yours. It would be easier to name the presidents that didn't qualify under your criteria.
2. Our best athlete is a rapist: Is Mike Tyson our best athlete? He's the most prominent athlete I can think of that's been convicted of rape. There's an LA Laker by the name of Bryant that has been ACCUSED of rape. And I wouldn't even consider him our best athlete.
3. All of our best musicians have OD'd: Matter of opinion here, according to your musical tastes, I guess.
4. Half of our college FB coaches are hooking up with hookers in our hotels: Hmmm, let's see, app 115 colleges playing Div 1 Ball, Mike Price is the only one I can think of off hand, that is less than 1%.... that's a lot less than the 50% you stated.
Anything else?
1. Our president is a murderer: Any president that sends troops to battle will qualify under this "reasoning" of yours. It would be easier to name the presidents that didn't qualify under your criteria.
2. Our best athlete is a rapist: Is Mike Tyson our best athlete? He's the most prominent athlete I can think of that's been convicted of rape. There's an LA Laker by the name of Bryant that has been ACCUSED of rape. And I wouldn't even consider him our best athlete.
3. All of our best musicians have OD'd: Matter of opinion here, according to your musical tastes, I guess.
4. Half of our college FB coaches are hooking up with hookers in our hotels: Hmmm, let's see, app 115 colleges playing Div 1 Ball, Mike Price is the only one I can think of off hand, that is less than 1%.... that's a lot less than the 50% you stated.
Anything else?
1. Our president is a murderer: Any president that sends troops to battle will qualify under this "reasoning" of yours. It would be easier to name the presidents that didn't qualify under your criteria.
Bush set the RECORD for state executions in Texas. He has ordered wars resulting in tens of thousands of deaths - he IS A MURDERER. Only God may choose who lives & dies, not George the retard.
2. Our best athlete is a rapist: Is Mike Tyson our best athlete? He's the most prominent athlete I can think of that's been convicted of rape. There's an LA Laker by the name of Bryant that has been ACCUSED of rape. And I wouldn't even consider him our best athlete.
No Tyson isn't our best athlete, but he was. That's a good point you bring up - we have a long history of rapist althete's here in America. From Mike to Kobe ... who's next?? I'm guessing it's going to be LeBonics.
3. All of our best musicians have OD'd: Matter of opinion here, according to your musical tastes, I guess.
http://www.angelfire.com/darkside/clever/deadmusicians.html
How and why do so many popular musicians die at relatively young ages?
by Huw Waters
Introduction
“It is with the deepest regret that we must announce the tragic and premature death of Feeder drummer, Jon Lee. Jon took his own life on Monday, January 7th, at his home in Florida.”
BBC ONLINE NEWS
Just last week another musician’s life was cut short as he took his own life at the age of 33. He becomes another in the long list of deaths of musicians. After enjoying fame with his band Feeder and being a seemingly happy and content person, he decided to commit suicide. He left behind a wife and young child and threw away a promising future. Like many other musicians, he thought this was his only way of coping with his problems. However, it is not only suicide that musicians have to try to avoid. For example, last year pop solo artist Aaliyah was tragically killed in a plane crash at the age of 22. Throughout the Twentieth century many famous musicians have died young in a range of ways, including, car crashes, drug overdoses, murder and even electrocution. Why do so many musicians seem to die at young ages? Is there a link with the lifestyle they lead and the risks they are prepared to take? Does the fame make them irresponsible? Is a musician’s life any more dangerous than a person with a ‘regular’ job? Does fame mean you are more likely to die at a young age? Are their deaths only noted because of their fame? Lots of questions can be asked about why so many musicians die young and it is hard to tell whether or not the fame is directly linked to their deaths. I will attempt to shed some light on these links.
Musicians and suicide
Kurt Cobain (27), Ian Curtis (33), Michael Hutchence (37), Jon Lee (33), Jason Thirsk (28), E. William Tucker (38), Paul Williams (34).
Listed above are just a few names of musicians that have decided that taking their life was the only option. The reasons for a person committing suicide are always hard to understand. In addition, it is hard to determine whether the reasons these people took their own lives were due to the pressures of fame and adulation or whether they were already mentally and physically unstable before becoming famous. Kurt Cobain killed himself on April 5th 1994, in his own home, by basically blowing his own head off. It turned out that this was his second suicide attempt after a failed drug overdose in Rome weeks earlier. He was the front man of grunge band Nirvana who had shot to fame in 1991 after releasing their second album Nevermind. A single (smells like teen spirit) released from the album made sure that the band became world famous. Nevermind went on to sell around 10 million copies throughout the world. It was no secret that the band had never intended to gain this much fame as they were happy just having fun and being themselves. Kurt Cobain also had a history of drug problems. His excuse was that he had a stomach condition and he used various narcotics to numb the pain. After the release of Nevermind and in the time leading up to his eventual suicide there were many incidents in which Kurt had collapsed or became very ill. In addition to his illness, it was known that his parents had split when he was very young and he went and lived with his grandmother. When he took his life he left behind a wife and three year old child. It is hard to say whether he took his own life purely because he became famous. It seems here that fame was a catalyst in his decision, although there were many signs of discontent from a young age that would have added to his reasoning. Personally, I believe that fame had a direct link in this case.
