RIP Thread!!

Quote from foxfeeder

Also RIP Keith Flint. Never a fan of the Prodigy, but the reasons and cause of his death are particularly sad, and we all here know how it feels to lose a musical hero, so sympathy to all the family, friends and fans, along with those of Mark.

The Prodigy were heroes of my youth, being a 90's kid. I wasn't terribly interested in their latest activities any more but they remain old idols from back then for me. I was really surprised to hear about his sudden suicide, he never seemed the kind of guy to get so badly into depression, or whatever else the real reason was. Besides, as much as he played the badass punk guy on stage, everybody who knew him says off-stage he was the nicest and friendliest man ever. Brian May says he met him once, first trying to avoid him since he thought these young boys with their hardcore attitude would hate a band like Queen, and to his surprise Flint turned to be a humble man who felt honored to meet a member of a legendary and inspirational band. Keith Flint might not have been the greatest musician on Earth but no matter what he was a good performer who remained grounded enough to stay a normal person in real life. Besides Prodigy he had a very short-lived other band named "Flint" who recorded only one album that wasn't even published officially for whatever reasons, just two songs off it made it into an also short-lived TV series called "Hellsing". The material of this band - a real band with a drummer, a bassist and a guitarist - is just as good, if not better than Prodigy's.

Two very well expressed posts above.

It's one of the great things about music that even when you didn't like or know the artist'swork, their death still affects or saddens you.

I never especially liked Prodigy but I'm now wondering if that was more down to not actually knowing enough of their work. Lauren Laverne played a track I didn't know on her 6Music show as a tribute, which made me think I should hear a bit more.

Also I didn't know about Flint, interesting.

Quote from Schrottrocker

The Prodigy were heroes of my youth, being a 90's kid. I wasn't terribly interested in their latest activities any more but they remain old idols from back then for me. I was really surprised to hear about his sudden suicide, he never seemed the kind of guy to get so badly into depression, or whatever else the real reason was. Besides, as much as he played the badass punk guy on stage, everybody who knew him says off-stage he was the nicest and friendliest man ever. Brian May says he met him once, first trying to avoid him since he thought these young boys with their hardcore attitude would hate a band like Queen, and to his surprise Flint turned to be a humble man who felt honored to meet a member of a legendary and inspirational band. Keith Flint might not have been the greatest musician on Earth but no matter what he was a good performer who remained grounded enough to stay a normal person in real life. Besides Prodigy he had a very short-lived other band named "Flint" who recorded only one album that wasn't even published officially for whatever reasons, just two songs off it made it into an also short-lived TV series called "Hellsing". The material of this band - a real band with a drummer, a bassist and a guitarist - is just as good, if not better than Prodigy's.

The report I heard stated his wife had split from him, and he was having to sell his house, both huge losses to him, apparently, I guess it was all too much.

For what it's worth, already two separate campaigns have started in order to raise awareness of depression and suicide, in memory of Keith Flint. The lesson I recognize in particular is: a) everybody goes through depression and suicidal thoughts at least once in life, and b) men are more likely to end up in the trap of trying to deal with it on their own. Been there, done that myself - "come on, it can't be so hard to deal with, I'm not gonna tell anybody, I don't wanna embarass myself". Worst mistake to do.

I don't know details about Flint's story, to be honest I'm not that keen on digging in public people's privacy, but it makes you wonder: someone who had that stage presence and seemed to be a cool, relaxed guy all time, in the middle of a tour for a new album close to a 30-year band anniversary... I mean damn.

RIP Ranking Roger

Loved The Beat back in the day, especially “Too Nice to Talk To”.

Quote from boredatwork

RIP Ranking Roger

Loved The Beat back in the day, especially “Too Nice to Talk To”.

I was surprised, he was only a couple of years older than I am. I remember listening to The Beat and a few other British ska bands of that era when I was attending university.

I was sorry to hear of his passing.

I must say that even though the 80s were not my favorite era for music, the early MTV era exposed us to some great bands, and The Beat were among them. RIP Ranking Roger

We've not mentioned Scott Walker so let me just do that now. He was a very interesting artist, having big hits in the 60s as part of the Walker Brothers and being something of a pop heart-throb. But he quickly grew uncomfortable with this and became reclusive, avoiding being seen in public - on one occasion disguising himself as a construction worker to avoid being recognised. He also did a series of solo albums that steered away from the pop format of the Walker Brothers and into more studied territory, including an album of Jacques Brel covers.

