Rock stars and drugs go together like…well…movie stars and
drugs. With wealth and celebrity status comes the temptation of illegal
drugs, and rock stars are especially notorious for their indulgences.
All too often, a talented musician’s addictions put a huge strain on
their relationships with loved ones. And while the lucky ones end up in
rehab, some rock legends O.D. at the peak of their careers.
Here are the seven most tragic rock overdoses of all time, and a
speculation on where these rock stars would be today, had they lived.
7. Shannon Hoon
LIVED: 1967-1995, 28 Years Old
BAND: Blind Melon
How He Died
Shannon Hoon, lead singer of the 90’s band Blind Melon, died at the
age of 28 from a drug overdose while on tour in 1995. Hoon, who had a
history of drug use and was in rehab, joked on his 28th birthday that he
escaped the Forever 27 Club, a group of musicians who tragically died
at the age of 27, which includes the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Jim
Morrison, Janis Joplin, and Kurt Cobain. Hoon expressed relief at
passing this milestone only to die three weeks later.
Where Would He Be Today?
Considering that Blind Melon still tours (although they are presently
in search of a permanent lead), Shannon Hoon would most likely still be
with the band. One imagines that he would hit the stage tripping acid
in a white dress, in the tradition of his Woodstock ’94 performance,
while touring with Gin Blossoms and Spin Doctors. He would still be a
great father to his daughter Nico Blue, and a compassionate man.
If Shannon Hoon had lived without cleaning up his act, however, he
could have become a bad influence for his child. His interest in macabre
topics, such as the Forever 27 Club, may have grown into a depressive
focus that may have led him deeper into a spiral that could have ended
with another OD.
6. Sid Vicious
LIVED: 1957-1979, 21 Years Old
BAND: Sex Pistols
How He Died
Bass player for the seminal punk band, Sex Pistols, John Simon
Ritchie met his end after a heroin overdose at the young age of 21,
shortly after the band broke up. He OD’d on pure heroin while awaiting
trial for the fatal stabbing of Nancy Spungen, his longtime girlfriend,
who was by many accounts, a controlling, violent, and destructive
partner to Sid.
Where Would He Be Today?
He would probably be in jail if he had lived. He claimed his
innocence in the alleged murder of Nancy Spungen, and reportedly, his
claims ranged from, “I didn’t do it,” to “She fell on the knife,” to
“Ok, I stabbed her, but I didn’t mean to
murder her.” The latter is like Lee Harvey Oswald saying, “Sure I shot the president, but I didn’t mean to
kill him.”
Even if he had been set free, it is doubtful he would still be a
musician today, because according to almost everyone around him, he
never really was.
Vicious was asked join the Sex Pistols because he was buddies with
singer Johnny Rotten, and possessed the right “look” for the band—all
this despite the fact he had never played bass in his life. Vicious was
so bad that Pistols guitarist Steve Jones would secretly unplug Sid’s
amp during performances.
Vicious died right at the height of his notoriety as poster-boy for
the punk rock movement, exemplifying the sentiment made by Kurt Cobain
that, ‘It’s better to burn out than fade away…because then nobody will
know what a thoughtless and talentless hack you really are’
(paraphrased).
5. Michael Jackson
LIVED: 1958-2009, 50 Years Old
BAND: The Jackson Five, but Mostly Solo
How He Died
Evidence came to light after his death that Jackson was on a steady
diet of prescription narcotics, which included propofol, lorazepam, and
midazolam, which eventually led to his untimely demise.
Where Would He Be Today?
Not enough time has passed between Michael Jackson’s death and the
present day to gain any real perspective, but one can assume he would
continue his downward descent into creepiness, or have become a polite,
old recluse. If he had lived, he could have made a comeback, producing
more music and delight for the world.
The more likely scenario though, would be more creepy antics from the
“King of Pop”. As Obi-Wan said of Darth Vader, “he has become more
machine than man.” So, too, would Michael Jackson have become more
plastic than man, until eventually the only glimpse one could get of him
in his natural state would have to be far from open flames and windows.
4. Keith Moon
LIVED: 1946-1978, 32 Years Old
BAND: The Who
How He Died
Keith Moon, aka “Moon the Loon,” was well known for his onstage
antics, as well as his off-stage debauchery. His propensity for
consuming alcohol was legendary. Tragically, it was his decision to quit
drinking that led to his downfall. He was given a prescription
narcotic, clomethiazole, to ease his alcohol cravings, with instructions
to take not more than three per day.
Moon, with characteristic lack of restraint, did not stop at three on
an evening when his urge for a drink must have been particularly
strong. The police determined there were 32 pills in his system, with
the digestion of six sufficient to cause death; the other 26 of which
were still un-dissolved when he died.
Where Would He Be Today?
Moon would still play with The Who at their special event shows and
mini-tours, were he alive in 2010. In addition, what with Hollywood’s
present mode of taking beloved childhood cartoons and turning them into
big-budget live-action movies, Moon would star as Animal in a
live-action version of
The Muppets (a character that was reportedly based on Moon himself).
