MUSICIANS WHO DIED IN DECEMBER 2021
MUSICIANS WHO DIED IN DECEMBER 2021
DECEMBER 1
ALVIN LUCIER (90) / AMERICAN COMPOSER OF EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC AND SOUND INSTALLATIONS, A SOUND ARTIST. LATE 1950s STUDIED WITH AARON COPLAND. IN 1960 TO ROME AS A FULLBRIGHT FELLOW, MET FREDERIC RZEWSKI (RZEWSKI DIED IN JUNE 2021, CHECK THE JUNE SUBPAGE), SAW JOHN CAGE, MERCE CUNNINGHAM, DAVID TUDOR PERFORM. IN 1962 BECAME A DIRECTOR OF THE UNIVERSITY CHAMBER CHORUS AT BRANDEIS. AT THEIR 1963 NYC CONCERT, LUCIER MET ROBERT ASHLEY, GORDON MUMMA, EXPERIMENTAL COMPOSERS AND DIRECTORS OF THE ONCE FESTIVAL AND THE THREE, PLUS DAVID BEHRMAN FORMED THE SONIC ARTS GROUP (LATER CALLED THE SONIC ARTS UNION). ALVIN LUCIER'S BEST WORK IS "I AM SITTING IN A ROOM" (1969). IN "NORTH AMERICAN TIME CAPSULE" (1966) USED AN EARLY VOCODER TO MANIPULATE SPEECH, IN "MUSIC ON A LONG THIN WIRE" (1977) A PIANO WIRE ACTIVATED BY AN AMPLIFIED OSCILLATOR AND MAGNETS, IN "CLOCKER" (1978), BIOFEEDBACK AND REVERBERATION.
DECEMBER 3
MELVIN PARKER (77) / AMERICAN MUSICIAN, A DRUMMER, GREAT FUNK DRUMMING INNOVATOR, AN IMPORTANT MEMBER OF JAMES BROWN'S BAND, LIKE HIS BROTHER, SAXOPHONIST MACEO PARKER. IN THE MID-1960s PLAYED ON THREE JAMES BROWN RECORDINGS "I GOT YOU (I FEEL GOOD)", BROWN'S HIGHEST-CHARTING HIT, "PAPA'S GOT A BRAND NEW BAG", "OUT OF SIGHT". THEN GOT DRAFTED, BUT REJOINED BROWN IN 1969 TO RECORD THE SEX MACHINE ALBUM. LEFT IN 1970 TO PLAY IN HIS BROTHER'S BAND, MACEO & ALL THE KING'S MEN. IN 1976 RETURNED TO BROWN SHORTLY TO RECORD HIS HIT "GET UP OFFA THAT THING". JAMES BROWN SAID: "THE GREATEST DRUMMER I EVER HAD IN MY LIFE WAS MELVIN PARKER".
DECEMBER 5
JOHN MILES (72) / BRITISH ROCK VOCALIST, GUITARIST, KEYBOARDIST. BEST KNOWN FOR HIS HIT SINGLE "MUSIC" (1976). PLAYED LOCALLY WITH PAUL THOMPSON (LATER ROXY MUSIC) AND VIC MALCOLM (LATER GEORDIE). IN 1971 FORMED THE JOHN MILES SET. MADE FOUR ALBUMS AND 18 SINGLES FOR DECCA (1976-1979). FROM 1985, FREQUENTLY PLAYED THE NIGHT OF THE PROMS. FROM 1985 TOURED WITH TINA TURNER AND WAS ON HER ALBUMS, WAS ON JIMMY PAGE'S 1988 ALBUM OUTRIDER AND TOURED WITH HIM, IN 1992 PLAYED HAMMOND ORGAN ON JOE COCKER'S ALBUM NIGHT CALLS. JOHN MILES WAS A GUEST SINGER ON FOUR ALBUMS BY THE ALAN PARSON'S PROJECT. IN 2017 WON THE "OUTSTANDING MUSICAL ACHIEVEMENT" AT PROGRESSIVE MUSIC AWARDS. MADE TEN STUDIO AND TWO LIVE ALBUMS.
