OT-Just don't know what you have till it's gone....

[blackfish]

As I stare outside on this rainy Philadelphia

morning, I find myself humming the words to "Ebin" by Sublime. Reading the threads/news about the death of Dimebag Darrel has jolted my memory as to how I felt when Bradley Nowell died almost 10 years ago.

I hear the epic drum intro to "When the Levee Breaks", and I think of John Bonham. I hear "Soul One" and think of Shannon Hoon from Blind Melon. In fact almost every instant of my life could be put to the words and music of myself or another human being. I'm sorry to get heavy here, but I think that in the talks of the RIAA, advancing technology, tube compressors and which ones are better than others and what microphones we need (or at least act as if we can afford ), we lose touch with the element of this industry that brought us here in the first place....the people playing the music, entertaining the crowd and writing the soundtracks to our lives. Who do you most miss now that they are gone? Did you appreciate them and their music as much when they were alive as you do now that they are dead?

[Base]

One of my all-time favourite bands and it happened quite early on when I had only really been 'into' music for a few years, one day we were told that Freddy Mercury publicly admitted he had Aids, the next day he was gone.

 

The one band I truly regret never seeing live. I've seen Brian May take an unannounced guest spot with other bands twice and I took my girlfriend (an even bigger Queen fan!) to see a tribute band whose singer was just uncanny and were better than many big-name original acts!! Nothing would really compare to seeing the original band tho...

 

And on a side-note, electric six can go f&*k themselves and probably will

[Tedster]

Good thread. I miss the ones, of course, that I never got the chance to see live, and who had the biggest impact on me.

 

Another "death anniversary" went by unmentioned in November. November 21st, I believe. But, I am glad to say that I did see George Harrison live in Detroit back in 1974.

 

To me, deaths like Harrison, Lennon, Dimebag, SRV, etc., are the most tragic, because they did nothing self-destructive to bring it about.

[Sp3nc3r]

I'd like to have seen Metallica during the Cliff Burton days. Another fantastic musician that got cut down due to outside forces. A shame, really.

 

There's a host of others as well. But that one, I'm willing to bet no one else would've mentioned.

 

Cheers!

Spencer

[Base]

Yes, that's a good point. I remember seeing Kirk Hammett being interviewed about it years later. He said he'd never spoken of it before and gave a story about how they'd been arguing and were fighting over who got a bunk on the bus and drew cards for it and Cliff won it with the ace of spades and made a big deal about it being the card of death. Then of course, the person who was in that bunk didn't have a chance when the bus crashed. Wasn't sure what to make of it, it seemed a bit OTT to be believable but he was quite emotional recounting the tale.

 

Ted, as great a loss as George was, it could be argued as through self-destructive tendencies, lung cancer after years of heavy smoking...

[bearded yeti]

I saye, guns best be abolished completely.

 

If twoe folkes have a problem with one anothre, they can settle it thee old fashuned way, via a goode olde fashioned round o' fisticuffs.

[blackfish]

Yeah Ted I Didn't get too see any of my idols (perform) live! they passed before I got the chance. Now a days I go see every band I ever liked, because you just don't know when you will see them again. People don't perform as often, tickets can be outrageous, and shoot...they die. I will miss SRV, and George as well. George always seemed like the type of petrson you could sit and talk to for a long time. I "imagine" that's how he and Lennon spent much of their time. I really wish I had been older than 12 when Page/Plant did their reunion tour and performed with Jason Bonham....that would have been pretty close.

[Tedster]

Originally posted by The Baseter of Christmas Gone:

Ted, as great a loss as George was, it could be argued as through self-destructive tendencies, lung cancer after years of heavy smoking...

Good point, Base. I stand corrected on that one. I was trying to contrast those types of deaths with those "live fast/die young mindset" type of deaths.

[The Thrashole]

I actually have seen both Dime countless times and I saw Cliff Burtons last U.S. show. I learned so much from those guys just watching them perform. The one I missed was seeing Randy Rhoades In San Antonio when ozzy pissed on the alamo, I had tickets to that show. It was going to be my first concert. Randy was another one that did nothing to create his demise.

[DJDM]

Originally posted by The Tedster of Christmas Present:

Originally posted by The Baseter of Christmas Gone:

Ted, as great a loss as George was, it could be argued as through self-destructive tendencies, lung cancer after years of heavy smoking...

Good point, Base. I stand corrected on that one. I was trying to contrast those types of deaths with those "live fast/die young mindset" type of deaths.

In all fairness to Mr. Harrison he died of brain not lung cancer.

[Phait]

I was alive when SRV was alive, but I was just a kid. I hadn't even known of him until I was maybe 12. I wish he was still here, and Hendrix - but all the wishing in the world won't bring them back. We just have to keep them 'alive' by listening to and playing their music and talking about them.

 

Layne Staley of Alice In Chains was a semi-shock - it was sad but it was very real that it was is how own fault, even though he spoke of how damaging drugs were and seemed to have a conscience about it... he was a big inspiration to me in my early teens, with guitar and just lyrical writing and such - and I always looked forward to the next AIC album.