Jon Lee was 33 years old when he took his life in his home in Miami, Florida just last week. He was the drummer in rock band Feeder. They formed in early 1990’s but only reached the UK charts in 2001. An album was released last year and the band profile looked to rise in 2002. The band, however, were not overly famous and could still walk down the street relatively unnoticed. Therefore, it is fair to say that fame cannot be blamed directly for his death. Michael Hutchence aged 37, killed himself in November 1997. He was the singer of INXS, who were at the time warming up for a 20th anniversary tour. At the time he was planning to marry his girlfriend Paula Yates, who was the mother of his 18 months old daughter. People close to the singer before his death said he was in high spirits. However, it was rumoured that he was a user of the drugs cocaine and opium. INXS were known around the world and had been around for years. It seems strange that he chose this moment to take his own life, especially with everything going so well at the time. Therefore, it is very hard to say whether his death had a link with fame.
Musicians and Drugs /Lifestyle
Heroin related deaths- G.G. Allin (36), Tim Buckley (28), Darby Crash (22), Janis Joplin (27), Jonathan Melvoin (34), Jim Morrison (27), Bradley Nowell (28), Hillel Slovak (26), Sid Vicious (21). Other drug related deaths- Tommy Bolin (25), Steve Clark (30), Andy Gibb (30), Shannon Hoon (28), Phil Lynott (34), Keith Moon (31), Elvis Presley (42), Inhalation of vomit- Jimi Hendrix (27), Bon Scott (33), John Bonham (32).
The lifestyle of a musician is sometimes looked upon as over the top and hedonistic. The parties, the drinking, the money, the sex, the drugs; It’s a never-ending roller-coaster ride that sometimes will end in tragedy as mental and physical health deterioates. Musicians and drugs are notoriously and continually linked together. Many musicians have died due to ‘overindulgence’ and experimenting with alcohol and all kinds of illegal drugs. In the 1960’s and 1970’s there was a strong drug culture among youngsters and drugs like acid and LSD were very popular. Some musicians claim that certain drugs help the creative process and help with inspiration. Bands like The Beatles admitted to taking drugs to help them write songs. As the years went by, although drug use was not as popular as the 60’s and 70’s many musicians continued taking drugs and experimenting. Admittedly, many musicians are offered drugs whilst touring around the world. In after show parties there is always free food, women/men and alcohol, and this can sometimes lead on to other things. The partying element would take control and this would lead to destruction of hotel rooms, depraved sexual acts and the use of illegal substances. This type of extreme partying sometimes led to injuries or death for musicians or their friends. It could be said that some musicians become irresponsible and this leads to deaths. Some musicians use the drug taking and drinking as a means to help them cope with the problems of touring and constantly travelling the world. Others use the drugs to help them cope with the pressures of fame. In this way, I think that being a musician can at times be a dangerous job as there are so many things that are offered and pushed towards them. However, this can be said for any other job or pastime that puts someone in the public eye. Anyone famous has to look out for these things. This raises the question of whether a musician has less will power than others, or, depending on how you feel about drugs, wishes to expand their mind in the creative process. Steve Clark of Def Leppard was 30 years old when he was found dead in his London flat. He had consumed a mixture of drugs and alcohol, and was found after he had fallen asleep on his sofa. He had drunk over 3 times the British legal driving limit and there were traces of valium, morphine and codein found in his blood. He had battled alcoholism for many years and was undergoing treatment at the time. He had also been taking painkillers to ease back problems. It is fair to say that the lifestyle of this particular performer had a lot to do with his death.
Keith Moon, drummer with The Who died at the age of 31 after an overdose of Chlormethiazole. It had been self administered, but there was no evidence of intention on Moons part. He was very unpredictable and became known as one of rocks characters after numerous tales of destruction. However he became increasingly reliant upon alcohol and drugs and this had an effect on his work as a musician. It got so bad that one track on the last album he appeared on was recorded without a drum track as he could not hold the beat of the song. There is no doubt that the lifestyle of Moon lead to his demise and even before his death there were many signs that all was not well. Elvis Presley, one of the most popular performers of all time, died in his home in Memphis Tennessee in August 1977. For many people he truly represented the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, and his life and career have now become part of rock legend. After years and years of performing he collapsed onstage on a few occasions. Eventually his body couldn’t take anymore and he passed away on 16th August 1977. The official cause of death was a heart attack, but it was presumably linked to his Barbituate usage over a long period of time. Again this death was caused by the lifestyle of the performer. Had he not been so indulgent, he would have lasted many more years. It is worth noting that one particular drug, namely heroin, had a lot to do with the deaths of many musicians. It is widely believed that heroin is possibly the most dangerous drug of all. Maybe the most famous performer to die of an overdose of heroin was Jim Morrison, singer of The Doors. On July 3rd 1971 he was found dead in the bathtub of his flat. He had died of heart failure. "Heart problems were aggravated by the abuse of alcohol, followed by an abrupt change of temperature caused cardiac arrest." It was said by many that during his final months he had become a shadow of himself and too much alcohol, heroin and women had finally taken their toll. Also, the death of solo-artist Tim Buckley to a heroin overdose is prominent. He died at the age of 28 in 1975 after accepting a challenge to imbibe a heavy quantity of the drug. He was put to bed and was found dead when he was checked on later. The strange thing is that his son, Jeff Buckley, also a very talented musician, died at the age of 30 after he drowned when swimming in the Mississippi river in 1997. The reckless lifestyle of musicians has undoubtedly led to many deaths within the profession. In this way it is quite easy to see why some musicians die young. It may not be the fame, but it is the things that go with the fame that kill them.
