The 27 Club
Sunday, July 24, 2011 at 7:07PM BRIAN JONES
Guitarist and founding member of the Rolling Stones.
February 28, 1942 – 3 July 3, 1969
Death by drowning. The coroner’s report noted his liver and heart were heavily enlarged by drug and alcohol abuse.
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JIMI HENDRIX
He was considered the best guitarist who ever lived.
November 27, 1942 - September 18, 1970
Died of an overdose of Vesparax sleeping pills.
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JANIS JOPLIN
Widely recognized as the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll and the Queen of Psychodelic Soul.
January 19, 1943 – October 4, 1970
The official cause of death was an overdose of heroin, possibly combined with the effects of alcohol. She was cremated and her ashes were scattered at sea.
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JIM MORRISON
Poet, lyricist and lead singer of The Doors.
December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971
Died in Paris. Pursuant to French law, no autopsy was performed because the medical examiner claimed to have found no evidence of foul play.
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KURT COBAIN
Lead singer and guitarist for the seminal grunge band Nirvana.
February 20, 1967 – April 5, 1994
Suicide by shotgun. A high concentration of heroin and traces of Valium were found in his body.
He was cremated and his ashes were scattered in a number of places around Washington State.
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AMY WINEHOUSE
Talented singer with a powerful voice. Her eclectic mix of musical genres included R&B, soul and jazz.
September 14, 1983 – July 23, 2011
May have succumbed to addiction following many years of drug and alcohol problems.
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Reader Comments (38)
Only you Dave would figure out they all died at 27. All of the above were great musicians. I met Jim Morrison years ago at an Asbury Park concert. I actually shook his had and spoke to him for a few minutes. I swore I would never wash my hand again. That lasted a short time but it certainly was a thrill. The Doors are my all time favorite group. Amy had many problems but she never could get herself straightened out.
Hi Marsha - I immediately thought of the "27 Club" as soon as I heard Winehouse's age. It's uncanny. Actually, I'm not the first person to come up with the nomenclature, I'm sure, but it's been in the back of my mind for a long, long time. I couldn't resist. I was hoping to use gravestones for all but the last one, but some have no graves. I did select a picture that should shock people into understanding what drugs and alcohol can strip you of. I don't imagine she looked any better than this just prior to death.
I was a HUGE fan of The Doors. I wish I still had those records. When he died, I was greatly saddened. I sure am glad you actually got to meet him, though. Good for you. My best friend, Stew, has been to his grave. There's still a lot of mystery surrounding his death.
Dave~~it is hard to believe that this is the same Amy.
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
I don't know the date of the photo, Snoopy, but it's got to be one of the last ones taken. Thanks for the song. I never heard her Shirelles cover of it until now.
Here is some more on Amy... I see that she was in rehab just a couple months ago but signed herself out. Drugs and alcohol addictions are like demons on the inside. When the money flows, so does the wine and drugs.
Fans farewell to soul singer Amy Winehouse
You should listen to her song "Rehab". That will tell you something.
Dave~~I did not know Amy before this tragedy. I guess people are rushing out to buy up all her albums. Until the autopsy reports come in, her cause of death is still just speculation. If she did get her hands on a bad drug, I wonder if a toxicologist could find that. In this next snippet of news, someone suggested she may have got her hands on a bad drug.
Details surrounding the death of Amy Winehouse have begun to emerge today, and it has been claimed she purchased a combination of drugs that included cocaine, ecstasy and ketamine late on Friday evening in Camden.
Read more here at Source..
[Removed at publisher's request]
PS, Kathi Belich cannot hold a candle to the Snoop. LOL
So sad about Amy Winehouse.
Russell Brand had a lovely tribute to her memory earlier today.
For Amy
Thank you Snoop for posting those songs that show what a talent she truly was. My thoughts and prayers are with her family, close friends and fans, of which I was one.
