print
Page 1 of 2
Yeah, but how do you define untimely? Like this: The artists on our list died when they clearly had their best work ahead of them.
John Lennon, Marvin Gaye, Freddie Mercury and so many others left this earth before their time, but they’d each already made a masterpiece. Also, the artists on our list didn’t die by their own hand, whether the quick way (Ian Curtis, Kurt Cobain) or a slower, more accidental path (Hendrix, Charlie Parker, etc). The musicians here were basically minding their own business when their lives were cut short.
9. Cliff Burton (1962-1986)
Metallica’s original bassist died when the band’s bus flipped in Sweden in 1986, before …And Justice For All and the Black Album cemented the band, with replacement bassist Jason Newsted, as the kings of metal. Still, Metallica remained spooked by Burton’s death for decades to come. As recently as this year, longtime guitarist Kirk Hammett confessed to Metallica still being scared of buses.
8. Aaliyah (1979-2001)
The R&B starlet, who gave us the instant-classic “Are You That Somebody,” died in a plane crash in the Bahamas after shooting the video for a song called “Rock The Boat.” Her death sent shockwaves through the hip-hop and R&B communities, even making DMX sentimental.
7. Ronnie Van Zant (1948-1977)
In some ways the quintessential premature rock ‘n’ roll death, Van Zant’s story is well-known to any half-serious music fan. A plane crash killed Lynyrd Skynyrd’s lead singer in 1977, just as punk-rock was ramping up, but the band carried on without him—and indeed kept playing as Skynyrd after subsequent sidemen passed as well, with brother Johnny Van Zant helming the vocals.
6. Jeff Buckley (1966-1997)
In one of pop music’s most heart-wrenching gone-before-their-time stories, this budding singer/songwriter drowned while swimming in the Mississippi River shortly after the release of his album Grace, which became famous for its spine-tingling cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”
The Notorious M.O.V.I.E.
Stax Readies Otis Redding's Live on the…
The 30 Best Saturday Night Live Characters
10 Bands Out Of South Florida You…
17 Musicians Share Their Favorite Cocktails
2012 Grammy Predictions and Proclamations
The 50 Best Movies of 2011
The 50 Best Movies of the Decade…
The 20 Best Movies of 2011 (So…
The 17 Best Romantic Comedies This Decade
Album Stream: Princeton - Remembrance of Things…
Video Premiere: Firehorse - "Our Hearts"
Album Stream: Eisley - Deep Space
Video Premiere: Rhett Miller - "Tower of…
Wow, very disappointing list in my opinion. I have a hard time accepting that Tupac, Biggie, and Ronnie Van Zant fit the criteria of not having a masterpiece under their belts. I could easily see them on this list, but using the criteria you state at the beginning I'd also include Bob Marley and Stevie Ray Vaughn. Aaliyah just feels like an honorable mention, and who's to say Metallica wasn't a better band because of Cliff Burton's death.
I think Jim Croce rates here too...
would question whether Sam Cooke was merely minding his own business when he was shot. His might have been a bit more avoidable. Would you not agree?
This again proves why Paste doesn't matter anymore. You've become a whore to your advertisers, and lost your journalistic integrity. The absence of Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi Hendrix, and Joplin are more than disgusting. Maybe your young, hip, audience doesn't remember these artist, but you do. This is why I stopped buying your rag, For shame.
Where is Jimi? He left a lot of good stuff, but imagine what he could/would have done by now...
Same goes for Stevie Ray, lots of good stuff remains, but what else would have he have done by now?
Who knows what path Janis Joplin might have trod, where is she on the list?
I would totally agree with Jeff Buckley being on the list, that was pure tragedy, a genius voice cut down even before his prime... His dad too, Tim, for that matter.
What about John Bonham of Led Zeppelin?
bonzo, jimi and janis all died by their own hand (sorta). the intro says these are all people who were taken down in circumstances that shouldnt have happened: drowning, plane crash, drive by.
and i know he coked himself to death, thus preventing him from making the list, but shannon hoon definitely had his best years ahead of him.
Not including Gram Parsons, who died the day before pop star Jim Croce, on this list is inconceivable. With his best work solo and w/ Emmylou still ahead of him, bringing country music into a new century, he should be near the top of the list.
Will James
Gram Parsons Project & Gram National
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gram-National-2010/267975977963
so if jimi doesn't count b/c self inflicted i guess i don't understand tupac or biggie. neither of those guys were shot to death just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Nick Drake.
Jim G: your outrage might be more well-received it if weren't so painfully obvious that you apparently consider Paste to be somewhat relevant, or at least relevant enough to still read (even though you don't think it's relevant enough to actually pay for the privilege anymore). And you might want to read the first paragraph of the article re. why Jimi and Janis aren't on the list. But then again, what do I know? I'm not old enough to remember them personally, so I suppose I should have nothing to say on the matter, or on any music that came out before the mid 1970s.
Hey people 'Reading is Fundamental'
It clearly says no suicides, or overdoses.