Musicians and murder
Gunshot- Marvin Gaye (44), John Lennon (40), Notorious B.I.G (24), Tupac Shakur (25)
Stabbing- King Curtis (37), Teddy Diaz (25), James Reese Europe (38), Andre Fortin (38)
Assault- Sonny Boy Williamson I (34), Mia Zapata (27).
Poisoned- Robert Johnson (27).
Numerous musicians have been murdered over the years. The reasons and circumstances of these murders vary greatly. Some of the murders may not have been as a result of the fame of the particular person. This was the case when Marvin Gaye died in 1984, a day before his 45th birthday. Marvin and his father had had an argument about how his mother was being treated. Marvin lashed out at his father, attacking and beating him. His father left the room and on returning with a gun shot him twice in the chest at point blank range. However, leading up to this incident, the intensity of Marvin cocaine addiction had greatly hindered work on a new album. He fell in to a bout of depression and constantly mentioned committing suicide. His mood swings brought about the conflict with his father. It could be said that the death of Marvin Gaye was indirectly related to his lifestyle, in the way it affected his behaviour with other people.
Mia Zapata was 27 when she was brutally raped and strangled in 1993. She fronted a band called The Gits who were rising in popularity at the time and were due to make a new record. She was left for dead on the street and was on her way home when the act took place. Her murderer was never found. It is therefore unclear in this case whether fame was involved in any way.
A death caused by fame was that of John Lennon. After experiencing world stardom with The Beatles, he became a very successful artist in his own right and released many albums with his wife Yoko Ono. They were also very politically active around the world, with John sending his MBE back to the Queen protesting about the Biafran war and Britain supporting USA in the Vietnam war. At the age of 40 he was shot by ‘fan’ Mark David Chapman in 1980. Chapman had called Lennon across when we saw him in the street. When Lennon had turned to leave he was shot 5 times. He was rushed to hospital, but pronounced dead on arrival after massive blood loss. Chapman claimed that he was driven to the act by remarks about Jesus made by Lennon in 1966. Here, perhaps fame could be blamed for Lennon’s murder. Where musicians and murder are concerned, the blame varies in all cases. Sometimes fame and popularity could be blamed, however, there are many cases where these things played no part in the act.
Musicians and Tragedies/Accidents
Air crashes- Aaliyah (22), Buddy Holly (22), Lynyrd Skynyrd (?), Otis Redding (26), Randy Rhoads (25), Stevie Ray Vaughan ( 35)
Car crashes- Mark Bolan (30), Cliff Burton (24), Rob Collins (33), Lynn Strait (30), Eddie Cochran (21).
Drowning- Jeff Buckley (30), Jimmy Hodder (42), Dennis Wilson (39), Brian Jones (27).
Electrocution- Les Harvey (27), Keith Relf (32), John Rostill (31).
Many musicians have been the victims of various accidents and tragedies. Maybe there is a loose link to the air and car crashes as musicians tend to do a lot of travelling in their profession. You could say that as musicians travel more than others then they are more likely to the victim of an accident of that nature. However, in my opinion, these accidents are just a coincidence and have nothing to do with the fame of a particular artist.
At the age of 22 Buddy Holly was killed in an air crash in 1959. He was one of the first major rock ‘n’ roll groundbreakers, and one of its most influential artists. The tour he was on was hit by bad weather and shows were cancelled. Holly chartered a small plane taking him to the next date instead of travelling on a tour bus that had a defective heater and had previously broken down on numerous occasions. Minutes after take off the plane crashed due to the snowy weather. All on board were killed. Maybe his death could be linked to his job as he was on tour at the time, but this may seem a petty thing to point out.
Lynn Strait, who was the vocalist of metal group Snot, was killed in a car crash in 1998 at the age of 30. The band were recording a new album at the time and were set to breakthrough in America after a promising first album. He was caught up in a three car pile-up and his dog Dobbs, who was a mascot for the band, was also killed. There is no link here between Straits profession and the way in which he died.
Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones died in 1969 at the age of 27. He was found dead in the swimming pool of a Sussex house that had once been owned by writer A.A. Milne. It was the end of a tough time for Jones. Prior to the event, The Stones had set about re-establishing themselves, however, at this time, Jones was falling deeper into drug abuse. A conviction in 1968 sparked doubts about his availability for US tours and in the months that followed he contributed less and less to recordings. Tension was further increased by Keith Richards’ wooing and impregnation of Jones’ girlfriend Anita Pallenberg. In June 1969 Jones officially left the group. A month later he was found dead. The official verdict was ‘death by misadventure’. His death can arguably be linked to his lifestyle and the problems he was experiencing at the time, as it is unclear on the complete circumstances of his death. Maybe it was suicide, or had something to do with the drugs he was using at the time.
Personally, I think it is fair to say that a musician’s life and lifestyle is out of the ordinary in many ways. There are numerous temptations that they encounter and often find it hard to resist. In this way, it could be said that their profession is of a more dangerous nature than others. However, this can be said for anyone who is in the media spotlight, for example TV stars and royalty, because these people will also be vulnerable due to their fame. I do believe though, that many musicians become irresponsible and are prepared to take more risks. For a start they are taking a risk by becoming a musician as it is not a job that can provide with a steady income or future. I think they become irresponsible because of the adulation they receive and then think they can do whatever they want because others treat them with such god-like status. These things have led to the deaths of many performers over the years. Another prominent killer is suicide, and this brings up the question of whether creativity and talent is linked with mental instability. It could be said that the fame has been too much for the person to take and this then leads to them taking their own life. Things that had troubled them earlier in life may have been the reasons they created what they did, but, as they become more famous these problems become exposed and eventually lead to downfall. With the fame also comes jealousy from others, and this can sometimes in extreme cases lead to attacks (e.g. George Harrison) and even murder, like in John Lennon’s case. This is another thing that everyone in the media spotlight is susceptible to.