 

Johnny Cash... I grew up hearing country around the house on TV and records - my grandma still loves country, but as I got older I just didn't like it. I knew who Cash was and I was very surprised when he covered "Hurt". After his death I bought his autobiography and read it in 2 days - it was great to hear it in his own words.

 

Kurt Cobain - another inspiration and I loved Nirvana, I was just in 3rd grade I believe... I don't remember much about the day the news broke but I'm sure I was saddened as well, I was still a kid then too.

 

I've got a couple of these guys listed at my inspirations article and how they inspire me...

http://written.phait-accompli.com/opinion/inspire.php

[offramp]

I got to see SRV when I was in college. Must've been about '84. He played at Clowes Hall, right across the street from my house. For a venue that's accustomed to classical and theatre, it was deafening.

Damn... the more I think about it, it was fucking unbelievably loud.

 

The one I'm most sad about never getting to see was Terry Kath. It wasn't until I'd reached adulthood (such as I have) that I really began to appreciate his work with Chicago. I was a big fan of Chicago back then ('78, just shy of high school), and his death really hit me hard. All the kids I knew at school--save for one or two of my friends--couldn't understand why I was so upset. Not that I would have expected any different.

[Botch.]

Originally posted by offramp:

The one I'm most sad about never getting to see was Terry Kath. It wasn't until I'd reached adulthood (such as I have) that I really began to appreciate his work with Chicago. I was a big fan of Chicago back then ('78, just shy of high school), and his death really hit me hard. All the kids I knew at school--save for one or two of my friends--couldn't understand why I was so upset. Not that I would have expected any different.

Offramp, I'd wager a guess that you weren't in band at that time. I learned about Kath's death when I showed up for band my first year in high school (first period) and it was a black day for everyone in the bandroom.

[deanmass]

I actually had a discussion with Mitch Gallagher once because I thought he was a midget. I swear to god, I was willing to bet money on it. I had seen a doctored photo of him playing guitar. I was not into Pantera at all, but probably should have been given the clips I have heard in the past day or so.

 

Brad from Sublime blew me away. That pic on the inside of his CD with his kid...whoa. That CD was damn near perfect.

 

Cobain, I am sorry to day, other than for the tragedy of it, I saw it right away as ok, now he is gonna become Lennon-ized, but he was not that caliber of musician or writer. I really think he had already pretty much given all he had in the short span of Nirvana.

 

Layne Staley only surprised me because I had kind of forgotten about him. I really thought he was special as a vocalist, but when I saw then open for Kiss in KC, MO in 96", he was so high he basically had to be steered to the mic. He sang his ass off, right on key/cue, but it was apparent he was flying.

 

Out of all the people I can think of musically in my lifetime that have died too young, I have to say that Bob Marley is the most tragic. I was into the Police, and at the time, thought myself quite the reggae hipster, but I knew ( and probably still know) dick about reggae, and totally missed what was special about him. When I started DJing, I played 'Jammin' as my last song. I never bothered to listen to the rest of the CD until after I stopped DJ'ing and playing bass again. It was amazing. I rank Bob Marley up there with Elvis/Beatles/ and any other huge music icon. I still think his music is still expanding, while most of the other 'icons' music is/are in a state of contraction.

 

So...listen to someone new tomorrow, or someone there was a buzz about that you either did not get or did not catch. That way, if something happens, you will kow first hand what makes them special rather than hearing on the news like I did on DD.

 

Now, I gotta go find me a Tom Waits CD...and try....again....to 'get it'. In the meantime, I am iPodding to dreamland with Bob Marley.

[rog951]

Chet Atkins played the Birchmere in Northern Virginia and I had plans to go. Something really stupid and trivial came up (like it was raining or something) and I decided I'd just catch him next time around. Damn!

[offramp]

Originally posted by Botch.:

Originally posted by offramp:

The one I'm most sad about never getting to see was Terry Kath. It wasn't until I'd reached adulthood (such as I have) that I really began to appreciate his work with Chicago. I was a big fan of Chicago back then ('78, just shy of high school), and his death really hit me hard. All the kids I knew at school--save for one or two of my friends--couldn't understand why I was so upset. Not that I would have expected any different.

Offramp, I'd wager a guess that you weren't in band at that time. I learned about Kath's death when I showed up for band my first year in high school (first period) and it was a black day for everyone in the bandroom.

Botch, you just lost that wager. I'm the son of a band director...I'd been in band since it was legal.

 

I had some good friends who were upset, yes--they were in band with me, horn players and such--but no one I knew was as into Chicago as I was, having been raised on them (along with the Beatles and BS&T) since their first album. I haven't listened to "I Don't Want Your Money" since just after he died.

[Odyssian]

Another great talent that I miss is Peter Bardens, keyboardist from the prog band Camel.

[deanmass]

Originally posted by Odyssian:

Another great talent that I miss is Peter Bardens, keyboardist from the prog band Camel.

Never heard of that dude or group.... Got a link or is it a googler?