DECEMBER 6
JÁNOS KÓBOR (78) / HUNGARIAN ROCK SINGER, FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE FAMOUS HARD / PSYCHEDELIC / PROGRESSIVE / SPACE ROCK BAND OMEGA. FORMED IN BUDAPEST IN 1962, OMEGA WAS HUNGARIAN BIGGEST ROCK GROUP. IN 1968 TOURED ENGLAND AND MADE AN ALBUM THERE. IN 1969 RECORDED THEIR GREATEST, INTERNATIONAL HIT "THE GIRL WITH PEARLY HAIR", COVERED IN MANY COUNTRIES, INCLUDING AN ENGLISH VERSION BY THE GERMAN BAND SCORPIONS. THE SONG WAS ALSO ILLEGALLY SAMPLED BY KANYE WEST IN HIS SONG "NEW SLAVES" IN 2013. THE OMEGA CLASSIC LINEUP, FORMED IN 1971, PLAYED FOR FORTY YEARS. THEY MADE OVER TWENTY ALBUMS. JÁNOS KÓBOR SUPPORTED VACCINATION, BUT REFUSED TO GET VACCINATED HIMSELF AND WAS KILLED BY COVID-19.
CHRIS ACHILLEOS (74) / CYPRIOT-BRITISH PAINTER AND ILLUSTRATOR. PUBLISHED WORKS IN HEAVY METAL AND RADIO TIMES MAGAZINES AND ON BOOK COVERS AND POSTERS. IN 1979 WHITESNAKE'S LOVEHUNTER ALBUM COVER. IN 2003, ALBUM COVER AND ARTWORK FOR GARY HUGHES' ROCK OPERA ONCE AND FUTURE KING PART I. INFLUENCED KATE BUSH'S "BABOOSHKA" VIDEO.
DECEMBER 7
GREG TATE (64) / AMERICAN WRITER, MUSICIAN, PRODUCER, CULTURAL CRITIC WORKING FOR THE VILLAGE VOICE (1987-2005). A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE BLACK ROCK COALITION, THE LEADER OF BURNT SUGAR.
DECEMBER 8
BARRY HARRIS (91) / AMERICAN MUSICIAN, JAZZ PIANIST, BANDLEADER, COMPOSER, ARRANGER, EDUCATOR. STARTED LEARNING PIANO AT 4, INFLUENCED BY THELONIOUS MONK AND BUD POWELL. BASED IN DETROIT, HARRIS WORKED WITH MILES DAVIS, SONNY STITT, THAD JONES. LATER WITH GENE AMMONS AND MAX ROACH AFTER RICHIE POWELL WAS KILLED. LATER COLLABORATIONS INCLUDE CANNONBALL ADDERLEY'S QUINTET, DEXTER GORDON, YUSEF LATEEF, ILLINOIS JACQUET, HANK MOBLEY. SPENT 4 YEARS WORKING WITH COLEMAN HAWKINS AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD (1965-1969). IN THE 1970s LIVED WITH THELONIOUS MONK AT THE HOME OF BARONESS PANNONICA de KOENIGSWARTER. KILLED BY COVID-19 ONE WEEK BEFORE HIS 92nd BIRTHDAY.
GIL BRIDGES (80) / AMERICAN SAXOPHONIST, FLUTIST, LEAD SINGER AND FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE PSYCHEDELIC ROCK / SOUL BAND RARE EARTH. AS THE ONLY MEMBER, BRIDGES PLAYED WITH RARE EARTH THROUGH THEIR ENTIRE CAREER, OVER 60 YEARS! AND WAS THE LAST MUSICIAN FROM THE ORIGINAL LINEUP. KIILLED BY COVID-19.
