Don Van Vliet, aka Captain Beefheart (1941-2010)

Many of you wrote in with the news that Don Van Vliet, better known to the world as avant-garde musician and painter Captain Beefheart, passed away this week after to complications from multiple sclerosis. He was 69.

Vilet was the creative mind behind the Magic Band and such acclaimed genre-bending albums as 1969's Trout Mask Replica and 1978's Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller). He was famous for his collaborations with Frank Zappa. The legacy of experimental albums like Trout Mask Replica can be heard throughout modern day punk and independent music, with artists like Johnny Rotten, The Clash, Tom Waits, Stiv Bators and the Pixies among its disciples.

Cartoonist Matt Groening of The Simpsons fame reminisced about listening to Trout Mask Replica at the age of 15 and thinking…

"that it was the worst thing I'd ever heard. I said to myself, they're not even trying! It was just a sloppy cacophony. Then I listened to it a couple more times, because I couldn't believe Frank Zappa could do this to me - and because a double album cost a lot of money. About the third time, I realized they were doing it on purpose; they meant it to sound exactly this way. About the sixth or seventh time, it clicked in, and I thought it was the greatest album I'd ever heard.

Our deepest condolences go out to the Captain's family, friends and fans.

Jesse Rich (1978-2010)

Jesse "Jess the Mess" Rich of Orange County punk band Broken Bottles passed away last week from a drug overdose. Julia Smut, drummer for the Redondo Beach punk act Smut Peddlers had this to say:

Jess always kept you guessing. Onstage you might get silly string, some fireworks and sometimes some really stinky stink bombs! I know Jess battled some demons. I wish he had been able to beat them. I hope he is somewhere where they do not exist. He will live on forever in the music he created. It will be a while before I can listen to one of their records, but when I do, I will remember him fondly!

Some stories have been posted in The OC Register and OC Weekly about the sad news.

Our deepest condolences to Jesse's friends and family.

Throbbing Gristle's Peter 'Sleazy' Christopherson (1955-2010)

Musician, visual artist, designer and video director Peter 'Sleazy' Christopherson has died at the age of 55. Christopherson, a veteran of bands such as Throbbing Gristle, Psychic TV and Coil, passed away this past Wednesday at his home in Bangkok, Thailand.

As a member of the design agency Hipgnosis, Christopherson created record sleeve artwork in the 70s for Factory Records and bands like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. He took the first promotional photograph of the Sex Pistols and created window displays for Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood's clothing shop, SEX. In `76 he helped form the band Throbbing Gristle and Industrial Records, later going on to play in Psychic TV and Coil. At his death Christopherson was working on a cover version of Nico's 1970 album Desertshore.

Our deepest condolences go out to Peter's family, friends and fans.

J.P. Toulon of Old Skull, Planned Collapse (1980-2010)

Jean Paul Toulon of pre-school punks Old Skull and later, crust-punk outfit Planned Collapse, has passed away sources report. Few details have been released about the cause of death, but the news has been confirmed through Scott Sturgeon of Star Fucking Hipsters. SFH previously includes J.P.'s brother, Jamie Toulan, also formerly of Old Skull.

Old Skull was formed when Toulon was 10 years old and featured his 9 year old brother. They released material on Restless Records and opened for bands such as GWAR, the The Flaming Lips and Sonic Youth. The band even earned notoriety from television programs like A Current Affair and publications such as Life, People and Newsweek. They split up after the release of their second album, 1992's C.I.A. Drug Fest .

Our deepest condolences to his friends and family.

Jimmy “Dim Menace” Borghino of 7 Seconds (-2010)

Kevin Seconds updated his Facebook profile noting that original 7 Seconds vocalist Jimmy "Dim Menace" Borghino had passed away. He said this:

Extremely sad news, confirmed earlier tonight: Jimmy "Dim Menace" Borghino, 7Secs' 1st singer, passed away yesterday. i don't have many details but it has been confirmed by 3 friends close to the family. Sadly, Dim & I hadn't been in touch much over the last 10 years or so but this is terrible news. my thoughts go out …to the Borghino and Froines family.

After 7 Seconds, Jimmy went on to form Section 8. Our condolences to his friends and family.

Ari Up of The Slits (1962-2010)

Ariane "Ari Up" Forster of The Slits has passed away at 48. Ari Up formed The Slits when she was 14, in 1976. After The Slits split in 1981, she moved with her husband and twin children to jungle regions of Indonesia and Belize, living among indigenous people in those areas. Later, they moved to Jamaica, eventually settling in Kingston. She continued to make music, first with the New Age Steppers, then solo as Baby Ari, Madussa, and Ari Up.

John Lydon made the announcement on his official website:

John [Lydon] and Nora [Forster] have asked us to let everyone know that Nora's daughter Arianna (aka Ari-Up) died today (Wednesday, October 20th) after a serious illness. She will be sadly missed.

Our condolences to her friends and family.

Michael “Eyedea” Larson (1981-2010)

Micheal "Eyedea" Larsen, member of The Rhymesayers passed away at 28. According to Twin Cities City Pages, he was found yesterday morning. His mother, Kathy Averill said this on his Facebook profile:

It is with great pain and sadness that I tell you my son Mikey (Eyedea) has passed away. At this time we kindly request your respect and our privacy as we process this devastating loss. On behalf of Mikey's family, close friends and fans, thank you.

Our deepest condolences to his friends, family and fans.

Makh Daniels of Early Graves (1982-2010)

More sad news today as we've learned that Makh Daniels, vocalist for Bay Area metal outfit Early Graves, was killed in a van accident in Oregon earlier this week. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the driver of the van was 24 year-old Justin Garcia of The Funeral Pyre, the band with which Early Graves was touring. According to the article, Garcia fell asleep and allowed the van to drift off the right shoulder of the freeway as the bands were heading south on Interstate 5 near Medford, OR, en route to Reno, NV after playing a show last weekend in Eugene, OR.

Our deepest condolences go out to Daniels's friends, family and fans.

Slowjam bassist Darren Davies (1968-2010)

On Sunday August 1st, bassist Darren Davies of the Welsh band Slowjam passed away at the age of 41.

Davies formed the group in 1987 with friends Dave Alderman and Matt Grey, formerly of Cardiff bands the Soldier Dolls and I Mobster. On the band's 1990 album Crabapple, recorded by Iain Burgess, Slowjam experimented with "the drum machine hardcore of Big Black, the dance rhythms of the Effigies and the melody of DC bands such as Fugazi." Slowjam supported Naked Raygun on their UK tour, recorded a split with art rock act Crabladder, released a 12" titled Freefall and another full length titled Pig on Stator. They were active until 1993 when they disbanded to pursue other projects.

Thanks to Welly of Artcore Fanzine for the details on Slowjam's career. Our deepest condolences go to Darren's family and friends.

Derf Scratch (Fear)

Original Fear bassist Derf Scratch passed away on July 28th after a prolonged illness. Born Frederick Milner, Scratch played with the controversial Los Angeles punk act since the band's formation in 1977. He was a friend of the late John Belushi, a friendship that led to Fear's infamous appearance on Saturday Night Live. Scratch also appeared with Fear in the film The Decline of Western Civilization.

Our condolences go out to Scratch's friends, family and fans.