Ten Frontmen Who Died Too Soon

By Scott Tunstall (@scotttunstall) on September 9th, 2009

http://www.gunaxin.com
It always sucks when someone dies prematurely. Its especially disappointing when that person is
the lead singer of a prominent band. Not only do their families feel the loss, but so do the millions
of fans across the globe who will no longer be treated to their amazing vocal stylings. One of the
most famous examples of course is The Day the Music Died when Buddy Holly, Ritchie
Valens, and J. P. The Big Bopper Richardson went down in a plane crash. For this article
however, were going to focus on the singers who played more of an active role in their own
deaths. Due to their its better to burn out than to fade away mentalities, we are all left to
wonder what could have been. Here are ten guys who arrived at the great gig in the sky a little too
soon.

10 Michael Hutchence of INXS

Age of death: 37
Cause of death: Autoerotic asphyxiation
Hutchences soulful voice helped catapult the Australian rock band INXS to the top of the charts
during the 80s. He bore an eerie resemblance to another member on this list, Jim Morrison.
Ironically, both died under very peculiar circumstances. Listen to Never Tear Us Apart and
youll understand what we are missing without Hutchence.

9 Bradley Nowell of Sublime

Age of death: 28
Cause of death: Heroin overdose
Unfortunately, Nowell lived the rock and roll lifestyle to the very end. Shortly before the release
of Sublimes first major label album, and just after marrying his girlfriend, Nowell died on tour in
California. Sublime was the perfect name for his band, because it accurately describes his
voice. 40 Oz. to Freedom is one of the best representations of Nowells talent.

8 Ian Curtis of Joy Division

Age of death: 23
Cause of death: Suicide by hanging

Curtis was Kurt Cobain before Kurt Cobain. His lyrics focused on alienation and loneliness.
Known for a powerful bass-baritone voice and spastic stage antics, Curtis suffered from poor
health and became depressed over a failing marriage. In May of 1980, he hung himself in his own
kitchen. The song Shadowplay showcases his innate intensity.

7 Bon Scott of AC/DC

Age of death: 33
Cause of death: Choked on his own vomit
Scotts screechy howl helped define hard rock in the mid- to late 70s. His decidedly
unglamorous look and attitude was ideal for the AC/DC sound. He was bold, brash and fond of
alcohol. It was the drink that would be his undoing. His lifeless body was found inside a car after
a night of heavy boozing. It doesnt get much better than Scott screaming Highway to Hell.

6 Freddie Mercury of Queen

Age of death: 45
Cause of death: Bronchial pneumonia due to AIDS
Very few, if any, frontmen possessed the range of Freddie Mercury. He hit notes that only opera
singers were capable of reaching. Be it tender ballads or stadium anthems, Mercurys versatility
made him stand out from the rest. In 1991, one day after publicly announcing he had been
diagnosed with AIDS, Freddie Mercury died. Somebody to Love performed live is guaranteed
to give you the chills.

5 Bob Marley of Bob Marley and the Wailers

Age of death: 36
Cause of death: Melanoma
Marley took reggae and Jamaican music to new heights in the 60s and 70s. He fought injustice
and prejudice from an early age, and was a dedicated member of the Rastafari movement. In
keeping with his religious beliefs, Marley refused surgery to halt his melanoma. Once the cancer
spread to his lungs and brains, he succumbed to the disease in 1981. Listen to him bare his soul in
No Woman No Cry.

4 Jim Morrison of The Doors

Age of death: 27
Cause of death: Heroin overdose (maybe)

Morrison was the archetypal rock band lead singer. Charismatic, poetic, conflicted, arrogant and
anti-authority, Morrison had it all. He was lauded for his image heavy, psychedelic lyrics, but his
dynamic vocal skills were some of the best in rock and roll history. His death in 1971 has been
shrouded in mystery. No autopsy was ever conducted. The End perfectly encapsulates
Morrisons unique talent.

3 Layne Staley of Alice in Chains

Age of death: 34
Cause of death: Speedball overdose
Very few singers emoted the pain and passion that Staley did. He emptied his soul in every
performance. Pearl Jam and Nirvana were bigger, but Alice in Chains exemplified the grunge era,
thanks in large part to Staleys nuanced but tortured voice. His final days depicted that of a lost
soul. After locking himself inside his condo for weeks, his withered remains were found
surrounded by a variety of drugs. Nutshell Unplugged is quintessential Layne Staley.

2 Kurt Cobain of Nirvana

Age of death: 27
Cause of death: Suicide by shotgun
Cobains early exit became one of the talked about stories of the last thirty years. His meteoric
rise from underground crooner to the voice of Generation X turned into an American tragedy.
Cobain wanted to play his music and be left alone, but the media onslaught shredded his already
fragile psyche. As his fame grew, his drug addiction worsened. Sometime in early April 1994,
Cobain committed suicide in his Seattle home. He left behind a legacy of original and memorable
music. The fittingly titled Lithium was one such song.

1 Jimi Hendrix of The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Age of death: 27
Cause of death: Suffocated in his own vomit
Rocks greatest guitarist was responsible for some of the coolest and lasting music ever created.
Hendrix oozed talent from every pore. His bluesy voice perfectly complemented his incendiary
guitar work. Perhaps more so than any of the others on this list, his untimely death transformed
him into an international icon. His unparalleled technique, which utilized distortion and heavy
use of pedals, paved the way for the heavy metal genre. The circumstances of his death in 1970
are still sketchy. Although ruled accidental, rumors that he was murdered still circulate today. His
version of The Star Spangled Banner is pure Hendrix.