ROBBIE SHAKESPEARE (68) / JAMAICAN BASS GUITARIST, SINGER AND RECORD PRODUCER FROM THE FAMOUS REGGAE RHYTHM SECTION SLY AND ROBBIE HE CREATED WITH THE DRUMMER SLY DUNBAR. THEY WORKED WITH PETER TOSH, BUNNY WAILER, AUGUSTUS PABLO, U-ROY, DENNIS BROWN, GREGORY ISAACS SUGAR MINOTT, YELLOWMAN, BLACK UHURU. ROBBIE SHAKESPEARE RECORDED WITH CULTURE (TWO SEVENS CLASH, 1977), BOB DYLAN, GRACE JONES, YOKO ONO, PETER TOSH, JOAN ARMATRADING, SINEAD O'CONNOR, CARLY SIMON, JOE COCKER, MICK JAGGER, STING, SERGE GAINSBOURG, JACKSON BROWNE, GARY BARLOW, GARLAND JEFFREYS.
DECEMBER 9
STEVE BRONSKI (61) / BORN STEVEN WILLIAM FORREST, SCOTTISH SINGER-SONGWRITER, FOUNDING MEMBER, WITH JIMMY SOMERVILLE AND LARRY STEINBACHEK, AND KEYBOARD PLAYER OF THE SYNTH-POP BAND BRONSKI BEAT. CO-WROTE THEIR TWO GREAT HITS "SMALLTOWN BOY" AND "WHY?".
DECEMBER 10
MENSI ( ) / BORN THOMAS MENSFORTH, ENGLISH PUNK ROCK SINGER AND FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE PUNK ROCK / Oi! BAND ANGELIC UPSTARTS FORMED IN 1977 IN SOUTH SHIELDS WITH RAY "MOND" COWIE ON GUITAR, STEVE FORSTEN ON BASS GUITAR, DEREK "DECCA" WADE ON DRUMS. MENSI WAS THE ONLY ORIGINAL MEMBER STILL PLAYING WITH THE BAND. ANGELIC UPSTARTS WERE ONE OF THE PIONEERS OF BOTH PUNK ROCK AND Oi! AND TRUE LEGENDS PLAYING FOR NEARLY 45 YEARS. DURING THAT TIME THEY HAD 25 BAND MEMBERS WHO ALSO PLAYED SO DIFFERENT GROUPS AS COCKNEY REJECTS, ROXY MUSIC, BLAGGERS ITA, LONG TALL SHORTY, MAJOR ACCIDENT, THE BLOOD. ANGELIC UPSTARTS WERE KNOWN FOR THEIR ANTI-FASCIST AND SOCIALIST WORKING CLASS VIEWS. THEY MADE 12 STUDIO ALBUMS AND 7 LIVE ONES. MENSI WAS KILLED BY COVID-19.
MICHAEL NESMITH (78) / AMERICAN ROCK AND POP MUSICIAN, SINGER, GUITARIST, SONGWRITER, ACTOR, PRODUCER, NOVELIST. GOT A GUITAR FROM HIS MOTHER, STARTED PLAYING AND PERFORMING ALSO SONGWRITING. HIS EARLY SONGS WERE RECORDED BY THE PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND, LNDA RONSTADT, FRANKIE LAINE, THE NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND. IN 1965 NESMITH JOINED THE TELEVISION POP-ROCK GROUP THE MONKEES.
DECEMBER 11
GARTH DENNIS (72) / BORN RUDOLPH DENNIS ON 2 DECEMBER 1949, JAMAICAN REGGAE MUSICIAN. IN 1972 FORMED BLACK UHURU WITH DON CARLOS AND DUCKIE SIMPSON. THEN HE LEFT TO JOIN THE WAILING SOULS. SPENT SOME TIME IN THE US, THEN CAME BACK TO JAMAICA TO REJOIN THE REFORMED ORIGINAL BLACK UHURU LINEUP. IN 1991 MADE THE GRAMMY-NOMINATED ALBUM NOW. IN 1998 SIMPSON GOT THE RIGHTS TO THE BAND'S NAME AT COURT. IN 2008 DENNIS RETURNED TO THE WAILING SOULS. IN 2015 FIRST SOLO ALBUM TRENCHTOWN 19 3RD STREET, FEATURING SLY DUNBAR AND CARLTON "SANTA" DAVIS.
