Rolling Obituary Thread 2024

Frank Farian.. RIP.

Melanie, 76

Melanie Safka has died and this is one of the greatest things you will ever see on YouTube. RIP.https://t.co/O52mbb2hDO

— Rob Chapman (@rcscribbler) January 24, 2024

https://variety.com/2024/music/obituaries-people-news/melanie-dead-brand-new-key-singer-woodstock-1235886892/

In early January, according to her label, Melanie recorded a cover of Morrissey’s “Ouija Board Ouija Board” for a forthcoming tribute album celebrating his music. (Morrissey was known to be a fan of hers, having covered “Some Say (I Got Devil).”)

Morrissey being a fan I get; her covering, of all things, that song is befuddling me.

oh man, a shame. that margie;s birthday party live record is fantastic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w--u8pcLFNs

RIP Melanie

RIP

Love her; at least three really great singles.

Carl André died in hospice this morning. Hope he burns in hell.

RIP DJ Katapila from Ghana, born Ishmael Abbey. He blended Ghana styles with Chicago & Detroit style dance. He dj’d parties, funerals and more at home, and after Brian of Awesome Tapes from Africa found 2 of his tapes and re-released them, he did Europe gigs as well.

There’s a long heartfelt Awesome Tapes from Africa Instagram post

https://www.instagram.com/p/C2iRl0mo2ud/?igsh=aWQwamF1dWNuemNz

nooo rip

Word from his family that one of the last of his kind, famous boxcar and mail artist buZ blurr has passed on.

His work graced thousands of train cars all over the US, and his other art was exhibited widely. A kind, learned, and excellent person.

More of his famous “Colossus of Roads” moniker here: https://www.northbankfred.com/buz.html

And more on his life: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BuZ_blurr

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/660696/doo-wop-till-you-drop-in-memory-of-ron-poozie-miles/

RIP Washington DC doo wop singer Ron Poozie Miles of the Rainbows best known for their song “Mary Lee.” He continued to sing on and off over the years.

He’s in the bozo texino doc, which is highly watchable xp

yeah Bill is an acquaintance of mine, love that documentary.

House singer Michael Watford, who did some great tunes in the 90s (Holdin On, So Into You, Come Together with Robert Owens).

Holdin' On is the shit, RIP Michael

Noted fetish/pinup model and internet star Masuimi Max, 45.

Wow, and apparently former porn actress Jesse Jane died this week too, at 43.

🫡

Noted fetish/pinup model and internet star Masuimi Max, 45.

― Tahuti Watches L&O:SVU Reruns Without His Ape (unperson),

DJ Slick Rick (not the rapper) https://www.tmz.com/2024/01/26/memphis-dj-slick-rick-decapitated-beheaded-death-police-investigating/

NEW ORLEANS — Harry Connick Sr., who was New Orleans’ district attorney for three decades and later faced allegations that his staff sometimes held back evidence that could have helped defendants, died Thursday at age 97.

I hadn't heard till now - on January 3rd, Tawl Ross of the original Funkadelic group, at the age of 75. Billy Nelson is now the only member of the instrumental quintet left.

RIP Tawl

Wow at Jesse Jane. She used to date Kid Rock, because of course she did. I heard a story once that during a lull in their relationship Kid Rock literally sent her an 18-wheeler full of Budweiser to try and woo her back.

Didn't break till his wife announced it yesterday, but British Lovecraftian fiction writer Brian Lumley died at the beginning of the month.

Sandra Milo

https://variety.com/2024/film/global/sandra-milo-dead-federico-fellini-8%c2%bd-juliet-of-the-spirits-1235890276/

people u thought

oh no, I had no Tawl Ross had passed :(

He gets a spot in my pantheon just for singing "Funky Dollar Bill" (the 45 mix below is rougher than the LP but interesting):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjQi0UAHFaY

Shelley Ganz of The Unclaimed (per their Facebook page)

Awesome UK photographer Brian Griffin, so many incredible album covers and press shots in the 1980s in particular.

Ah he did the covers for the first four Echo & the Bunnymen albums, have always loved those

N. Scott Momaday, Kiowa writer and the first Indigenous writer to win the Pulitzer for Fiction, given for his novel House Made of Dawn. Great writer, love teaching his story “The Well.”

xp and the first four Depeche Mode ones too, wow!

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2024/jan/30/chita-rivera-broadway-star-dies-aged-91

Cool 2015 interview with Brian Griffin - gets into tech, advertising work, more album covers that everyone here knows.
https://davedye.com/2015/06/01/brian-griffin-interview/

That’s a great read. He seems like a spiky character. Some fantastic pictures, the one of Tony Benn made me guffaw.

chita!

Melinda Wilson, wife & manager to Brian

https://people.com/melinda-wilson-wife-of-beach-boys-brian-wilson-dead-8553386

https://www.iol.co.za/entertainment/celebrity-news/local/sipho-hotstix-mabuse-pays-tribute-to-late-musical-genius-tony-cedras-02063ffd-3818-4150-855e-70ded6501707

Tony Cedras, who played accordion, keyboards and more with Hugh Masekela , and was part of Paul Simon’s band for years, has died at age 72

https://www.playbill.com/article/three-time-tony-winner-hinton-battle-dies-at-67

Stop animation wiz Mark Gustafson, 64.

And also Bruce Springsteen's mother Adele, 98.

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-02-02/carl-weathers-dead-dies-rocky-apollo-creed-predator-mandalorian

Wow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDOffqDsV5Q

goddamn it ;_;