STRICTLY GLOBAL

The music world had many great losses this year, from tragic accidents to natural causes.  I'm not going to get into the details of how these talented musicians went out in '09, but rather just mention their accomplishments in the industry, cause that's what they lived for.  (For SG memorials on Michael Jackson and Les Paul, click their names for our archives from earlier in the year.)

Super recently we lost a couple of rockers, like Mick Cocks, guitarist for the Australian band Rose Tattoo, who was rumored to be the inspiration behind Guns'n'Roses sound!  He was also the fourth member from the band to leave us within the last four years.  Only a couple days ago came the loss of a young 28 year old James Owen Sullivan, also known as the Rev, who drummed for Avenged Sevenfold.  And last week came the loss of influential Native American rocker, Tony Bellamy (63) who was a member of Redbone. They became established as a Native American rock group in the 1970s and reached the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1974 with the hit song, "Come and Get Your Love."

Some of the frontrunners of CBGB's explosive music takeover in NYC's 70s scene passed away this year too.  Including guitarist and founding member of the Stooges, Ron Asheton (60), who was ranked #29 on Rolling Stones' list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. He was later a part of a handful bands including most recently The Wylde Rattz which consisted of other alt greats Mike Watt (the Minutemen), J. Mascis (Dinosaur  Jr.), Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), and Mark Arm (Mudhoney.)  In memory, Sonic Youth dedicated their album The Eternal to Asheton.

Another loss from the CBGBs Movement was Willy DeVille (58) who originally fronted CBGB's house band Mink DeVille.  He reached cult figure status with his unique compositions of American rock music, mixing in latin rhythms, doo-wop, and even cabaret amongst others.  In 1988, he made a move to New Orleans and helped bring back the sound of New Orleans R&B, and helped in the creation of "Spanish-Americana" music.

Another shocking loss of an artist who got their start at CBGB's was the Cramps founder and singer, Lux Interior (62).   The Cramps, who's reign began in 1975 and kept going til this year, created the genre now known as psychobilly- a mix of punk and rockabilly.  Lux and the Cramps inspired many early goth rock bands, and horror punk bands.  Including the psychobilly band Nekromantix, whom also lost their drummer this year, Andy DeMize (25).  DeMize was also a member of the Rocketz and Up Syndrome.

More loss from the punk underground included the passing of poet/author Jim Carroll (60), most famous for his novel The Basketball Diaries.  He created the group The Jim Carroll Band, releasing their debut album Catholic Boy in 1980, featuring the single "People Who Die" which ended up being featured in the films E.T. and Dawn of the Dead! (2004) Carroll had several more releases over the next couple of decades, the last of which was the EP Runaway, from 2000.

Argentina lost a renowned folk songstress in Mercedes Sosa (74). Best known as the "voice of the voiceless ones," she was an activist and part of nuevo cancion (Spanish for "new song") movement in Latin America, by voicing songs written by Brazilians and Cubans.  Her musical career has spanned over 4 decades, with a massive discography to showcase for it, and most recently, her song "Balderrama" was featured in the film Che.

The indie dance rock scene lost a super talented drummer to a tragic accident this year: Jerry Fuchs (34).  Chances are, if you are down with dance rock, he's drummed for a band you're totally into, including: Maserati, !!! (chk chk chk), the Juan MacLean, LCD Soundsystem, and MSTRKRFT. 

Hip hop had losses on both sides of the Atlantic, including the UK rapper Derek B (44), who's 1988 album Bullet From a Gun reached #11 on UK charts.  The US lost hip hop producer, Tony D, who's earlier work had been sampled by Naughty by Nature and Heavy D.

Gone too soon was Canadian folk singer, Taylor Mitchell, who was only 19 years old. After independently releasing her album For Your Consideration in March of '09, she was nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award for Young Performer of the Year.  Also in the Canadian music scene, was the loss of one it's pioneers. Rex Yetman (76) who sang and played mandolin for Canada's first bluegrass band, The York County Boys. 

Some legendary performers that went this year included the US's Huey Long, who lived to be an impressive 105! He was the last remaining singer of the group the Ink Spots, a popular vocal group that helped define the genres R&B and Doo-Wop.   From near that same era, came American singer Al Martino (82) who played singer Johnny Fontane in The Godfather.  Back in 1952, his single "Here in my Heart" reached #1 on UK singles chart, and stayed there for 9 weeks, putting him in the Guiness Book of World Records.
And legends in their own countries and abroad included:
Faramarz Payvar (76) an Iranian composer and santur player.
Liam Clancy (74) an Irish folk singer for group The Clancy Brothers, who are regarded as Ireland's first pop stars.
Aram Tigran (75) from Syria, was considered the best among contemporary Kurdish singers/musicians.
And Shah Abdul Karim (93) of Bangladesh, who was considered a  legend of Bangladeshi folk music, having written and composed over 1600 songs.

Asia endured some abrupt and unexpected passings amongst there own pop scenes.  Including Chinese Mando-pop singer Chen Lin (39), who had a chart topping record in 1993, I Can Never Understand Your Love, which sold over 1.5 million copies.  And amongst Japan's Visual Kei scene was the loss of the bassist for metal band Versailles- Jasmine You (age undetermined).  The band still plans on a world tour in 2010 in support of their 2nd studio album, which had been postponed in production due to You's passing.

In other Metal losses, over in Finland was lead guitarist and founder of doom metal band Sentenced, Miika Tenkula (34).  Sentenced had a good run from 1989 to 2005.  Their final gig in 2005 was recorded for the DVD Buried Alive which went Platinum posthumously in Finland.

Indeed, this list is long, but on a gloomy note, it pales in comparison to the actual number who are gone.  And I hate to leave anyone out, so if you'd like to share some of yours in the comments feel free.  SG fans earlier in the year did express concern for the loss of multi-instrumentalist, and former Wilco guitarist Jay Bennett (45.)  Sky Saxon's (71) passing was overshadowed by MJ's, but he wrote one of the raddest rock anthems in the 60's "Pushin' Too Hard" when he fronted the garage band The Seeds.  But I'd like to end this blog with a video featuring an actress who had a killer voice and left us suddenly a couple weeks ago- Brittany Murphy.  To everyone on this list, and more, R.I.P.