DECEMBER 13
JOHN NOLAN ( ) / AUSTRALIAN PUNK ROCK GUITARIST. INFLUENCED BY HIS TRADITIONAL JAZZ BACKGROUND. PLAYED IN BEHIND THE MAGNOLIA CURTAIN AND IN 1987 STARTED THE PUNK ROCK BAND BORED!, NAMED AFTER THE DETROIT PUNK ROCK GROUP DESTROY ALL MONSTERS' SINGLE "BORED". BORED! MADE FIVE ALBUMS, BUT NOLAN LEFT AFTER THE SECOND ONE, WITH BASS GUITARIST TIM HEMENSLEY (EX- PUNK ROCK GOD) IN 1991 TO FORM THE PUNK / INDIE BAND POWDER MONKEYS (1991-2002). IN 1995 THEY SUPPORTED THE US HARDCORE SINGER HENRY ROLLINS AND IN 1996 PUNK RADIO BIRDMAN, THEN THE HELLACOPTERS, THEN DICTATORS, DEAD MOON. IN 2001 NOLAN HAD A NEAR-FATAL, HEROIN-RELATED HEART ATTACK. IN 2003 TIM HEMENSLEY OVERDOSED ON HEROIN AND DIED AT 31. JOHN NOLAN WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF SPENCER P. JONES AND THE ESCAPE COMMITTEE AND THE POWERLINE SNEAKERS AND HOSS.
DECEMBER 14
PHIL CHEN (75) / JAMAICAN BASSIST, VERY POPULAR AS A SESSION MUSICIAN IN THE UK. KNOWN FOR HIS WORK WITH BUTTS BAND FORMED BY EX-DOORS JOHN DENSMORE AND ROBBY KRIEGER (1973-1975) AND THEN FOR 10 YEARS (2004-2013) WITH THE DOORS OF THE 21ST CENTURY WHICH, FOR LEGAL REASONS, CHANGED THE NAME TO D21C AND THEN TO MANZAREK KRIEGER. PHIL CHEN FIRST PLAYED WITH THE VIKINGS IN JAMAICA IN THE 1960s, MOVED TO ENGLAND IN 1965, WORKED WITH JIMMY JAMES AND THE VAGABONDS. LATER WITH DONOVAN, JEFF BECK, JOAN ARMATRDING, BRIAN MAY'S STAR FLEET PROJECT (WITH EDDIE VAN HALEN), ROD STEWART, ERIC CLAPTON, RAY CHARLES, BOB MARLEY, DESMOND DEKKER, JIMMY CLIFF, JERRY LEE LEWIS, DAVE EDMUNDS, PETE TOWNSHEND, JACKSON BROWNE, LINDA LEWIS.
DECEMBER 15
FRANCISCO KRÖPFL (90) / ARGENTINIAN COMPOSER AND MUSIC THEORIST BORN IN ROMANIA. IN THE 1950s ONE OF THE PIONEERS OF ELECTROACOUSTIC MUSIC IN LATIN AMERICA. IN 1958 FOUNDED THE ESTUDIO DE FONOLOGIA MUSICAL AT THE UNIVERSIDAD DE BUENOS AIRES, THE FIRST ELECTRONIC MUSIC STUDIO IN LATIN AMERICA. IN 1977 RECEIVED A GUGGENHEIM FELLOWSHIP FOR MUSIC COMPOSITION.
DECEMBER 18
TAM HARVEY ( ) / SCOTTISH BLUEGRASS GUITAR PLAYER. PLAYED ACOUSTIC, PEDAL STEEL, MANDOLIN. IN 1965 IN GLASGOW FORMED WITH BILLY CONNOLLY THE FOLK ROCK DUO THE HUMBLEBUMS. TAM HARVEY TAUGHT THE BIG YIN (THE BIG ONE - NOW SIR BILLY CONNOLLY) THE GUITAR. BILLY CONNOLLY WHO SANG, PLAYED BANJO AND GUITAR, LATER BECAME STAND-UP COMEDIAN AND ACTOR. IN 1968 THEY MADE THEIR DEBUT ALBUM FIRST COLLECTION OF MERRY MELODIES (REL. FEB. 1969). IN 1969 THEY WERE JOINED BY SINGER-SONGWRITER GERRY RAFFERTY (DIED IN 2011). TAM HARVEY LEFT SOON. LATER WORKED AND RECORDED WITH THE SCOTTISH SINGER HAMISH IMLACH.