There are also many deaths that cannot be linked to lifestyle or fame and its pressures. For example, traffic accidents, drowning and electrocution could all be put down as purely coincidental. Deaths of this nature are only noted because of the fame of the person. They happen daily in our lives to ‘normal’ people and we are only made aware of these types of death when they happen to someone famous. Although, there could be an argument that in some cases, drowning and electrocution can be loosely linked with being irresponsible.
Every case is different, with different circumstances and causes of death. Many of the deaths could have been avoided if there was a change in lifestyle or someone had been there to help when a musician felt there was no other way out. Conversely, some deaths are unavoidable and they just happen. They may be down to human error or things like the weather, but, nevertheless they cannot be stopped.
Overall, I think that musicians in any shape of form are a strange phenomena that cannot always be explained. Some of them cause their own problems that lead to their downfall and others lead a long a happy life. Some die through carelessness and others die through coincidence or just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Just like any other job it has its downsides, but it also has it upsides. The downsides have been mentioned earlier. The upsides include a productive way of releasing different emotions and being able to get paid for doing something you love. This is why musicians do what they do; because they love what they create. Sometimes they have to pay the price of being able to do something they love.
4. Half of our college FB coaches are hooking up with hookers in our hotels: Hmmm, let's see, app 115 colleges playing Div 1 Ball, Mike Price is the only one I can think of off hand, that is less than 1%.... that's a lot less than the 50% you stated.
It's probably more than half (especially with the Viagara invasion) ... they will be exposed 1 by 1 - starting with Price & that Larry feller, but not ending until they're all exposed.
Bush set the RECORD for state executions in Texas. He has ordered wars resulting in tens of thousands of deaths - he IS A MURDERER. Only God may choose who lives & dies, not George the retard.
2. Our best athlete is a rapist: Is Mike Tyson our best athlete? He's the most prominent athlete I can think of that's been convicted of rape. There's an LA Laker by the name of Bryant that has been ACCUSED of rape. And I wouldn't even consider him our best athlete.
No Tyson isn't our best athlete, but he was. That's a good point you bring up - we have a long history of rapist althete's here in America. From Mike to Kobe ... who's next?? I'm guessing it's going to be LeBonics.
3. All of our best musicians have OD'd: Matter of opinion here, according to your musical tastes, I guess.
http://www.angelfire.com/darkside/clever/deadmusicians.html
How and why do so many popular musicians die at relatively young ages?
by Huw Waters
Introduction
“It is with the deepest regret that we must announce the tragic and premature death of Feeder drummer, Jon Lee. Jon took his own life on Monday, January 7th, at his home in Florida.”
BBC ONLINE NEWS
Just last week another musician’s life was cut short as he took his own life at the age of 33. He becomes another in the long list of deaths of musicians. After enjoying fame with his band Feeder and being a seemingly happy and content person, he decided to commit suicide. He left behind a wife and young child and threw away a promising future. Like many other musicians, he thought this was his only way of coping with his problems. However, it is not only suicide that musicians have to try to avoid. For example, last year pop solo artist Aaliyah was tragically killed in a plane crash at the age of 22. Throughout the Twentieth century many famous musicians have died young in a range of ways, including, car crashes, drug overdoses, murder and even electrocution. Why do so many musicians seem to die at young ages? Is there a link with the lifestyle they lead and the risks they are prepared to take? Does the fame make them irresponsible? Is a musician’s life any more dangerous than a person with a ‘regular’ job? Does fame mean you are more likely to die at a young age? Are their deaths only noted because of their fame? Lots of questions can be asked about why so many musicians die young and it is hard to tell whether or not the fame is directly linked to their deaths. I will attempt to shed some light on these links.
Musicians and suicide
Kurt Cobain (27), Ian Curtis (33), Michael Hutchence (37), Jon Lee (33), Jason Thirsk (28), E. William Tucker (38), Paul Williams (34).
Listed above are just a few names of musicians that have decided that taking their life was the only option. The reasons for a person committing suicide are always hard to understand. In addition, it is hard to determine whether the reasons these people took their own lives were due to the pressures of fame and adulation or whether they were already mentally and physically unstable before becoming famous. Kurt Cobain killed himself on April 5th 1994, in his own home, by basically blowing his own head off. It turned out that this was his second suicide attempt after a failed drug overdose in Rome weeks earlier. He was the front man of grunge band Nirvana who had shot to fame in 1991 after releasing their second album Nevermind. A single (smells like teen spirit) released from the album made sure that the band became world famous. Nevermind went on to sell around 10 million copies throughout the world. It was no secret that the band had never intended to gain this much fame as they were happy just having fun and being themselves. Kurt Cobain also had a history of drug problems. His excuse was that he had a stomach condition and he used various narcotics to numb the pain. After the release of Nevermind and in the time leading up to his eventual suicide there were many incidents in which Kurt had collapsed or became very ill. In addition to his illness, it was known that his parents had split when he was very young and he went and lived with his grandmother. When he took his life he left behind a wife and three year old child. It is hard to say whether he took his own life purely because he became famous. It seems here that fame was a catalyst in his decision, although there were many signs of discontent from a young age that would have added to his reasoning. Personally, I believe that fame had a direct link in this case.
