Which "big-name" artists' deaths would affect you the most?

[Yves]

I'm never totally surprised or affected when an older musician passes on. After the initial shock, I say "well...he/she was X years old after all..."

I think I'd be affected if Steven Wilson were to pass on. He is younger than I am and at the height of his career. He is the artist I have seen live the most over the last decade.

[Supersonic Scientist]

Steve Howe. (If I'm at work when I get the news I will have to leave immediately so no one sees me cry)

Also...

John McLaughlin
Tony Iommi (actually, any of the original Sabs)
Jon Anderson

whoever is the last Beatle to go.....DEFINATELY the end of a glorious era.

[Lopez]

As the thread title doesn't say "prog" big name, I'll mention four that would devastate me if they left early:

Roger McGuinn
David Cousins
Peter Green
Roy Wood

[Rarebird]

Though there are lots of musicians whose music I love, I suppose I would be affected most by the dead of Ton Scherpenzeel, but in the end this would be small in comparison by losing for instance my dad.

[Jerjo]

My guess is if Howe/Jon Anderson, anyone from Genesis, Ian Anderson/Barre, Gilmour/Waters, or McCartney goes, you can count on a thread that would go 80 pages plus.

Bowie hit me very hard. Other heroes that would devastating:

Page/Plant
Iommi
Gilmour
Keef/Mick
all three of the lads from Rush
Anderson/Barre
Dylan
Robbie Robertson
Warren Haynes/Greg Allman
Townshend
Richard Thompson

God forbid something happen to the PE musicians whose work has sustained me over the years, not to mention friends here. Those are losses I can't even calculate.

[walt]

Paul McCartney

[señormoment]

When Ringo goes, the world's balance of good vibes will lessen noticeably.

[ronmac]

When Ringo goes, the world's balance of good vibes will lessen noticeably.

And humility. Ringo is a class act all around.

[StevegSr]

All of the above!

[JKL2000]

I remember (as most of you probably do) when Freddy Mercury died, and thinking how the world was really a lesser place without his voice. Then I read an article just yesterday about how there's a study being done about his vocal technique, because of how unique it was. Apparently he's like the only pop singer to use that Tuvan Throat Singing technique, or something.

[JKL2000]

Kate Bush

[Sputnik]

I remember (as most of you probably do) when Freddy Mercury died, and thinking how the world was really a lesser place without his voice. Then I read an article just yesterday about how there's a study being done about his vocal technique, because of how unique it was. Apparently he's like the only pop singer to use that Tuvan Throat Singing technique, or something.

Yeah, I saw this a while back as well. Here's the article, for anyone interested:

http://www.livescience.com/54538-fre...-analyzed.html

Mercury's death definitely hit me hard. I was in grad school, and I remember walking in and all the TVs were showing him and I wondered why. I soon found out. Blah.

Bill

[rdclark]

This is a worthwhile question, so thanks. It's about the living musicians with whom we have strong emotional connections, either directly, or directly to their music, or because of the role their music has played in our lives. Worth spending a minute thinking about it.

Richard Thompson
Bruce Hornsby
Bela Fleck
Edgar Meyer
Steve Hackett
Paul Simon
Neal Morse
Will Lee
Pat Metheny

[Rarebird]

Wendy Carlos perhaps as well.

[davis]

Bob Dylan
Brian Setzer
anyone in SCOTS
Jim Heath
Dylan Carlson

[simon moon]

Holdsworth
McLaughlin
Any member of Gentle Giant
Christian Vander, and most of the current and previous members of MAGMA
Chic
Bruford
Ralph Towner
Hackett, and the rest of classic period Genesis, including Ant
Fripp
Furio Chirico
Annie

That's only a start...

[BravadoNJ]

for me it's already happened twice. it's tougher when the artist is taken from us while still in their prime.

Freddie Mercury

Dan Fogelberg

[jake]

Roy Wood

That would be difficult for me to take. Also

Jeff Lynne
Ray Davies
Sonny Rollins
Cecil Taylor
Any of the surviving members of Faust
Edgar Winter
John Cale

[Trane]

none anymore (well I'd think so, anyways) >> well maybe McCoy Tyner's

I was affected by Jacques Brel's death, then Muddy Waters' death, then dozens of them since.... (tooo young to remember Jimi, Janis, Brian & Morrison's ... Or Trane's >> I wasn't even aware of them)... As those fave artistes' deaths are increasing, I'd tend to think my skin's getting thicker about those disappearances

Many of those "big ones" death don't touch me particularly (Miiiiichael, Prince, Squire, Emerson or Bowie, etc....), but there is no rule: I was really struck (rather unexpectedly, actually) by Daevid's death And Rick Wright's death also came as a shock as well... and more recently by Kantner & Signe's on the same day... Kantner wasn't my fave Aircrew member, but he's the first of the biggies (well Dryden's did affect a few years back), so it will probably affect me more, because the others are likely to follow in the next decade... and I'll be expecting them.

For ex: we know that Supertramp's Rick Davies is really not doing well (the news were never good or reassuring, right from the start), so I've come to expect it, and it probably won't affect me much. Had he died in a car crash 15 or 25 years ago, I'd have still a big throb in my heart because of it.

[JKL2000]

The guy from Spin Doctors

Anyone from Sparklehorse

[simon moon]

The death of Francesco Di Giacomo hit me quite hard in 2014.

Especially considering he was hit by a car, and it was not health related.

[Trane]

The death of Francesco Di Giacomo hit me quite hard in 2014.

Especially considering he was hit by a car, and it was not health related.

I don't know who FDG is, but yeah, if the death is accidental, it touches me much more (the Skynyrds and SRV accidents >> too young to remember the deaths of Duane & Berry, though)

[Sputnik]

I don't know who FDG is...

Singer for Banco.

And yes, his death was a tragedy as was Alberto Bonomi's (keyboard player for DFA, who also died in a car accident).

Bill

[Squigelyfox]

I don't want to jinx anyone.

I agree. What an awful thread!

[Yodelgoat]

for me it's already happened twice. it's tougher when the artist is taken from us while still in their prime.

Freddie Mercury

Dan Fogelberg

I recall when Dan Fogelberg died, that my co-worker in the office next to me cried, and he called the family, because he grew up with Dan. They were best friends when they were kids. I had heard him tell me about Dan before, and he was surprised that I knew his music. I was much more into the deeper tracks than his pop stuff.