Sadly, this weekend Robert Becerra of the Stains passed away. The cause of deathas liver cancer, which he was battling to his last day. He was 64. Becerra inspired many artists including Greg Ginn, Greg Hetson, the Dead Kennedys, and many, many more. we send our best wishes to Becerra's family.
Sadly, according to Cherry Nishida of Zouo, Sakevi Yokoyama, founder and frontman of GISM has passed away. Few details are available, but we will update you as things develop. Sakevi famously sang for GISM, who recorded a groundbreaking punk and metal mélange. He also was a renown visual artist. We send our condolences to Yokoyama's family.
Sadly, last Wednesday John Kezdy of The Effigies was killed in a bike accident. He was 64. Apparently, an Amazon delivery van illegally stopped in a bike lane on Wednesday afternoon in the Chicago suburb of Glencoe. Kezdy collided with the van. Kezdy was taken to the hopsital but passed away shortly thereafter. The Glencoe Public Safety Department. stated “Based on the initial investigation, the bicyclist was traveling northbound on Sheridan Road past South Avenue when he struck the rear of a stopped Dodge Ram ProMaster." Kezdy was a regular cyclist and an attorney. We send Kezdy's family our best wishes.
Jamie Reid, the artist who created the artwork for the Sex Pistols, has passed away. He was 76. No cause of death has been made public. A statement posted by the John Marchant Gallery reads,
"We sadly announce the passing of Jamie MacGregor Reid 16 January 1947 - 8 August 2023. Artist, iconoclast, anarchist, punk, hippie, rebel and romantic. Jamie leaves behind a beloved daughter Rowan a granddaughter Rose, and an enormous legacy.”
We send our condolences to Jamie Reid’s family, friends, and fans.
Sinéad O’Connor has passed away at the age of 56. Her family announced her passing in a statement that reads,
”It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad. Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.”
Sinéad O’Connor released 10 studio albums during her career and was in the process of working on a new album according to a post on Facebook. In 1992, she tore up a picture of Pope John Paul II on SNL during her cover of “War” by Bob Marley’ to protest the rampant child abuse in the Catholic Church. This resulted in her being banned from NBC for life. In 2018, she converted to Islam and changed her name to Shuhada' Davitt but she continued to use the name Sinéad O’Connor professionally. We send our condolences to Sinéad O’Connor’s family, friends, and fans.
Rick Froberg, of Hot Snakes, Drive Like Jehu, and Pitchfork, has passed away. He was 55 years old. A statement released by John Reis on Instagram reads,
”Rick passed away suddenly last night from natural causes. His art made life better. The only thing he loved more than art and rock n roll was his friends. He will forever be remembered for his creativity, vision and his ability to bring beauty into this world. I love you, Rick. I will miss you for the rest of my life.”
Rick Froberg was also a visual artist and illustrator who created the artwork for all of his bands. We send our condolences to Rick Froberg’s family, friends, and fans.
Teresa Taylor (aka Teresa Nervosa), former drummer for Butthole Surfers, has passed away. She was 60 years old and passed away due to complications from lung disease. The band announced her passing in a Twitter statement that reads in part,
”Teresa Taylor passed away peacefully this weekend after a long battle with lung disease. She will live in our hearts forever. RIP, dear friend.”
Teresa Taylor drummed in the band from 1983 to 1989. She played on Psychic… Powerless… Another Man's Sac, Cream Corn from the Socket of Davis, Rembrandt Pussyhorse, Locust Abortion Technician and Hairway to Steven.She also appeared in Richard Linklater’s 1991 film Slacker. We send our condolences to Teresa Taylor’s family, friends, and fans.
Tina Turner, the “Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll”, has passed away. She passed away at age 83 after a long illness at her home in Küsnacht, Switzerland. Tina Turner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, with Ike Turner in 1991 and as a solo artist in 2021. She went on to release 10 solo albums, the last of which was 1999’s Twenty Four Seven, and retired in 2007. We send our condolences to Tina Turner’s family, friends, and fans.
Sadly, Algy Ward, who was in The Damned from 1979-1980 has passed away. Ward played bass on the seminal Machine Gun Etiquette album. After the Damned, he formed tank, who were part of the NWOBH movement. Before the Damned, Ward played in the Saints and appeared on their second and third albums. He was 63. You can hear some of his recordings below.
Sadly, Andy Rourke of The Smiths has passed away. He was 59. The death followed “a lengthy illness with pancreatic cancer.”
Rourke served as the Smiths bassist for the bands entire run. Following that, he played with many groups, including Peter Hook's Freebass, Sinead O'Connor, and The Pretenders. You can hear some of Rourke's work below.