Jon Lee was 33 years old when he took his life in his home in Miami, Florida just last week. He was the drummer in rock band Feeder. They formed in early 1990’s but only reached the UK charts in 2001. An album was released last year and the band profile looked to rise in 2002. The band, however, were not overly famous and could still walk down the street relatively unnoticed. Therefore, it is fair to say that fame cannot be blamed directly for his death. Michael Hutchence aged 37, killed himself in November 1997. He was the singer of INXS, who were at the time warming up for a 20th anniversary tour. At the time he was planning to marry his girlfriend Paula Yates, who was the mother of his 18 months old daughter. People close to the singer before his death said he was in high spirits. However, it was rumoured that he was a user of the drugs cocaine and opium. INXS were known around the world and had been around for years. It seems strange that he chose this moment to take his own life, especially with everything going so well at the time. Therefore, it is very hard to say whether his death had a link with fame.
Musicians and Drugs /Lifestyle
Heroin related deaths- G.G. Allin (36), Tim Buckley (28), Darby Crash (22), Janis Joplin (27), Jonathan Melvoin (34), Jim Morrison (27), Bradley Nowell (28), Hillel Slovak (26), Sid Vicious (21). Other drug related deaths- Tommy Bolin (25), Steve Clark (30), Andy Gibb (30), Shannon Hoon (28), Phil Lynott (34), Keith Moon (31), Elvis Presley (42), Inhalation of vomit- Jimi Hendrix (27), Bon Scott (33), John Bonham (32).
The lifestyle of a musician is sometimes looked upon as over the top and hedonistic. The parties, the drinking, the money, the sex, the drugs; It’s a never-ending roller-coaster ride that sometimes will end in tragedy as mental and physical health deterioates. Musicians and drugs are notoriously and continually linked together. Many musicians have died due to ‘overindulgence’ and experimenting with alcohol and all kinds of illegal drugs. In the 1960’s and 1970’s there was a strong drug culture among youngsters and drugs like acid and LSD were very popular. Some musicians claim that certain drugs help the creative process and help with inspiration. Bands like The Beatles admitted to taking drugs to help them write songs. As the years went by, although drug use was not as popular as the 60’s and 70’s many musicians continued taking drugs and experimenting. Admittedly, many musicians are offered drugs whilst touring around the world. In after show parties there is always free food, women/men and alcohol, and this can sometimes lead on to other things. The partying element would take control and this would lead to destruction of hotel rooms, depraved sexual acts and the use of illegal substances. This type of extreme partying sometimes led to injuries or death for musicians or their friends. It could be said that some musicians become irresponsible and this leads to deaths. Some musicians use the drug taking and drinking as a means to help them cope with the problems of touring and constantly travelling the world. Others use the drugs to help them cope with the pressures of fame. In this way, I think that being a musician can at times be a dangerous job as there are so many things that are offered and pushed towards them. However, this can be said for any other job or pastime that puts someone in the public eye. Anyone famous has to look out for these things. This raises the question of whether a musician has less will power than others, or, depending on how you feel about drugs, wishes to expand their mind in the creative process. Steve Clark of Def Leppard was 30 years old when he was found dead in his London flat. He had consumed a mixture of drugs and alcohol, and was found after he had fallen asleep on his sofa. He had drunk over 3 times the British legal driving limit and there were traces of valium, morphine and codein found in his blood. He had battled alcoholism for many years and was undergoing treatment at the time. He had also been taking painkillers to ease back problems. It is fair to say that the lifestyle of this particular performer had a lot to do with his death.
Keith Moon, drummer with The Who died at the age of 31 after an overdose of Chlormethiazole. It had been self administered, but there was no evidence of intention on Moons part. He was very unpredictable and became known as one of rocks characters after numerous tales of destruction. However he became increasingly reliant upon alcohol and drugs and this had an effect on his work as a musician. It got so bad that one track on the last album he appeared on was recorded without a drum track as he could not hold the beat of the song. There is no doubt that the lifestyle of Moon lead to his demise and even before his death there were many signs that all was not well. Elvis Presley, one of the most popular performers of all time, died in his home in Memphis Tennessee in August 1977. For many people he truly represented the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, and his life and career have now become part of rock legend. After years and years of performing he collapsed onstage on a few occasions. Eventually his body couldn’t take anymore and he passed away on 16th August 1977. The official cause of death was a heart attack, but it was presumably linked to his Barbituate usage over a long period of time. Again this death was caused by the lifestyle of the performer. Had he not been so indulgent, he would have lasted many more years. It is worth noting that one particular drug, namely heroin, had a lot to do with the deaths of many musicians. It is widely believed that heroin is possibly the most dangerous drug of all. Maybe the most famous performer to die of an overdose of heroin was Jim Morrison, singer of The Doors. On July 3rd 1971 he was found dead in the bathtub of his flat. He had died of heart failure. "Heart problems were aggravated by the abuse of alcohol, followed by an abrupt change of temperature caused cardiac arrest." It was said by many that during his final months he had become a shadow of himself and too much alcohol, heroin and women had finally taken their toll. Also, the death of solo-artist Tim Buckley to a heroin overdose is prominent. He died at the age of 28 in 1975 after accepting a challenge to imbibe a heavy quantity of the drug. He was put to bed and was found dead when he was checked on later. The strange thing is that his son, Jeff Buckley, also a very talented musician, died at the age of 30 after he drowned when swimming in the Mississippi river in 1997. The reckless lifestyle of musicians has undoubtedly led to many deaths within the profession. In this way it is quite easy to see why some musicians die young. It may not be the fame, but it is the things that go with the fame that kill them.
