“Fire and Water Must Have Made You Their Daughter…”
On This Date, March 19th in 1976: Free guitarist Paul Kossoff died of drug-related heart problems on a flight from Los Angeles to New York. He was just 25 years old. Kossoff was ranked 51st in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.” What a shame to lose someone so talented at such a young age.
John, Freddie, Brian And Roger Circa 1975
John Deacon, bassist for Queen was born on this day, August 19th, in 1951. Although John was “the quiet one” of the band and contributed the fewest songs, he did pen Queen’s massive hit, “Another One Bites The Dust,” so he really never has to work again in his life if he doesn’t want to. Maybe that’s why he didn’t choose to join a reformed Queen with Roger Taylor and Brian May when they recruited Paul Rodgers to sing lead. Because why embarrass yourself like that if you don’t need the money? Happy Birthday, John!
Modern Drummer’s action-packed Apil issue (pictured above with Levon Helm and Steve Jordan on the cover) features my updates with drummers Kurt Reil of the Grip Weeds and Ryan Hoyle of Collective Soul and Paul Rodgers. Out to subscribers this week, on Newsstands March 3rd!