Another one bites the dust

A little while ago, I saw on Facebook that Animal, drummer for The Electric Mayhem, passed away at the age of 66.

I get why someone thought this would be funny- taking the edge off the losses in music we are having already this year.  David Bowie and Glenn Frey in a matter of days is a hard pill to swallow for us classic rockers.  I think we thought these guys were invulnerable and would live forever (at least until The Who played the Super Bowl).  But if we hadn't learned the lesson of mortality before this, we certainly have now.


And that's just with the names you heard on mainstream media.  Let me give you a list of the people who are gone from this vale JUST since Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots kicked off this wave on December 3rd...

Stevie Wright, lead vocal of the Easybeats- who hit with Friday On My Mind in 1966- on December 27th.

Lemmy Kilmister, who was a hard rock pioneer with Hawkwind and Motorhead, one day later.

Natalie Cole, every bit her father's daughter, on New Years Eve.

Robert Stigwood, the manager who built the Bee Gees into the powerhouse they became, on the 4th of January.

Nick Caldwell, member of the R&B band The Whispers (And The Beat Goes On, 1980, and Rock Steady, 1987) the next day.

A pair of old timers on the seventh:  Fort Wayne-born Troy Shondell, who's big hit was This Time (We're Really Breaking Up) in 1961; and Kitty Kallen, who spent 9 weeks in 1954 at the top with Little Things Mean A Lot.

Of course, next was Bowie on the 10th.

The day before Glenn's death on the 18th, two more passed:  Dale"Buffin" Griffin, drummer for Mott The Hoople (All The Young Dudes); and Mic Gillette, founding member of the Tower Of Power horn section.

And that brings us to 2 days ago and Glen Frey.  In an odd happenstance, Glenn's first recorded work was background on Bob Seger's 1968 hit Ramblin' Gamblin' Man.  And Seger made a big hit of the tune Trying To Live My Life Without You, originally recorded and charting in 1973 by R&B singer Otis Clay- who died on January 8th.

I know Glenn had a substantial solo career, but for me, Glenn is early Eagles- Take It Easy, James Dean, Tequila Sunrise.  And two of the five Eagles' #1s are his- New Kid In Town and Heartache Tonight- along with one that Billboard short changed (but not Cashbox, who had it at the top), Lyin' Eyes.  And what kept Lyin' Eyes out?

Elton John and Island Girl.  Look out, Reggie, you're getting up there, too....

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In the mean time, here are the two songs from last week's M10 you haven't heard here yet.  First, we have the Great American Canyon Band...





And the second, Molly Rankin and Alvvays...