The Dead Celeb thread, 2020 edition

From Iron Maiden FB:

RIP Martin Birch (1948 – 2020)

A man of many nicknames… and simply one of the greatest people we have ever worked with.

Steve Harris:
“He was just absolutely brilliant. He wasn’t just a producer, he was a hands-on engineer too, so he knew how to get a great sound. He was also fantastic at motivating people; he just had a knack of getting the best out of you. He was also a really nice man, great fun with a terrific sense of humour and that made him easy to work with. We all got along with him really well and the whole band is very saddened by today’s news.”

Bruce Dickinson:
“To me, Martin was a mentor who completely transformed my singing: he was a psychotherapist and in his own words a juggler who could mirror exactly what a band was. That was his special talent as a producer. He was not a puppeteer, he did not manipulate the sound of the band, he just reflected it in the best possible way. Apart from all of that he was a wonderful, warm & funny human being. Martin & I shared a passion for martial arts – he for karate and me for fencing which gave us another bond too. I’m so very sad to hear this news, it’s incredible that he has passed away at such a young age for a man who was so full of life.”
Rod Smallwood:
“He was a fantastic guy who always shared a mutual respect with the band. He never, ever, let us down in the studio. He was a true gentleman and he will be hugely missed by everyone in the Maiden Family."
Albums produced by Martin Birch:
1981 – Killers
1982 – The Number of the Beast
1983 – Piece of Mind
1984 – Powerslave
1985 – Live After Death
1986 – Somewhere in Time
1988 – Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
1990 – No Prayer for the Dying
1992 – Fear of the Dark
1994 – Maiden England '88


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Very local, but anyone who grew up down here knew him.

Sonny Fox, who was ‘Sonny in the Morning’ for decades of Miami radio fans, dies at 73

For decades, “Sonny in the Morning” wasn’t just the weather description for a typical South Florida summer day.

The phrase was familiar to thousands of radio listeners since the 1970s who heard it on the former rock station WSHE 103.5 FM, contemporary pop WHYI Y-100.7 FM, oldies format Majic 102.7 FM and WKIS KISS Country 99.9 FM.

In an entertainment business that is about as stable as the tropics in September, Sonny Fox was a seemingly constant presence on South Florida airwaves for a generation or two of listeners.

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Former OZZY OSBOURNE And URIAH HEEP Drummer LEE KERSLAKE Dead At 73

Lee was a member of Ozzy's band in 1980 and 1981 during the Randy Rhoads era, performing on the singer's first two solo albums.

During an interview with The Metal Voice in December 2018, the drummer revealed that after all these years, he just wanted platinum album certifications for both "Blizzard Of Ozz" and "Diary Of A Madman", so he can feel some acknowledgement for his work before he dies.

"I really wrote a nice letter to them and I hope they will come to terms with it and say yes," he told The Metal Voice of his appeal to Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne.

Kerslake had since been granted his wish as Ozzy shared a photo on social media of Lee sitting on a sofa and holding the "Blizzard" and "Madman" platinum discs, a handwritten letter from Ozzy placed on his chest.

"I'm so glad that Lee Kerslake is enjoying his Blizzard and Diary platinum albums," Osbourne wrote in an accompanying caption. "I hope you feel better. Love, Ozzy"

According to the Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA), 1980's "Blizzard Of Ozz" has been certified quintuple platinum for shipments in excess of five million copies, while 1981's "Diary Of A Madman" has been certified triple platinum for more three million units sold.

Kerslake and bassist Bob Daisley had been embroiled in a legal battle with the Osbournes for many years, which had taken a massive financial toll on the drummer.

"I went belly-up bankrupt when I lost the case to Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne in the courts," Lee told The Metal Voice. "It cost me hundreds of thousands and I had to sell the house and then started to get ill. I never managed to get back up, but a platinum certification on my wall for these albums would be fantastic and it would say I helped create those albums."

Kerslake and Daisley were fired before "Diary of A Madman" was released and in the process had their names removed from the album. Bassist Rudy Sarzo and drummer Tommy Aldridge are credited in the album's liner notes and featured in the photo on the inner sleeve. The tracks played by Kerslake and Daisley on both albums were replaced on a reissue (by current METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo and FAITH NO MORE drummer Mike Bordin) after the duo sued Ozzy and Sharon over royalties. Daisley and Kerslake's original performances were restored in the 2011 reissues of the albums.
 
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Nooo!!! Of the original 2, he was by far the responsible one. Road Warrior Hawk died in 2003, but he was well known for his demons. RIP Road Warrior Animal :(

Road Warrior Animal passes away

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WWE is saddened to learn that Joe Laurinaitis, known to WWE fans as Road Warrior Animal, has passed away at the age of 60.

One of the most intense Superstars to ever step into the squared circle, the 6-foot-2, 300-pound Animal spent most of his career alongside his tag team partner, Hawk. Together, they formed what was arguably the most successful, popular and feared tandem of all time — The Road Warriors.

With their intimidating face paint, outfits covered in metal spikes and impressive array of power moves, the duo captured titles and destroyed opponents wherever they roamed. Their dominance made them so popular that the phrase “Road Warrior pop” has been used in locker rooms to describe particularly deafening reactions from the crowd ever since.

UPDATED: More Details On Death Of Road Warrior Animal At The Age of 60

UPDATE: TMZ has a few more details on the death of Road Warrior Animal, who passed away last night. The website notes that he died of natural causes.

According to police, he was staying at the Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach, Missouri when he passed. Police were called around 11:49 PM by his wife, but when they arrived, the EMTs had already said he was dead. He had been celebrating his anniversary, as his last post on Twitter was a message of love to his wife.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1308363365060878336

https://twitter.com/x/status/1308747451415830529
 
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He played on no recordings, but he is part of their history. It is a pretty exclusive club and the first to die. RIP.

Original VAN HALEN Bassist MARK STONE Dies After Battle With Cancer

Original VAN HALEN bassist Mark Stone has passed away after a battle with cancer.

Mark's death was confirmed by his brother, Brad Stone, who wrote on Instagram: "My beloved brother Mark passed this morning. #markstone #vanhalen #fanhalen".

Mark was the bass guitar player in the pre-VAN HALEN band MAMMOTH from 1972 until 1974. Along with Stone, MAMMOTH featured Eddie Van Halen (lead vocals and guitar) and Alex Van Halen (drums). In early 1974, vocalist David Lee Roth joined the group, whcih shortly thereafter changed its name to VAN HALEN. By around mid-1974, Stone's VAN HALEN bandmates felt that his commitment to school outweighed his interests in pursuing music professionally, and decided to look for another bass player. Michael Anthony, from the Pasadena-area band SNAKE, was chosen as Stone's replacement. Stone remained on good terms with his former bandmates, and attended Eddie Van Halen's marriage to Valerie Bertinelli in 1981.

Stone was featured in the "Van Halen Story - The Early Years" DVD, which was released in 2003. In 2015 and 2016, Stone made guest appearances with FAN HALEN, a band paying tribute to the Roth-era lineup of VAN HALEN (see video below).

 
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