DECEMBER 19
BILLY CONWAY (66) / AMERICAN JAZZ-INFLUENCED ALTERNATIVE ROCK DRUMMER. DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY AT YALE AND CAPTAIN OF YALE'S ICE HOCKEY TEAM. AT YALE MET HARMONICA PLAYER JIM FITTING (LATER THE THE, BONNIE RAITT). WHEN THEY MOVED TO BOSTON THEY FORMED PUNK-BLUES / ALTERNATIVE ROCK TREAT HER RIGHT (1985-1991, 2009-2011) WITH BASSIST MARK SANDMAN AND GUITARIST DAVID CHAMPAGNE (AKA DAVID ALCOTT). IN 1989 MARK SANDMAN STARTED JAZZ / ALTERNATIVE ROCK MORPHINE INVITING BARITONE SAX DANA COLLEY AND DRUMMER JEROME DEUPREE. LATER BILLY CONWAY OFTEN SUBBED FOR DEUPREE OR THEY PLAYED TOGETHER. AFTER SANDMAN'S DEATH IN 1999, CONWAY AND COLLEY FORMED ORCHESTRA MORPHINE AND LATER TWINEMEN WITH SINGER LAURIE SARGENT. CONWAY SOMETIMES JOINED VAPORS OF MORPHINE, A LEGACY BAND AND ALSO GUESTED ON ALBUMS AND GIGS. IN 2020, SERIOUSLY ILL, MADE HIS FIRST SOLO ALBUM OUTSIDE INSIDE.
RON ANDERSON (75) / AMERICAN VOCAL COACH AND OPERA SINGER. HELPED TO IMPROVE THE VOCAL TECHNIQUES OF OZZY OSBOURNE, NANCY WILSON, BJÖRK, CHRIS CORNELL, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, TIMOTHY B. SCHMIT, MARY J. BLIGE, SEAL, ALICIA KEYS, LENNY KRAVITZ, NEIL DIAMOND, ADELE, JOSS STONE, JANET JACKSON, AVRIL LAVIGNE, LZZY HALE OF HALESTORM, MYLES KENNEDY, MATT HEAFY OF TRIVIUM, M. SHADOWS OF PUNK SUCCESSFUL FAILURE AND METAL AVENGED SEVENFOLD, TOM KEIFER OF CINDERELLA, TOM CRUISE.
DECEMBER 20
PAUL MITCHELL ( ) / AMERICAN R&B SINGER, FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE DETROIT VOCAL GROUP THE FLOATERS (1976-1982). THEIR BIGGEST HIT WAS "FLOAT ON" (#1 IN 1977). ALSO IN DECEMBER 1977 COVERED DUSTY SPRINGFIELD'S "YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME" FROM 1966, WHO COVERED THE ITALIAN ORIGINAL "IO CHE NON VIVO (SENZA TE)" (#1 IN ITALY IN MARCH 1965).
LUBOŠ ANDRŠT (73) / CZECH BLUES ROCK, JAZZ ROCK, FREE JAZZ AND ROCK GUITARIST. MADE 10 SOLO ALBUMS AND 6 WITH HIS BLUES BAND. IN 1998 AND 2000 PLAYED CONCERTS WITH B.B. KING. PLAYED AND RECORDED WITH FRAMUS FIVE, MARTIN KRATOCHVÍL'S JAZZ Q, COLLEGIUM MUSICUM, ENERGIT, EMIL VIKLICKÝ, JIŘÍ STIVÍN.
