Again, we are going to continue with the “It’s Better to Burn Out…” theme. This week we pick up where we left off; 1979. This list covers much less time due to the sheer number of deaths. Read 1959-1969 and 1970-1978.

Very few people would recognize the name Simon John Ritchie. But if I said the name Sid Vicious, the majority of the world would know who I was talking about. The bassist for the breakout punk band The Sex Pistols is known more for his “punk” image than his poor bass playing. His relationship with Nancy Spungen is also infamous. The two were heroine addicts and it was one night filled with drug abuse that he stabbed Nancey. He was later arrested and charged for her death. Then the night following his release on bail, after detoxing from heroine while in prison, he overdosed on heroine.

I’m not sure the story on John Lennon’s death is a surprise to anyone by now. I recently watched the movie “Chapter 27″. Unfortunately, it was a terrible movie. I hoped it would be good after watching “The US vs. John Lennon” renewed my interest in the singer. Despite being watched meticulously by the FBI, it was not his activism that led to his death. He was shot by Mark David Chapman unprovoked, even after Lennon had signed a copy of the album “Double Fantasy” for Chapman earlier that night.

Ian Curtis has also had his life documented in a biopic recently. It documents the majority of his life, straight through to his death. His music and lyrics are notorious for being filled with images of isolation, death, and alienation. Unfortunately it appeared he wrote from personal experience and it was these feelings that lead to his suicide by hanging.

John Bonham is possibly the greatest drummer of all time. It is unfortunate that so many great talents, like his or Hendrix’s, are lost too soon. Who knows what he would have gone on to create. What is worse is the senseless way in which he passed away. Simply put, he drank himself to death. After a long day of binge drinking he was put to bed where he drowned in his own vomit. It is terrible how common a theme pulmonary edema is.

Bob Marley’s death was one of the stranger ones of the list. According to the widely legend, Marley received an injury to his toe while playing soccer (football). The injury to his toe later developed into a form of skin melanoma. Normally the toe would be amputated, but because of his beliefs he refused. Over the last couple years of his life, it spread throughout the rest of his body eventually leading to his death.

The Sex Pistols - “Anarchy in the UK”
John Lennon - “Imagine”
Joy Division - “Isolation”
Led Zeppelin - “Stairway to Heaven”
Bob Marley - “No Woman, No Cry”

Related posts:

1. Playlist - It’s Better to Burn Out… (1970-1978)