Musicians and murder
Gunshot- Marvin Gaye (44), John Lennon (40), Notorious B.I.G (24), Tupac Shakur (25)
Stabbing- King Curtis (37), Teddy Diaz (25), James Reese Europe (38), Andre Fortin (38)
Assault- Sonny Boy Williamson I (34), Mia Zapata (27).
Poisoned- Robert Johnson (27).
Numerous musicians have been murdered over the years. The reasons and circumstances of these murders vary greatly. Some of the murders may not have been as a result of the fame of the particular person. This was the case when Marvin Gaye died in 1984, a day before his 45th birthday. Marvin and his father had had an argument about how his mother was being treated. Marvin lashed out at his father, attacking and beating him. His father left the room and on returning with a gun shot him twice in the chest at point blank range. However, leading up to this incident, the intensity of Marvin cocaine addiction had greatly hindered work on a new album. He fell in to a bout of depression and constantly mentioned committing suicide. His mood swings brought about the conflict with his father. It could be said that the death of Marvin Gaye was indirectly related to his lifestyle, in the way it affected his behaviour with other people.
Mia Zapata was 27 when she was brutally raped and strangled in 1993. She fronted a band called The Gits who were rising in popularity at the time and were due to make a new record. She was left for dead on the street and was on her way home when the act took place. Her murderer was never found. It is therefore unclear in this case whether fame was involved in any way.
A death caused by fame was that of John Lennon. After experiencing world stardom with The Beatles, he became a very successful artist in his own right and released many albums with his wife Yoko Ono. They were also very politically active around the world, with John sending his MBE back to the Queen protesting about the Biafran war and Britain supporting USA in the Vietnam war. At the age of 40 he was shot by ‘fan’ Mark David Chapman in 1980. Chapman had called Lennon across when we saw him in the street. When Lennon had turned to leave he was shot 5 times. He was rushed to hospital, but pronounced dead on arrival after massive blood loss. Chapman claimed that he was driven to the act by remarks about Jesus made by Lennon in 1966. Here, perhaps fame could be blamed for Lennon’s murder. Where musicians and murder are concerned, the blame varies in all cases. Sometimes fame and popularity could be blamed, however, there are many cases where these things played no part in the act.
Musicians and Tragedies/Accidents
Air crashes- Aaliyah (22), Buddy Holly (22), Lynyrd Skynyrd (?), Otis Redding (26), Randy Rhoads (25), Stevie Ray Vaughan ( 35)
Car crashes- Mark Bolan (30), Cliff Burton (24), Rob Collins (33), Lynn Strait (30), Eddie Cochran (21).
Drowning- Jeff Buckley (30), Jimmy Hodder (42), Dennis Wilson (39), Brian Jones (27).
Electrocution- Les Harvey (27), Keith Relf (32), John Rostill (31).
Many musicians have been the victims of various accidents and tragedies. Maybe there is a loose link to the air and car crashes as musicians tend to do a lot of travelling in their profession. You could say that as musicians travel more than others then they are more likely to the victim of an accident of that nature. However, in my opinion, these accidents are just a coincidence and have nothing to do with the fame of a particular artist.
At the age of 22 Buddy Holly was killed in an air crash in 1959. He was one of the first major rock ‘n’ roll groundbreakers, and one of its most influential artists. The tour he was on was hit by bad weather and shows were cancelled. Holly chartered a small plane taking him to the next date instead of travelling on a tour bus that had a defective heater and had previously broken down on numerous occasions. Minutes after take off the plane crashed due to the snowy weather. All on board were killed. Maybe his death could be linked to his job as he was on tour at the time, but this may seem a petty thing to point out.
Lynn Strait, who was the vocalist of metal group Snot, was killed in a car crash in 1998 at the age of 30. The band were recording a new album at the time and were set to breakthrough in America after a promising first album. He was caught up in a three car pile-up and his dog Dobbs, who was a mascot for the band, was also killed. There is no link here between Straits profession and the way in which he died.
Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones died in 1969 at the age of 27. He was found dead in the swimming pool of a Sussex house that had once been owned by writer A.A. Milne. It was the end of a tough time for Jones. Prior to the event, The Stones had set about re-establishing themselves, however, at this time, Jones was falling deeper into drug abuse. A conviction in 1968 sparked doubts about his availability for US tours and in the months that followed he contributed less and less to recordings. Tension was further increased by Keith Richards’ wooing and impregnation of Jones’ girlfriend Anita Pallenberg. In June 1969 Jones officially left the group. A month later he was found dead. The official verdict was ‘death by misadventure’. His death can arguably be linked to his lifestyle and the problems he was experiencing at the time, as it is unclear on the complete circumstances of his death. Maybe it was suicide, or had something to do with the drugs he was using at the time.
Personally, I think it is fair to say that a musician’s life and lifestyle is out of the ordinary in many ways. There are numerous temptations that they encounter and often find it hard to resist. In this way, it could be said that their profession is of a more dangerous nature than others. However, this can be said for anyone who is in the media spotlight, for example TV stars and royalty, because these people will also be vulnerable due to their fame. I do believe though, that many musicians become irresponsible and are prepared to take more risks. For a start they are taking a risk by becoming a musician as it is not a job that can provide with a steady income or future. I think they become irresponsible because of the adulation they receive and then think they can do whatever they want because others treat them with such god-like status. These things have led to the deaths of many performers over the years. Another prominent killer is suicide, and this brings up the question of whether creativity and talent is linked with mental instability. It could be said that the fame has been too much for the person to take and this then leads to them taking their own life. Things that had troubled them earlier in life may have been the reasons they created what they did, but, as they become more famous these problems become exposed and eventually lead to downfall. With the fame also comes jealousy from others, and this can sometimes in extreme cases lead to attacks (e.g. George Harrison) and even murder, like in John Lennon’s case. This is another thing that everyone in the media spotlight is susceptible to.
