Death
Dave Smith, Synthesizer Pioneer and “Father of MIDI,” Has Died at 72
Dave Smith, a trailblazer in synth design revered as the “father of MIDI,” has died at the age of 72. Sequential, the synthesizer design company Smith founded, announced his death earlier this week in a statement shared via social media. “We’re heartbroken, but take some small solace in knowing he was on the road doing what he loved best in the company of family, friends, and artists,” Sequential wrote. Perhaps Smith’s most impactful creation was the Prophet-5. Built in 1978 while Smith was in his twenties, the Prophet-5 broke ground on two fronts: it was the first synth with an embedded microprocessor and the first fully programmable polyphonic synth. Prior to the invention of the Prophet-5, synths involved manually adjusting cables and knobs with no way of reproducing exact setting...
Wynonna Judd Talks Mother Naomi’s Death: ‘I Feel So Helpless’
Wynonna Judd on Sunday (May 29) opened up about the death of her mother and singing partner, Naomi Judd, who died by suicide April 30 following a long struggle with mental health issues. In a heartfelt Instagram post, she wrote about the pain of her mother’s death and her feelings of helplessness. First asking “WHAT DO I KNOW?” — imagining her life coach was asking her that very question — she proceeded to answer it in several ways. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “I DO know, that the pain of losing Mom on 4/30 to suicide is so great, that I often feel like I’m not ever going to be able to fully accept and surrender to the truth that she left the way she did,” she wrote. “This cannot be how The Judds story ends,” adding a hear...
R.I.P. Trevor Strnad, The Black Dahlia Murder Frontman Dead at 41
Trevor Strnad, frontman for The Black Dahlia Murder, has died at age 41. While a cause of death was not given, the band shared the number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in announcing his passing on its social sites. Strnad founded the melodic death metal group in 2001 in Michigan, and remained its frontman until his passing. Over the course of 20 years, the band gained a large following and earned acclaim in metal circles with nine studio albums. Their most recent full-length release was 2020’s Verminous. On Instagram, the band announced Strnad’s passing with the following statement: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Trevor Scott Strnad. Beloved son, brother, and Shepard of good times, he was loved by all that met him. A walking encyclopedia of all thin...
Eileen Chan, DJ and Singapore Nightlife Pioneer, Found Dead at 32
Eileen Chan, a champion of Singapore’s underground club scene, has reportedly passed away in Berlin at the age of 32. Chan was a power player in the Singaporean nightlife sector. A founder of the music promotional company The Council and co-owner of the music venues Headquarters and Tuff Club respectively, Chan wore many hats. For that reason, the impact of the businesswoman and DJ’s career is difficult to quantify into words, but her legacy certainly lives on in the vibrant scene she helped foster. Chan’s commitment to the underground was unwavering. “The idea of Headquarters was simple, we wanted a no-frills kind of place where people could come enjoy themselves and have a good night out, a place where people don’t feel like they need to dress up o...
Delete, Renowned Hard Dance Artist, Found Dead at 30
Renowned DJ and hard dance music producer Delete has died at the age of 30. Delete, whose real name was Ryan Biggs, was revered in the hardstyle community for his unique approach to sound design and signature, gated kick drums. He was a staple at a bevy of the world’s biggest hard dance music festivals, including Defqon.1, Q-BASE, QAPITAL and Decibel, among many others. Yahoo News Australia reports Biggs was found dead at his home in the Netherlands on Saturday, April 30th. His cause of death has not yet been confirmed. Biggs’ family released a statement announcing the DJ’s tragic death and acknowledging “unanswered questions” surrounding his final moments. “Yesterday our family received the most devastating news; that we had lost a son, a brother and an...
DJ Kay Slay, Pioneering Record Producer and DJ, Dead at 55
DJ Kay Slay, an iconic record producer whose pioneering work helped shape New York’s hip-hop scene, has died at the age of 55. The influential artist, whose real name was Keith Grayson, reportedly passed away due to COVID-19 complications. His family confirmed his tragic death in a statement, which was disseminated via social media by New York hip-hop radio station HOT 97, home to his flagship “Drama Hour” show. Grayson hosted the show on Fridays on HOT 97 for more than two decades. “Our hearts are broken by the passing of Keith Grayson, professionally known as DJ Kay Slay,” the statement reads. “A dominant figure in hip hop culture with millions of fans worldwide, DJ Kay Slay will be remembered for his passion and excellence with a legacy that will tran...