Dave, thanks for this new article. I had never heard of The 27 Club until I read this article. I am sad to hear about Amy, but I am not surprised. She didn't seem to be able to get completely away from the drugs or alcohol. I hope if that was the cause of death that she is at peace now. I have heard her song "Rehab" and it does really tell you something. All of the others you have listed above were all great musicians also. Addiction is a terrible thing and some people are just not ever able to kick it.
I think I first heard about the 27 "club" when Cobain killed himself. This particular pitiful little addict has looked like h@ll now for 3 years- every so often she'd pull herself together for a week or two or even a month but there's pics of her from '08 she looks even worse. Her father did everything he could, getting "minders" for her and even paying people who worked at the resorts or hotels she was going to be staying at for instance, to not serve her anything alcoholic no matter how hard she begged, and she'd sneak down to the bar anyway hiding behind chairs and things to snag half-drunk drinks on tables- like "a squirrel running off with its nuts" as one witness said. Just an incorrigible little user. There's a shocking before drugs/after drugs set of pics out there of her well worth checking out- should be made into a poster and hung up in school hallways.
What a bright talent and sensational voice lost to us forever to the vampires...
I had heard of Amy, Snoopy, going back a couple of years, at least. She wasn't one of my favorites, but I did appreciate her musical talents. Maybe it was her "look" that I found disturbing at first. You know, tattoos everywhere, but we have to change with the times, I guess. I'm sure she got into some bad drugs, but in this case, it may have been the toxins that were building up in her system rather than one big jolt. I don't know, but I knew enough about her that I wasn't a bit surprised by her death. Saddened? Yes, of course, but not shocked by it.
Nope... Kathi can't touch you. She'd be a fool to think otherwise.
Oh, this pic could not be later than Fall, 2009 as she got a b@@b job then- her bosoms having become sad little pancakes as she became more and more emaciated. The answer to that should have been to get some exercise and a meal with solid food and protein once in a while and stop with the crack pipe already.
I read that tribute written by Russell Brand. I must admit, it was quite good.
Thanks for the link, Redrelaxed.
Hi Mary Jo - I remember the 27 Club from way back. Not so much about Brian Jones at first. No, it was the wham bam deaths of Hendrix, Joplin and Morrison in quick succession. Someone pointed out that Jones was the first one to go and his name was added to the membership. It's certainly nothing to be proud of. It's not something anyone would want to be remembered by. It's too bad when your best friends are no longer your best friends, only because they have been replaced with a vice that will put you on the highway to hell. There is no speed limit. It's just a matter of when you'll crash, and when you do, it's almost always fatal.
I've had my fun over the years, but I was never addicted to anything other than tobacco. Today, I don't smoke, drink or do drugs. I think I'm going to bore myself to death.
Hi Karen - You've got that right. She has looked bad for a long time. Today, she looks worse, but not by much. She looked like a living dead girl for most of her singing career. It's too bad she couldn't just have been committed, like people in Florida can be Baker Acted. The really sad part of Amy is that her legend is short. She's only recorded 2 albums. Well, there's no one else to blame. I wasn't aware she had gotten a boob job. That was probably the only thing on her that didn't look emaciated.
I learned about Amys music from friends that loved her sound. Some ppl need to be laying in the curb before they want to be clean. Amy was years from the curb with record companies paying her bills. Often I believe its harder for those with a little cash to get clean. With no where to go and no one wanting a person around until they are clean is a huge motivator. Amy had no external motivation.
That's exactly the problem her father faced- she was over 18 and if the authorities don't care (and the dealers there are as open about it as fish-n-chips vendors!) there's not much you can do. You're pretty much allowed to kill yourself slowly in public.
Sorry for the rant but I've been through this with loved ones and at this point I understand why some countries execute drug dealers. We had the shock of our lives last night, watching the local evening news- an ex-girlfriend of one of our employees was arrested for Murder One here, along with various "friends" for shooting some guy during a robbery. She'd been in our driveway not 4 weeks ago, telling me she was hoping to get custody of her 2 kids back. You have no idea how I loathe drug dealers and their invertebrate "clients". Oh, excuse me, "friends"!!!
