Rolling Obituary Thread: 2021

:(

John Hannon, UK recording engineer notable for many years' work in the DIY/hardcore/experimental scene as well as playing in Understand, Woe, Liberez and probably more.

Tawny Kitaen, model and actress, most famous for her appearances in Whitesnake videos, age 59. https://variety.com/2021/film/news/tawny-kitaen-dead-whitesnake-video-bachelor-party-1234969193/

Same age as Nick Kamen, not a good week for gorgeous folks from the 80s.

Nathan Rabin has been writing about all her movies on his website, not in a disrespectful way.

Memorable on Seinfeld.

Isabel: Ever since you came back from the Army, you've changed. I swear Nelson, I don't even know who you are anymore.

Jerry: I'm Nelson!

xpost Wow, 59?

Lloyd Price

https://variety.com/2021/music/news/lloyd-price-dead-mr-personality-1234969166/

RIP, person I thought etc.

Likewise. RIP.

old news, but i just learned that Paul Jackson has died-

https://www.npr.org/2021/03/19/978930638/paul-jackson-headhunters-bassist-who-played-with-herbie-hancock-dies-at-73

RIP Obama's dog Bo.

TAWNY KITAEN! WTF!

Go watch Gwendoline

Trombonist Curtis Fuller.

All the players on Coltrane's Blue Train now RIP

Go watch Gwendoline

Billie Hayes, who played Witchiepoo on HR Pufnstuf, at 96.

https://people.com/tv/billie-hayes-dead-actress-witchiepoo-hr-pufnstuf🕸/🕸

Also this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Paul_Lynde_Halloween_Special

Heh, Tawny Kitaen NYT obit lead to Keith Olsen obit from last year. #OneThread

Nick Kamen at just 59.

As he was all over Smash Hits around a time I read it, I thought I'd have a listen to a couple of hits from back then. "Each Time You Break My Heart", the big UK #5 hit of 1986, was pretty much as bad as I feared; an ineptly sung rendition of a True Blue reject. However, his later Euro hit of 1990, "I Promised Myself" (#50 UK, but #1 in AUT and SWE, #3 in SUI, #4 in NED, #5 in GER, #8 ITA) I find a fine enough piece of synthpop in an Erasure kind of vein.

Norman Lloyd...will not be in Knives Out II

https://deadline.com/2021/05/norman-lloyd-dead-st-elsewhere-actor-1234754280/

Aw man. Loved him in St Elsewhere, and loved that he was still alive.

Bob Koester, founder of Delmark Records and Chicago's Jazz Record Mart, at 88. A massive, massive legacy just based on what he did to support the AACM alone, putting out albums by Anthony Braxton, Muhal Richard Abrams, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and many more, but his role in keeping the blues alive is impossible to overstate, too.

Wow, that's going to hit a lot of people I know hard.

Very sad news. An absolutely key figure in Chicago music.

Been to the Jazz Mart every time I'm in Chicago and own a bunch of Delmark releases. RIP.

Been to the Jazz Mart every time I'm in Chicago and own a bunch of Delmark releases. RIP.

Sean Connery's brother Neil, who had a bit of a fitful career of his own:

https://www.facebook.com/steve.begg.77/posts/10160578878721756

Mostly well known for an amazing piece of MST3K fodder, Operation Kid Brother aka Operation Double 007, an amazing and shameless Bond rip/parody with about half cast being actors from the actual series -- Bernard Lee, Lois Maxwell, Adolfo Celi aka the bad guy from Thunderball and more besides. Whether MST'd or not it's an amazing watch; Neil Connery has zero charisma and is dubbed and the whole thing is a bizarre lark -- and Ennio Morricone did the music! Theme song rules, in English or Italian:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfXEL6bVFQI

Actual movie itself:

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

And the MST take:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14Mfmn7vN4g

Nick Page aka Count Dubula, 60.

there's a short obituary written by peter gabriel here:

https://realworldrecords.com/features/blogs/nick-page-1960-2021/

I screened the hilarious MST3K Operation Double 007 ep recently, which led me to the IMDB trivia that Lois Maxwell said she was paid more for that film than her combined salary from all the Bonds she appeared in.

To be strictly fair, and absolutely nothing against the greatness that was Lois, most of her Bond appearances were probably a day's worth of filming, maybe two? That she has an actual continuing role in Double 007 alone is a step up!

Lois Maxwell wrote a regular column in the Toronto papers when I was young, which I imagine paid better then than now.

XP I was thinking that too, with the mild realization that 99% of the budget for Double 007 (which I saw in one of the obits was also marketed under the ahead of it's time title OK Connery) went for the talent and 'talent', with rest going for everything else.

RIP Nick Page, his later act Dub Colossus are majorly slept on

NB that Neil Connery is dubbed into an American accent in OK Connery, but is in fact playing a Scottish character

I suspect his Ednburgh accent might have been a bit on the heavy side.

Post-It note inventor Spencer Silver
https://www.manufacturing.net/home/news/21427674/postit-note-inventor-dies-at-80

RIP big man, heaven needed an inspirational anecdote for motivational speakers

ECW wrestler New Jack

Bassist-composer Mario Pavone, collaborator with Bill Dixon, Anthony Braxton, Paul Bley, and many others.

Jim Klobuchar, Minnesota journalism giant and Amy’s dad, 93.

Mario Pavone did some good stuff under his own name as well. I liked Motion Poetry. RIP

I feel like the only records I have with him are by Bill Dixon, where he's one of two or three bassists so it's hard to immediately pick him out. I certainly know his name, though.

Posted New Jack over in the wrestler obits as well, but MAN, I really didn't think that anything could kill New Jack.

Pavone is the only bassist on Dixon’s Son Of Sisyphus, where tubist John Buckingham takes up the role of the second bassist.

xp

that one I mentioned is with guitarist Michael Musillami, it's one of them where it clicked with me at some point, but not in the same league as Bill Dixon but good stuff nevertheless.

The lovely Fred Dellar has gone. A feature at the NME from 1972 until at least 1996 and thereafter a valued contributor to Mojo. The kindest soul, he made new writers feel welcome. Always there with a story, facts and smiles like a best, encouraging uncle. pic.twitter.com/KjbZCHYSLW

— Stuart Bailie (@stu_bailie) May 16, 2021

;_; RIP Fred