R.I.P. Tim Feerick, Dance Gavin Dance Bassist Has Died
Tim Feerick, the longtime bassist of post-hardcore act Dance Gavin Dance, has died. No cause of death has been given, but the band revealed that Feerick passed away on Wednesday night (April 13th). “We are absolutely devastated to share the news that our friend and bass player, Tim Feerick, passed away last night,” read the statement from the band on Instagram. “We ask that you respect our privacy and that of Tim’s family while we deal with this heartbreaking and untimely loss. We will share further updates on Swanfest and our upcoming touring schedule as soon as we have them.” The statement mentions Swanfest, which is a one-day festival headlined and curated by Dance Gavin Dance that is slated to take place in the group’s hometown of Sacramento, California, on April 23rd. It also serves a...
Musicians and Celebrities React to the Death of Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins
In one of the most unexpected and tragic deaths in recent rock history, Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins passed away on Friday (March 25th) at the age of 50. News of Hawkins’ death understandably shocked the rock world. Tributes honoring the late drummer have been pouring in via social media, with many praising not only his skills as a musician, but his disposition and spirit as a human. Below, we’ve collected a number of responses from the music and celebrity world, including tributes from Tom Morello, Ozzy Osbourne, Paul Stanley, Steve Albini, FINNEAS, Mike Portnoy, Ringo Starr, The Smashing Pumpkins, and others. Hawkins was a rare talent and an even rarer person, and his loss is sure to be felt for a long time to come. God bless you Taylor Hawkins. I loved your spirit ...
R.I.P. John Clayton, ESPN NFL Reporter Who Starred as Metalhead in Greatest SportsCenter Commercial Dies at 67
John Clayton, the longtime NFL reporter for ESPN, has died at age 67 after an undisclosed brief illness. While he was considered one of the best in the business among football fans, for many he will be remembered for his unforgettable starring in role in perhaps the greatest “This Is SportsCenter” commercial ever. After starting as a sportswriter in the covering the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks in the ’70s and ’80s, Clayton was hired by ESPN in 1995, where he remained with the network as one of its top NFL reporters until he was let go in 2017. According to ESPN, Clayton died Friday (March 18th) while surrounded by family in Washington state. Clayton, who was nicknamed “The Professor,” had a charmingly nerdy appearance, which made his turn in the aforementioned “This Is SportsC...
Musicians Remember Mark Lanegan: “One of THE Great Singers of the Last 30 Years”
Following the sad news that Mark Lanegan died at age 57 earlier today (February 22nd), the talented frontman of Screaming Trees and erstwhile member of Queens of the Stone Age is being remembered by his musical peers. Lanegan’s prolific music career — which also saw him release 12 solo albums and collaborate with a number of other musicians — had a profound influence and impact on many artists. Former New Order bassist Peter Hook tweeted, “Mark Lanegan was a lovely man. He led a wild life that some of us could only dream of. He leaves us with fantastic words and music! Thank god that through all of that he will live forever. RIP Mark. Sleep well.” Advertisement Related Video Velvet Underground legend John Cale wrote, “I can’t process this. Mark Lanegan will always be etched in my hear...
R.I.P. Jon Zazula, Megaforce Records Founder Who Helped Launch Metallica’s Career Dies at 69
Jon Zazula, the legendary founder of Megaforce Records, has died at age 69. Sadly, his passing comes just one year after the death of his wife, Marsha, who co-founded the iconic metal label with her husband. According to Variety, a rep for Megaforce confirmed that Jon Zazula passed away on Tuesday (February 1st) in Florida, where he was surrounded by his brother, daughters, and granddaughters, as well as a number of friends and associates. Known as “Jonny Z,” Zazula was a major force in the metal world, helping to launch the careers of Metallica, Anthrax, and many other bands. He and Marsha essentially founded Megaforce in order to sign Metallica to their first record deal, releasing the band’s groundbreaking 1983 debut album, Kill ‘Em All. The thrash titans stuck with Megaforce for their ...
Watch Key Glock Honor Late Friend Young Dolph in New ‘Proud’ Music Video
The late Young Dolph is being honored by his longtime friend and collaborator Key Glock two months after his death. On Tuesday, Key Glock released a music video for his all-new track “Proud.” The single is set to be released on the upcoming Young Dolph tribute album Paper Route Empire Presents: Long Live Dolph (Compilation), slated to be released Friday. Key Glock opens his heartfelt new song “Proud” rapping, “І lоѕt mу dоg, І lоѕt mу mіnd/ Nо lіе, І’m rеаllу lоѕt іnѕіdе/ І саn gеt іt bасk іn blооd/ Вut ѕtіll І саn’t gеt bасk thе tіmе/ F— thаt humblе ѕh–, lеt’ѕ gо/ Yоu knоw І’m ѕраzzіn’ оut ’bоut mіnе/ І gоt Dоlрh lооkіn’ dоwn оn mе.” Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In the accompanying music video, Key Glock raps in front of a memoria...