There are also many deaths that cannot be linked to lifestyle or fame and its pressures. For example, traffic accidents, drowning and electrocution could all be put down as purely coincidental. Deaths of this nature are only noted because of the fame of the person. They happen daily in our lives to ‘normal’ people and we are only made aware of these types of death when they happen to someone famous. Although, there could be an argument that in some cases, drowning and electrocution can be loosely linked with being irresponsible.
Every case is different, with different circumstances and causes of death. Many of the deaths could have been avoided if there was a change in lifestyle or someone had been there to help when a musician felt there was no other way out. Conversely, some deaths are unavoidable and they just happen. They may be down to human error or things like the weather, but, nevertheless they cannot be stopped.
Overall, I think that musicians in any shape of form are a strange phenomena that cannot always be explained. Some of them cause their own problems that lead to their downfall and others lead a long a happy life. Some die through carelessness and others die through coincidence or just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Just like any other job it has its downsides, but it also has it upsides. The downsides have been mentioned earlier. The upsides include a productive way of releasing different emotions and being able to get paid for doing something you love. This is why musicians do what they do; because they love what they create. Sometimes they have to pay the price of being able to do something they love.
4. Half of our college FB coaches are hooking up with hookers in our hotels: Hmmm, let's see, app 115 colleges playing Div 1 Ball, Mike Price is the only one I can think of off hand, that is less than 1%.... that's a lot less than the 50% you stated.
It's probably more than half (especially with the Viagara invasion) ... they will be exposed 1 by 1 - starting with Price & that Larry feller, but not ending until they're all exposed.
L,
1. The state of Texas, not Bush, set a record for executions. If you don't want to pay, don't play. What a great state! And you didn't name all of the other presidents who have sent men into combat. Truman knocked them off 50,000 at a time.
2. Tyson was our best athlete?????? I must have missed the NBA, NFL and MLB shutting down during that period.
3. Can't argue with this point, but people die of drug use everyday. In every country.
4. Have you been talkng to Railbird again?
You might be happier in Canada, I don't know. But I have been to Toronto and it is a nice city. GL.
1. The state of Texas, not Bush, set a record for executions. If you don't want to pay, don't play. What a great state! And you didn't name all of the other presidents who have sent men into combat. Truman knocked them off 50,000 at a time.
2. Tyson was our best athlete?????? I must have missed the NBA, NFL and MLB shutting down during that period.
3. Can't argue with this point, but people die of drug use everyday. In every country.
4. Have you been talkng to Railbird again?
You might be happier in Canada, I don't know. But I have been to Toronto and it is a nice city. GL.
1. The state of Texas, not Bush, set a record for executions. If you don't want to pay, don't play. What a great state! And you didn't name all of the other presidents who have sent men into combat. Truman knocked them off 50,000 at a time.
Nope, Bush could have stopped any execution he wanted, but he didn't because he thrives on murders as proven my his 2 unjust wars in two years
2. Tyson was our best athlete?????? I must have missed the NBA, NFL and MLB shutting down during that period.
Back in the day he was getting compared to Ali, just like Kobe was getting compared to MJ. I hope nobody gets compared to Gretzky or they'll probably rape some innocent girl too.
3. Can't argue with this point, but people die of drug use everyday. In every country.
The cut your hands off in some countries is you do drugs. We should do this too. That would teach Rasheel Wallace a lesson next time he tries to smoke a joint with his elbows.
4. Have you been talkng to Railbird again? I don't know Railbird, but he seems well informed on this monster Kobe - I have to admire those who stand up to the US criminal machine.
Nope, Bush could have stopped any execution he wanted, but he didn't because he thrives on murders as proven my his 2 unjust wars in two years
2. Tyson was our best athlete?????? I must have missed the NBA, NFL and MLB shutting down during that period.
Back in the day he was getting compared to Ali, just like Kobe was getting compared to MJ. I hope nobody gets compared to Gretzky or they'll probably rape some innocent girl too.
3. Can't argue with this point, but people die of drug use everyday. In every country.
The cut your hands off in some countries is you do drugs. We should do this too. That would teach Rasheel Wallace a lesson next time he tries to smoke a joint with his elbows.
4. Have you been talkng to Railbird again? I don't know Railbird, but he seems well informed on this monster Kobe - I have to admire those who stand up to the US criminal machine.
L,
1. If this is your reasoning I guess you'd better blame Clinton instead of Bush, he was above Dubyah on the pardoning chain of command.
2. You did say "best athlete" didn't you? I don't think being a great fighter makes someone a great athlete. And just being compared to someone doesn't make them our "best athlete".
3. I don't think you're going to be happy in Canada. Try Saudi Arabia or Iran. Canada doesn't seem too concerned about casual drug usage.
4. If you admire Railbird you really need to see someone and seek help. Railbird doesn't have a clue....
1. If this is your reasoning I guess you'd better blame Clinton instead of Bush, he was above Dubyah on the pardoning chain of command.