My son died at the age of 27...It was not due to drugs, unless his stupidity could be related to them...I guess that indestructible attitude is something that goes along with youth and drug users...Yes, he was an addict...CRACK...But he died from the injuries sustained in a car accident because his seatbelt was not fastened...I had told him that his dealers were not his friends and neither were his user buddies...Weird thing is none of them attended his memorial service or celebration of life party...It wasn't because they weren't invited as notice of both was either hand delivered or phone notice given by friends and family...I wonder if Amy's dealers will show up at her funeral...I doubt it...or if they will admit that they were the ones that sold her the fatal dose...It is a shame that her talent was so wasted...
Hi calli patti - My best friend Stewart had a penchant for her music, and that's where I got my exposure. It was on one of our road trips, so we have a similarity there. I definitely liked her voice because of her range and style, but she still looked quite rough around the edges. It's a doggone shame to watch someone die slowly and not be able to do much to stop it. She had some external motivators like her parents, but obviously, it wasn't enough. It's like quitting smoking. I had to decide, not my friends, family or doctors. I made the choice and never looked back.
I don't have any respect for drug dealers, either, Karen. None. I'm not tlking about a guy who can get you a nickel bag of pot every once in a while, although I haven't touched it in, probably, 20 years. I mean the ones that sell the heavy stuff. Crack. Heroin. Crank. Coke. Whatever. Friends with a different set of benefits. Slowly, they put Winehouse out of her misery. Maybe it was a shot of purer heroin. Friends. Right.
I'm so sorry, Estee. That must have been devastating, and it's something you will never get over. I started wearing my seatbelt long before it was a law, and once I got used to it, I didn't feel safe without it. I remember a friend, also now deceased, who refused to put on his seatbelt at my request. He refused. OK, no problem, I refused to give him a ride home. He put it on and whenever I gave him a ride, he knew better. Alas, he died from years of alcohol abuse. We all tried to help him, but it was the same thing. You can only lead a horse to water.
You're right about your son's so called friends. Many years ago, a woman I know overdosed on heroin. I went to her memorial service. So did several people in law enforcement. I guess her drug buddies didn't show up, either. Whatever "friendship" they had in life went by the wayside in death. Call them fairweather friends. No friends at all.
Again, please accept my condolences. This is very difficult for you, and I want you to know I really appreciate your openness. That took courage, and your message came across loud and clear.
In California if a passenger is 16 yrs or older they get the ticket for no seatbelt. Also with the new cars it is annoying if someone does not buckle up. Beeb...Beeb, constantly.
Drugs are a very over whelming problem for anyone close to an addict. For the addict it is a love/hate relationship. Out here ppl that were still using in my age group quit when the mexican cartel came in. Drugs were better the dealers are very nasty.
I agree with Dave about it being the user's choice. Dealers are like any consumer driven product. If the user were gone so would the dealers be gone. LE nabs one dealer five more pop up.
I believe a user has to want something more than they want the drug or fear something more than they love the drug. Rehab seldom works until that happens.
You know, calli patti, when my friend argued that he would be getting the ticket, not me, I said, yes, but he would be pulling me over, not you, and I'm not going to give a cop a reason to do that. Period. End of discussion. That's the only way to deal with stubborn people like that.
When I was young, as in high school age, we were told that marijuana leads to other drugs. I always scoffed at that because I never graduated to LSD or heroin or anything like that. Upon reflection, I would now say that marijuana does lead to other drugs because, back then, it wasn't a giant agri-business like it is today. Today, drug outfits are like tobacco giants. BIG BUSINESS.
Also, it depends which county and which LE division "discovers" you smoking pot. Many of them just tell you to stop it if everyone is of age and it is being done socially. Pot shops do home deliverys complete with take out order menu's to licensed user. It is a parallel universe I find myself in at times out here. Mostly I laugh.
A man in south county was arressted for burning his stems and leaves as trash OUTSIDE. A nieghbor complained that he was being effected by the smoke. The man had a license (allows you to smoke & grow). He was arressted on an eviromental law. LOL...Life is so sideways at times.