Upon seeing that movie (which would almost certainly suck), he would begin drinking again.
3. Janis Joplin
LIVED: 1943-1970, 27 Years Old
BAND: Big Brother, Kozmic Blues, and Full Tilt Boogie Band
How She Died
Janis Joplin died on October 4th, 1970 from a heroin overdose. Her
body was discovered at her hotel after she failed to show up at the
studio, where, ironically, she was scheduled to record the vocals for
the song, “Buried Alive by the Blues.”
It is believed that Joplin had accidentally been given heroin which
was much more potent than normal, as several of her dealer’s other
customers also overdosed that week.
Where Would She Be Today?
Janis could have been an iconic performer, guest-starring on TV favorites like
South Park and
Saturday Night Live.
If she had lived, Janis may have released more music, and reminded
today’s youth of a time when kids fought for freedom with earnest desire
for peace.
Being an iconic singer and voice of a generation, Joplin would almost
certainly find a home as a resident performer in Las Vegas, where time
stands still. Janis, Elton, and Bette would be able to be seen at the
Palms dining on a vegan brunch while wearing matching muumuus. Aging
tourists would weep with reverence, and so would the rest of us, albeit
for different reasons.
2. Jim Morrison
LIVED: 1943-1971, 27 Years Old
BAND: The Doors
How He Died
Jim Morrison died on July 3rd, 1971 from a heroin overdose. It is
widely assumed that he found his girlfriend Pamela Courson’s stash,
snorted it believing it was cocaine, and subsequently OD’d.
Perhaps the most tragic part of the story was that Courson found him
before he died, with blood running out of his nose, but he seemed to be
okay, so she went to sleep. When she woke up, he was dead. She
apparently ignored that unwritten law that states, “When you see someone
with blood running down their face,
you request immediate medical attention.”
Where Would He Be Today?
The Doors had broken up; Morrison was focusing on his spoken-word poetry just prior to his death. His
American Prayer
tome became a bestseller after his death. He may have written more
poetry, and become an adjunct professor of musical history and poetry.
One can only imagine Jim Morrison as an aging scenester, hosting an
open mic poetry slam at a Seattle’s Best Coffee in Tacoma, Washington,
offering a free Café Americano to the most inspiring performance of the
night. He may have reached middle age and become just a washed-out
version of his former self. Or, Morrison could have become a convict,
finally allowing the sorrow in his heart to lead him astray.
1. Jimi Hendrix
LIVED: 1942-1970, 27 Years Old
BAND: The Hendrix Experience, but Mostly Solo
How He Died
Hendrix choked on his own vomit after passing out from a mixture of
alcohol and pills. His partner, Monika Dannemann, reportedly awoke the
morning of September 18th, 1970, and found him unresponsive.
Dannemann claimed in her testimony that they returned to her lodgings
the evening before, where Hendrix (unbeknownst to her) took nine of her
prescribed vesparax sleeping pills. The normal medical dose was half a
tablet, but Hendrix was unfamiliar with this very strong German brand.
Others believe that Hendrix was murdered by his manager, Mike Jeffery,
but these allegations have not been confirmed, nor seriously
investigated.
Where Would He Be Today?
Being arguably the single greatest rock musician since the genre’s
inception, it is almost certain that Hendrix would still have a career
in music today. Whether he stayed clean and became a role model for
struggling hipsters, or became dependent upon prescription drugs,
Hendrix would have continued to be a living legend for musicians.
However, given the career paths of other great but aging rock
musicians, his career would have become less and less relevant as time
went on, from recording a pop duet with Elton John in the ‘80’s, to
guest staring on a Toni Braxton album in the 90’s, to recording a crappy
blues album with John Mayer in the early 2000’s, to finally being
reduced to play the National Anthem on the guitar with his teeth before
L.A. Clippers games.
CONCLUSION
Tragic overdoses cut short the lives of some of history’s best,
enigmatic musicians—artists whose work inspired multiple generations,
and will most likely continue to inspire future generations. Of course
it is a tragedy that their lives were lost, but perhaps an even bigger
tragedy is that we will never get to hear the work they would have
accomplished had they lived. It serves as a lesson to all young kids
hoping to be musicians, reminding them that nobody can release albums
after they’re dead (except maybe Tupac).
n April 5, 1994, Kurt Cobain took his own life at his home in Seattle, Washington. Tuesday marked the anniversary of the Nirvana rocker's death. His daughter, Frances Bean Cobain, was not yet two years old when her father died. Now 18, Frances is focusing on her future, and online interest is heating up.
Krist Novoselic, bassist for the landmark rock band, will join Dave Grohl, Nirvana's former drummer, for a stint with Grohl's band, The Foo Fighters. Details are scant, but it appears that Novoselic will appear on at least one of the tracks. Though Grohl has been rocking with the Foos for some time, the band hasn't released anything new since 2007's "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace."
