In Memoriam: Peter Steele, 1962 – 2010

Sitting here with the strains of "Everything Dies" ringing in my ears as I listen to Type O Negative's discography; several days later and it still doesn’t seem real to me that the metal world has lost Peter Steele.

2009: The Year Punk Died Off...?

It was only a month ago I wrote about the premature passing of one of punk's perennially overlooked heroes, Ron Asheton of the Stooges.


Today, I come home to find out that everyone's favorite Cramp Lux Interior has passed away this morning, at the young age of 62 - due to a pre-existing heart condition. My heart goes out to his lady, everyone's other favorite Cramp, Poison Ivy. Again, the Cramps were a band that influenced so many other fucking bands, but never really got their due. The first band to fuse rockabilly with punk. And a band who still gave their all at shows, even in the last few years - unlike some bands who prefer to do a paint-by-numbers act onstage, resting on the laurels of past greatness. Everyone who testifies to seeing the Cramps in the last few years talks about how much of a SHOW they put into their shows.

No Fun (RIP Ron Asheton)

Ron Asheton's body was found in his Ann Arbor, MI home today. Apparently, it had been there a few days. Details are still pending, but initial reports are saying it was a heart attack. I am filled with great sadness as I write this - needless to say, the Stooges are one of my all-time favorite bands, and Ron Asheton was always my favorite Stooge. I always thought that he never really got his due, considering his role in birthing what became punk rock.