California is definitely a diverse state. Gee, I remember when - I think it was the late 60s - someone on the east coast decided to put lettuce and tomatoes on a hamburger. Huh? Who came up with that silly idea? Of course, two years earlier, someone in California came up with it. No wonder they were called California burgers. Next thing you knew, they were at every burger joint around. If Burger King says they came up with the idea, they're telling a Whopper of a story.
off topic... do you listen to audio books on road trips? Do others out there listen? Has anyone else ever been so engrossed in your book you forgot your turn off?
No, calli patti. I enjoy reading more than listening. I've thought about it, but I'd rather put myself inside a story rather than have a narrator explain it. I guess I like the peace and quiet a good book brings.
I was given a spinal for a C-section but it wasn't fully numbing me. They gave me ketamine which made me hallucinate the color orange and blocked all my vision while I felt like I was falling thru space. It was the most horrific experience I have ever had. Totally scary. I have warned many a friend to let the anesthesiologist know that you do not ever want ketamine. I found out later it's used in surgery as it messes with your mind and lets the surgeon continue the operation.
Amy Winehouse was a gifted and mentally messed up person. Maybe those 2 traits go hand in hand when someone is extraordinarily talented.
Boy, Patti O, I took a look at ketamine and it's not anything I would ever look forward to being injected with. Way back when I was in my late teens/early 20s, I did some drugs, but I never got into the heavy stuff. Pot, yes. Other drugs, no. Of course, I didn't mind a pot high, but I never wanted to take anything that would deprive me of my senses. I cannot stand not having control of myself and my surroundings. To be honest, tobacco was the only really bad thing I was ever addicted to. If I was stuck on a deserted island and had a choice between booze and cigarettes, I'd take the smokes, hands down. Today, I don't do either, but I do take a lot of prescriptions for health reasons. That's enough to keep me away from any of those vices.
I think, in Amy's case, as well as many others, that you take a poor or middle class person, especially when quite young, and give them the world, they can't handle it. Not in all cases, mind you, but suddenly, you've got people fawning all over you. They treat you like a god. Along with that treatment comes the dregs. You take a 60-year-old husband or wife who wins the lottery and they're already way beyond that sort of temptation. I know if I suddenly became rich, I wouldn't fall for it. 40 years ago? Yeah, probably, but I would have gotten over it because that's my nature. I guess it's easy to give in to temptation when young, but some can never disconnect from it, like Elvis and Michael Jackson. They were surrounded by doctors, licensed to keep you high at your every beck and call.
If Miss Winehouse had ketamine on board she was A) desperate for anything she could gobble down/snort up, and B) undoubtedly telling herself that it least it wasn't booze! I know addicts who went to AA meetings falling all about the place on Xanax, and drunks who told everyone that so long as they weren't scoring pills they were just fine- only booze. People are supremely able to fool themselves and delude others. Mr. Winehouse came out today with some statement that she hadn't done drugs for 3 years (!!!), was battling booze. Oh Daddy Winehouse, I thought to myself, you poor thing- just do yourself a favor and wait for the tox results before saying another word and appearing a fool. Maybe emphysema did get her, or Hep C (20% fatality rate right there), or any number of things in combination, but just wait for the results!
I was checking my comment and hit the wrong key. It is Winehouse, not Whinehouse.......I had Casey on my mind....lol.
Hi Dave & everyone
Well Dave, having read your comments im conjuring images of you doing a Cheech & Chong routine back in the day, just the laugh I need right now. Thanks.
Karen - I don't know what sort of drugs she had in her system, but if her father believes she hadn't done any drugs in 3 years, he's more delusional than his daughter was. I'll be quite surprised if I learn she was drug-free on the day she died.
To be honest, Newbie, I never saw your typo. You must have had Casey on your mind.
Tiffany - Dave's not here.
Evidently when I hit the wrong key my comment went into cyberspace ! lol.
You mean your comment went into the World Wide Wasteland? See? I told you no one noticed you spelled Winehouse wrong.
Lol Dave