Tim Buckley: Age 28
 (b. 14 February 1947, Washington, DC, USA, d. 29 June 1975).
Tim Buckley died in June 1975, having ingested a fatal heroin/morphine cocktail. His influence
has increased with time and a recent archive selection, DREAM LETTER, culled from the
singer's 1968 London performances, is a fitting testament to his impassioned creativity.
 
Darby Crash:  Age22
Germs
Los Angeles punk band the Germs was formed in April 1977 and quickly became one of the
most popular and influential in that area of music. The group disbanded in early 1980 but reformed
later that year. A week after their first reunion concert, however, singer Crash died of a heroin
overdose. (in celebration of and on the anniversary of Sid Vicious’ similar escapade?) pete x
 
Tim Hardin:
(b. 23 December 1941, Eugene, Oregon, USA, d. 29 December 1980).
Beset by heroin addiction, his remaining work is a ghost of that early excellence.
Tim Hardin died, almost forgotten and totally underrated, in December 1980, of a
heroin overdose.
 
Janis Joplin: Age 27
Big Brother & The Holding Company
(b.19 January 1943, Port Arthur, Texas, USA, d. 4 October 1970).
Joplin developed a brash, uncompromising vocal style quite unlike accustomed folk madonnas
Joan Baez and Judy Collins.   In 1963 Janis moved to San Francisco where she became a regular
attraction at the North Beach Coffee Gallery. This initial spell was blighted by her addiction to
amphetamines and in 1965 Joplin returned to Texas in an effort to dry out.  The following year Janis
was invited back to the Bay Area to front Big Brother And The Holding Company. Janis’ reputation
blossomed following the Monterey Pop Festival, of which she was one of the star attractions.  Electric
Flag members Mike Bloomfield, Harvey Brooks and Nick Gravenites helped assemble a new act, initially
known as Janis And The Joplinaires, but later as the Kozmic Blues Band.  In July they toured Canada
with the Grateful Dead, before commencing work on a ‘debut’ album. The sessions were all but complete
when, on 4 October 1970, Joplin died of a heroin overdose at her Hollywood hotel. Links Page
 
Frankie Lymon: Age 25
(b. 30 September 1942, Washington Heights, New York, d. 28 February 1968, New York City).
Often billed as the ‘boy wonder’, In 1964, he was convicted of possessing narcotics and his finances
were in a mess. His private life was equally chaotic and punctuated by three marriages. In February
1968, he was discovered dead on the bathroom floor of his grandmother's New York apartment with
a syringe by his side. The Teenager who never grew up was dead at the tragically early age of 25.
 
Robbie McIntosh: Age 24
Average White Band
(b. 6 May 1950, Dundee, Scotland, d. 23 September 1974, Hollywood, USA).
This sextet was the natural culmination of several soul-influenced Scottish beat groups.
AWB, also known as the "White Album" in deference to its cover art, was a superb collection
and paired the group's dynamism with Arif Mardin's complementary production. The highlights
included a spellbinding version of the Isley Brothers' Work To Do, and the rhythmic original
instrumental, Pick Up The Pieces, a worthy US number 1 / UK Top 10 single. A euphoric period
was abruptly punctured in 1974 by the tragic death of  McIntosh following a fatal ingestion of heroin.
 Drummer Robbie McIntosh was accidently poisoned at a Hollywood Hills party when he was spiked
with a lethal amount of heroin, and he died at age 24. This event could have caused the premature end
of AWB, until the despairing band were joined by Steve Ferrone, an old friend who had replaced
Robbie in Oblivion Express. His presence helped get the band back on the road and into the studio
to record the Cut The Cake album, which they dedicated to Robbie.
 
Will Shatter:
Flipper
San Francisco punk band Flipper formed in 1979 with original member Will Shatter (vocals),
on Subterranean, the group released its debut, and best-known album, GENERIC, in 1982.
Sporting topical lyrics and both hardcore punk and noise dirges, the album is recognized as a
classic of west coast punk. Other albums followed on Subterranean in 1984 and 1986, but the
following year Shatter died of an accidental heroin overdose.
 
Hillel Slovak:
Red Hot Chili Peppers
(b. Israel; guitar, d. 25 June 1988).
However, the mood was darkened when Slovak took an accidental heroin overdose and died in June.
 
Vincent Taylor:
Sha Na Na
By 1974 their act had degenerated to a dreary repetition that took its toll in discord,
nervous breakdowns and more unresolvable internal problems culminating in a fatal heroin
overdose by Vincent Taylor, a latter-day member.
 
Sid Vicious:
(b. John Simon Ritchie, 10 May 1957, London, England, d. 2 February 1979).
The Sex Pistol's gigs became synonymous with violence, which reached a peak during the 100
Club's Punk Rock Festival when a girl was blinded in a glass-smashing incident involving the
group's most fearful follower, Sid Vicious. On 12 October 1978, his girlfriend Nancy Spungen
was found stabbed in his hotel room and Vicious was charged with murder. While released on
bail, he suffered a fatal overdose of heroin and died peacefully in his sleep on the morning of
2 February 1979.