RIP Thread!!

I know it's usually the big film stars, musicians etc who feature here but I wanted to mention George Armstrong who will be remembered by some brits of a certain age as schoolboy Alan Humphries in Grange Hill. He's died of leukaemia, aged 60. I avidly watched the show for its first few years, he was one of the original cast when it started. There's a twitter thread here with some nice comments.

Quote from Backdrifter

I know it's usually the big film stars, musicians etc who feature here but I wanted to mention George Armstrong who will be remembered by some brits of a certain age as schoolboy Alan Humphries in Grange Hill. He's died of leukaemia, aged 60. I avidly watched the show for its first few years, he was one of the original cast when it started. There's a twitter thread here with some nice comments.

That's very sad, and at such an age too.

Jane Birkin died, singer of Je T'Aime... Moi non plus. Didn't know much about her tbh but from the news reports she had a very interesting life. Her daughter Charlotte Gainesbourg put out an album, Rest, a few years ago that I like an awful lot.

Farewell to Tony Bennett, who had an incredible career which he continued right up until recently, as far as his 2016 alzheimers diagnosis allowed.

He had darker times when his career hit a low point but he got past that and became popular again in the 80s and 90s with new albums, collaborations and winning awards.

The official statement about his death said even just the other day he was sat at his piano, singing. It's a nice thought.

Quote from Backdrifter

Farewell to Tony Bennett, who had an incredible career which he continued right up until recently, as far as his 2016 alzheimers diagnosis allowed.

He had darker times when his career hit a low point but he got past that and became popular again in the 80s and 90s with new albums, collaborations and winning awards.

The official statement about his death said even just the other day he was sat at his piano, singing. It's a nice thought.

Yes sad. My Dad loved Tony Bennett. I didn't appreciate him until I got much much older.

Someone from city of Coventry. Vince Hill. Cant say was a fan but I remember his TVshows in the 70s, I quite liked them , part of my growing up.

Quote from thefarmer

Someone from city of Coventry. Vince Hill. Cant say was a fan but I remember his TVshows in the 70s, I quite liked them , part of my growing up.

Likewise, he's someone I recall from variety and entertainment shows in the 70s. I was neutral on him, neither liked nor disliked him beyond his being one of those figures who was comfortingly there. With a slight sense of shame, not having thought about him for many years I would've assumed he'd already departed this realm. I didn't know he was from Coventry.

Quote from Backdrifter

Likewise, he's someone I recall from variety and entertainment shows in the 70s. I was neutral on him, neither liked nor disliked him beyond his being one of those figures who was comfortingly there. With a slight sense of shame, not having thought about him for many years I would've assumed he'd already departed this realm. I didn't know he was from Coventry.

Should've said from my now home city Coventry, of 42 years. Although I didn't live here at time he was on TV.

Oh no, Sinead O'Connor 😞. Only 56.

Quote from thewatcher

Oh no, Sinead O'Connor 😞. Only 56.

I know, just saw this. Shocking and very sad.

Quote from thewatcher

Oh no, Sinead O'Connor 😞. Only 56.

I never paid much attention to her, so I was surprised to find out that she had a relationship with Peter Gabriel at one point.

Quote from DecomposingMan

I never paid much attention to her, so I was surprised to find out that she had a relationship with Peter Gabriel at one point.

I saw her sing with him in 1994 on the Secret World Tour at London Earls Court, on Come Talk To Me and Shaking The Tree.

EDIT: PG tribute to SO'C posted in a separate thread here by seftonave

Obviously and rightly so there's a lot of focus on Sinead O'Connor's well-known hits. But for a change, if you have a few minutes please give a listen to these two very different songs from what I think was her final album, released in 2014 - The Voice Of My Doctor and Streetcars

I was first transfixed by Troy from The Lion and the Cobra and then continued to be impressed by the rawness of emotion in her work throughout. Although Am I Not Your Girl didn't work for me, there were always songs even on later albums that had some magic. That rawness of emotion was also a part of her struggles in her life and I hope not a factor in her death at such an early age.

Sad news.

R I P Sinead O' Connor

Randy Meisner, a founding member of the Eagles, died this week.

I always felt he was an integral part of the band's sound, particularly in their harmony vocals.

He also wrote and sang lead on what I thought was by far the best song on Hotel California, which was "Try And Love Again."

I know Randy Meisner has had health problems for years, so this is unfortunately not a surprise. He was a crucial part of The Eagles sound for the first phase of their career. His high harmonies were part of the sound, but he also sang lead many times. Midnight Flyer is one of my favourites. He was particularly fantastic on Take It To the Limit.

As an old Eagles fan, this is very sad, but as Dr John says, unsurprising news.

Meisner was an underrated bass player and although recognised as a great singer, underused even there. Take It To The Limit became something of a millstone around his neck. It's interesting that Witchwood conisders Try & Love Again the best song on Hotel California - it has got lost amongst the endless Henley vocals surrounding it. Another great Meisner track is Certain Kind Of Fool from Desperado. He was a very shy man who hated the spotlight & I hope he is now at peace.

Quote from FeelItComing

Take It To The Limit became something of a millstone around his neck.

I have read that he was reluctant to perform it live because he was uncertain about hitting the astonishing high notes at the end. Glenn Frey apparently would pressure him to performing it, leading to tension between them. If you watch the performance above, he is absolutely flawless through the outro.