2017 Rockers we lost

[Rockox]

Gord Downie is like Canadian royalty (which means he doesn't have to wait in line at Tim Horton's?) so yeah, TONS of people I know are broken up over his death. Me personally, I've never been a fan of the Tragically Hip and I'm even LESS of a fan of the band's fans. These are actual conversations I've had with friends:

Me: I don't really like the Hip.
Them: WH-WH-WHAAT? What do you mean you don't like the Hip?
Me: I just don't really like their songs.
Them: ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Their songs are awesome.

...and it went on like that for days.

The one good thing I'll say about the Hip is that when I played bass in a cover band, we would do a couple Hip tunes which I deemed "I light up a smoke" tunes. Because the Hip would rarely have harmonies in their songs (resulting in a ridiculous lack of cool hooks, IMO), I didn't have to sing back-ups. So I got to take a smoke and pound away at my bass. Good times.

[Eye9]

A few more to add to the list.

George Young, ac/dc producer and brother of Angus and Malcolm Young age 70
http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/acdc-producer-george-young-brother-of-malcolm-and-angus-young-dead-at-70/

Original Marilyn Manson guitarist, Daisy Berkowitz (real name Scott Putesky) at age 49 from colon cancer.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/former-marilyn-manson-guitarist-daisy-berkowitz-dies-at-49/ar-AAtWOsP?OCID=ansmsnnews11

Celtic Frost bassist Martin Eric Ain (real name Martin Stricker) age 50, of a heart attack.
http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/former-celtic-frost-bassist-martin-eric-ain-dead-at-50/

[Dream Evil]

Fats domino age 89.
He had a handful of cool songs from back in the early days.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/fats-domino-rock-and-roll-pioneer-dead-at-89/ar-AAu2dEn?ocid=msnhomepage

[InnaGaddaDaVida]

He is in The Rock Hall of Fame sold a lot of records in the early
days of rock and roll and should be in our Singers and Songwriters category
so i am adding him now.

[Operation:Queensrÿche]

R.I.P. Mr. Domino. Sorry to hear this. 

[Eye9]

AC/DC founding member/guitarist Malcolm Young age 64 

http://www.msn.com/en-us/music/gallery/ac-dc-guitarist-malcolm-young-dead-at-64-celebrities-react/ss-BBF8jl0?ocid=msnhomepage

[InnaGaddaDaVida]

David Cassidy from The Partridge Family died today age 67 from
organ failure.

[InnaGaddaDaVida]

Mitch Margo, a founding member of The Tokens, the doo-wop foursome behind the mega-hit "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," has died. He was 70. November 24 2017.

Margo died peacefully from natural causes on Friday at his home in Studio City, his nephew, Noah Margo, announced.

Margo was 13 and a first tenor when he and his older brother, Phil Margo, a baritone, hooked up with Jay Siegel and Hank Medress, two of their friends from Brooklyn, to form The Tokens in 1960. (Neil Sedaka had earlier performed with Medress in a group known as The Linc-Tones.)

"The Lion Sleeps Tonight," The Tokens' adaptation of South African singer Solomon Linda's "Mbube" and The Weavers' "Wimoweh" for RCA Victor, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in December 1961 and remained there for three weeks.

The Tokens' other hits in the 1960s included "Tonight I Fell in Love," "I Hear Trumpets Blow," "Portrait of My Love" and "He's in Town," but clearly, "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" was their most famous tune.

[InnaGaddaDaVida]

Pat DiNizio the Smithereens lead singer
Died 12/12/2017 he was 62 no cause of
Death has been released yet.

Band name was inspired by Yosemite Sam
Catchphrase Varmint i’m A gonna blow you
To smithereens.

Biggest hits were Only A Memory, A Girl
Like You and Too Much Passion

[Operation:Queensrÿche]

Pat DiNizio the Smithereens lead singer
Died 12/12/2017 he was 62 no cause of
Death has been released yet.

Band name was inspired by Yosemite Sam
Catchphrase Varmint i’m A gonna blow you
To smithereens.

Biggest hits were Only A Memory, A Girl
Like You and Too Much Passion

Man, this one is really painful. The Smithereens are one of the most CRIMINALLY overlooked American rock bands of the 1980s without question. Pat had the uncanny ability to create the perfect pop song that truly ROCKED.

A great voice has sadly been silenced. I'm honored I got to see the band at their peak on their 11 tour in Feb. 1990. R.I.P. Mr. DiNizio.  ...

[Dream Evil]

A Girl like You, was the only song I knew by them. Upon looking up a few of their best known songs I liked a few. Did not know they were a Jersey band, they came from Carteret NJ. 
A Girl like You  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LwjD8z2mOg
Blood and Roses  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqML7WbOun8
It don't come easy (cover) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMqpuCuK4rY

[Eye9]

Warrel Dane, vocalist of the metal bands Sanctuary and Nevermore died today at 56 from a heart attack in Brazil.
Sanctuary Taste revenge   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PlpkYRxkH4
Sanctuary Into the mirror black https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow7cCrNFhxk
Nevermore What tomorrow knows https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKZk1XowOFM
Too young as with a lot of these guys 

[InnaGaddaDaVida]

I did know they were from NJ haven’t
Listened to much of their stuff didn’t
Know they covered Ringo’s it don’t come
Easy.

[NJFIREFIGHTER]

I was only vaguely familiar with The Smithereens, I recognized that first song. Warrel Dane I understand was a pretty critically acclaimed vocalist, I'll have to give some of his stuff a better listen, I can't say I've had much exposure to either of his bands either. But sad to see both go, both of them pretty young by todays standards.