A Walker Brothers reunion in the 70s yielded the hit No Regrets but they were dropped by their record company when they started doing less commercial more challenging material. Scott's sinister track The Electrician hinted at the darker areas he'd later explore. This direction grew starker in the 80s with the one album he did that whole decade, on which some of the tracks had no titles as he thought it would "pin them down" too much. Though you could argue calling them e.g. Track Three is still giving it a title!

By the time he reappeared 10 years later he entered into a trio of albums over the course of nearly 20 years that were so bizarre and experimental that for some, they bordered on unlistenable. But they delighted some critics (some of whom I still believe found them hard going!) and cemented his "difficult genius" status. His reclusiveness only added to his enigmatic mystique. Although, that said, he was also known to be a regular at his local pub in Vauxhall where he'd often be seen having a quiet pint and enjoying a game of darts.

I like him a lot. Yes his later stuff grew increasingly difficult and sometimes baffling but I think you need figures like that to plough their own furrow. He was highly respected and a significant influence on many musicians. It's a sad loss and he leaves a distinctive legacy.

RIP Scott Walker.

Quote from Noni

Though this is rather old news. Being a F1 fan...

RIP Niki Lauder, who survived the odds, given the last rights in bed during the Germany grand prix back in 1976, where he crashed and got extremely burnt..

He was a key figure in the F1 paddock and will be sorely missed. I was extremely gutted hearing this news.

Indeed, one of the true greats!

Quote from Noni

Though this is rather old news. Being a F1 fan...

RIP Niki Lauder, who survived the odds, given the last rights in bed during the Germany grand prix back in 1976, where he crashed and got extremely burnt..

He was a key figure in the F1 paddock and will be sorely missed. I was extremely gutted hearing this news.

Indeed, a legendary name from the days when F1 was genuinely exciting & not just about the car.

R.I.P. Niki

RIP Paul Darrow, a true great, the man who, in the role of Avon, stole the show Blake's 7 right from under Blake's nose (Indeed, Blake was missing for well over 1 series!)

Enjoy this compilation of his best put-downs as you raise a glass to Paul:

^ Yeah I was very sad to learn of Paul Darrow's death.

A hard-working actor with a solid grounding in theatre. I've got some theatre annual review books from the 1950s and he is a strong presence in many cast lists.

I loved learning that he was apparently an inveterate giggler on the Blake's 7 set.

He made Avon the definitive character of that series. He could be coldly ruthless - I recall him considering throwing the cowering Villa off a spaceship because it was plummeting and they needed to lose some of its load! Yet of course he was ultimately on the side of good. I realise the character was written that way, but his performance brought Avon to life so well.

That dry, yet rich voice. "Nice try, Servalan!"

Oh not Rutger Hauer!

Loved his 80s movies. He appeared in so many things ranging from classics to dross, but throughout his career he always made whatever he was in worth watching, & I can’t say that about anyone else.

RIP Rutger

I was a fan too. Sorry to hear of his passing. RIP Rutger

As a fan of the Neville Brothers, I was sorry to hear of the passing of Art Neville this week.

Art was one of the primary vocalists in the Nevilles so it's a great loss to a group that also featured Aaron Neville.

Prior to teaming up with his brothers, Art was in The Meters, a band he had also founded.

Rutger Hauer was terrifying in the original version of The Hitcher. A very overlooked film, full of psychological tension and with one of the most gruesome and disturbing on-screen deaths that still freaks me out now. It underwent a pointless remake, totally unnecessary when the original was so striking.

Yes he did do some dross but how many actors haven't? I was sorry to learn of his death.

Quote from Backdrifter

Rutger Hauer was terrifying in the original version of The Hitcher. A very overlooked film, full of psychological tension and with one of the most gruesome and disturbing on-screen deaths that still freaks me out now. It underwent a pointless remake, totally unnecessary when the original was so striking.

And anyone who’s seen The Hitcher - a film full of gruesome deaths! - knows which one you mean. I don’t much like horror movies, but The Hitcher was great & the remake was indeed pointless: Sean Bean is very good in most roles, but he didn’t have the presence for that one, & the tension of the original was lost. No one could replace Rutger Hauer!

Quote from boredatwork

And anyone who’s seen The Hitcher - a film full of gruesome deaths! - knows which one you mean. I don’t much like horror movies, but The Hitcher was great & the remake was indeed pointless: Sean Bean is very good in most roles, but he didn’t have the presence for that one, & the tension of the original was lost. No one could replace Rutger Hauer!

I assume we're talking about one involving a truck....? It still turns my stomach over, and I'm not squeamish about films. And the grim genius is, we don't even see it. Your mind fills in the blanks