DECEMBER 21
TONY WILLIAMS (90) / BORN ANTHONY WILLIAMS, AKA MUFF-MAN, TRINIDADIAN DRUMMER, ARRANGER, COMPOSER, BANDLEADER, INVENTOR, DESIGNER, PIONEER AND MUSICIAN OF THE STEEL PAN. WHEN HE WAS A TEENAGER, STEEL PANS WERE OUTLAWED FROM THE STREETS AS TOO NOISY. PLAYED WITH THE LEGENDARY STEEL ORCHESTRA, SUN VALLEY. A MEMBER OF THE TRINIDAD ALL STEEL PERCUSSION ORCHESTRA (TASPO). HIS BAND NORTH STARS TOURED A LOT, PLAYING ALSO AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN AND THE LINCOLN CENTER. WILLIAMS INVENTED THE SPIDER WEB TENOR PAN THAT HAD 29 NOTES.
DECEMBER 24
MARCO MATHIEU (57) / ITALIAN HARDCORE PUNK BASS GUITARIST. PLAYED WITH THE HARDCORE LEGEND NEGAZIONE, FORMED IN FEBRUARY 1983 IN TURIN WITH GUITARIST TAX AND DRUMMER ORLANDO JOINING FORCES WITH TWO GUYS FROM THE SHORT-LIVED ANTISTATO BAND (ONE GIG ONLY) SINGER ZAZZO AND BASSIST MARCO. THEY WERE ACTIVE WITH MANY DIFFERENT DRUMMERS TILL 1992. NEGAZIONE WERE ONE OF THE PIONEERS OF THE ITALIAN HARDCORE PUNK SCENE LIKE THE EARLIER BANDS CCM, WRETCHED, RAW POWER, KINA, INDIGESTI. 1984 A SPLIT CASSETTE MUCCHIO SALVAGGIO WITH DECLINO, 1985 DEBUT 7" EP TUTTI PAZZI, SECOND EP IN AMSTERDAM CONDANNATI A MORTE NEL VOSTRO QUIETO VIVERE, 1986 FIRST ALBUM LO SPIRITO CONTINUA, 1988 SECOND ALBUM LITTLE DREAMER, 1989 TWO EPs BEHIND THE DOOR AND SEMPER IN BILICO, 1990 LONG US TOUR WITH DOA AND NEW ALBUM 100%. 1991 MONSTERS OF ROCK WITH AC/DC AND METALLICA FOR 45,000 PEOPLE. NEGAZIONE PLAYED LAST GIG 19 JULY 1992. MARCO MATHIEU HAD A STROKE IN 2017 AND WAS IN A COMA. HE DIED ON 24 DECEMBER 2021.
J.D. CROWE (84) / BORN JAMES DEE CROWE, AMERICAN BANJO PLAYER, BLUEGRASS BAND LEADER. STARTED AS A TEENAGER WITH JIMMY MARTIN AKA THE KING OF BLUEGRASS, PLAYING WITH HIM FOR FOUR YEARS. IN 1961 CROWE FORMED THE KENTUCKY MOUNTAIN BOYS, IN 1971 RENAMED THE NEW SOUTH WHO PLAYED WITH ELEMENTS OF ROCK AND COUNTRY.
OSCAR LÓPEZ RUIZ (83) / ARGENTINIAN JAZZ GUITARST, MUSIC PRODUCER AND COMPOSER. COMBINED JAZZ ELEMENTS WITH TANGO. IN 1961 JOINED ASTOR PIAZZOLLA QUINTET. YEARS LATER FORMED NUEVO TANGO QUINTET. WROTE A BOOK PIAZZOLLA, LOCO, LOCO, LOCO: 25 AÑOS DE LABURO Y JODAS CONVIVIENDO CON UN GENIO (2018).
DECEMBER 28
MIKEY CHUNG (71) / JAMAICAN KEYBOARDIST, GUITARIST, PERCUSSIONIST. RECORDED WITH PETER TOSH, GRACE JONES, BLACK UHURU (FOUNDER GARTH DENNIS DIED OVER 2 WEEKS AGO), SLY DUNBAR AND ROBBIE SHAKESPEARE (DIED 3 WEEKS AGO), JOE COCKER, SINÉAD O'CONNOR. WORKED WITH MANY REGGAE BANDS INCLUDING LEE SCRATCH PERRY'S THE UPSETTERS, ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO, JAMES BROWN, THE ROLLING STONES, MAXI PRIEST, SERGE GAINSBOURG.
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