2. You did say "best athlete" didn't you? I don't think being a great fighter makes someone a great athlete. And just being compared to someone doesn't make them our "best athlete".
3. I don't think you're going to be happy in Canada. Try Saudi Arabia or Iran. Canada doesn't seem too concerned about casual drug usage.
4. If you admire Railbird you really need to see someone and seek help. Railbird doesn't have a clue....
1. If this is your reasoning I guess you'd better blame Clinton instead of Bush, he was above Dubyah on the pardoning chain of command. 95%+ of all politicians are evil. Clinton was a lying adulter & should be castrated along with Kobe & Mike. I think the bigger problem is that the America system is failing all of us.
2. You did say "best athlete" didn't you? I don't think being a great fighter makes someone a great athlete. And just being compared to someone doesn't make them our "best athlete".
Always debatable, but Mike is up there - as was MJ, Gretz, and some others. Well, MJ was an adulterer too ... so even if you pick him we still have a history of
3. I don't think you're going to be happy in Canada. Try Saudi Arabia or Iran. Canada doesn't seem too concerned about casual drug usage.
I value freedom of speech too much, but maybe something in between would suit me??
4. If you admire Railbird you really need to see someone and seek help. Railbird doesn't have a clue....
I admire everyone that speaks the truth. JJ is another great man IMO.
2. You did say "best athlete" didn't you? I don't think being a great fighter makes someone a great athlete. And just being compared to someone doesn't make them our "best athlete".
Always debatable, but Mike is up there - as was MJ, Gretz, and some others. Well, MJ was an adulterer too ... so even if you pick him we still have a history of
3. I don't think you're going to be happy in Canada. Try Saudi Arabia or Iran. Canada doesn't seem too concerned about casual drug usage.
I value freedom of speech too much, but maybe something in between would suit me??
4. If you admire Railbird you really need to see someone and seek help. Railbird doesn't have a clue....
I admire everyone that speaks the truth. JJ is another great man IMO.
L,
1. That whole castration thing is a little over the edge for me. Castration just for getting a piece of strange is a little radical for my way of thinking.
2. Not denying Tyson wasn't a hell of an athlete. Just saying not the best of his time.
3. You're going to have a hard time with this one. Any country that places value on freedom of speech will probably have drugs available to it's populace. Maybe smoking dope encourages freedom of speech, but good luck on finding something in between.
4. I agree with speaking the truth, but living in a fantasy world ain't the truth. Have you considered moving to Huntington Beach? Rail seems to like it there. It is, however, still in the US and I've heard rumors that some people there still smoke a little ganja from time to time. Oh well, no place is perfect. GL on your move.
BTW...if you smoke cigs, scratch the HB move. Rail is contemplating leading a civil war against smokers and I'd assume he'd start there first.
1. That whole castration thing is a little over the edge for me. Castration just for getting a piece of strange is a little radical for my way of thinking.
2. Not denying Tyson wasn't a hell of an athlete. Just saying not the best of his time.
3. You're going to have a hard time with this one. Any country that places value on freedom of speech will probably have drugs available to it's populace. Maybe smoking dope encourages freedom of speech, but good luck on finding something in between.
4. I agree with speaking the truth, but living in a fantasy world ain't the truth. Have you considered moving to Huntington Beach? Rail seems to like it there. It is, however, still in the US and I've heard rumors that some people there still smoke a little ganja from time to time. Oh well, no place is perfect. GL on your move.
BTW...if you smoke cigs, scratch the HB move. Rail is contemplating leading a civil war against smokers and I'd assume he'd start there first.
Tyson was railroaded,
I can only hope some of you are accused of something and are found guilty based on someone else's words and not physical evidence.
Good thing we have open borders though,
cause you can always leave, unlike a sizable portion of the world's population that is forced to exist under oppression and in poverty.
I can only hope some of you are accused of something and are found guilty based on someone else's words and not physical evidence.
Good thing we have open borders though,
cause you can always leave, unlike a sizable portion of the world's population that is forced to exist under oppression and in poverty.
I commend Rail's civil war efforts against smokers - it is a filthy unGodly habit those smokes are nearly as evil as Kobe.
Max,
Do you see all these horrible problems we have? These problems are the direct result of drugs. How, you ask? Think about our last 2 presidents - we have Billy the "Bong hitter" & Georgie the "cokehead" ... of course we're messed up. There is really only one solution to this problem. We need to put ALL drug offenders behind bars for LENGTHY periods of time. We need an utopian idealist of ethics to clean America of filth like Kobe, Mike & all the smokers. Our children deserve this
Max,
Do you see all these horrible problems we have? These problems are the direct result of drugs. How, you ask? Think about our last 2 presidents - we have Billy the "Bong hitter" & Georgie the "cokehead" ... of course we're messed up. There is really only one solution to this problem. We need to put ALL drug offenders behind bars for LENGTHY periods of time. We need an utopian idealist of ethics to clean America of filth like Kobe, Mike & all the smokers. Our children deserve this
Exactly - and in my opinion, Tiger Woods is our greatest athlete. The man is rewriting the history of golf - and he is no Craig Stadler, the man is a stone athlete.
There are a lot of other good men in sports who don't rape or commit adultery - they just don't make the news usually, and why should they?? You don't thank someone for being good, you only hear about them when they've done something bad.
There are a lot of other good men in sports who don't rape or commit adultery - they just don't make the news usually, and why should they?? You don't thank someone for being good, you only hear about them when they've done something bad.
