Neil Peart, drummer of Rush

January 7, died from brain cancer at the age of 67

Joe Payne, former bassist of Nile and Divine Heresy

January 24, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 35

Sean Reinert, former drummer of Cynic and Death

January 24, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 48

Santtu Lonka, former drummer of To/Die/For

January 26, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 41

Reed Mullin, drummer of Corrosion of Conformity

January 27, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 53

Josh Pappe, former bassist of D.R.I. and Gang Green

January 31, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 53

Diego Farias, former guitarist of Volumes

February 6, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 27

Justin Frear, former guitarist of Ultimatum

February 24, died from a heart attack at the age of 47

Mikro Virdis, former drummer of Trick or Treat

March 7, died from a car crash at the age of 38

Jason Rainey, former guitarist of Sacred Reich

March 16, died from a heart attack at the age of 53

Bill Rieflin, former drummer of Ministry, KMFDM, and Revolting Cocks

March 24, died from cancer at the age of 59

Lou A. Kouvaris, former guitarist of Riot

March 28, died from COVID-19 at the age of 66

Derek Jones, guitarist of Falling in Reverse

April 21, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 35.

McKenzie Bell, former guitarist of He Is Legend

April 26, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 35.

Bob Fouts, former drummer of The Gates of Slumber and Burn It Down

April 28, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 45.

Bob Kulick, former session guitarist of Kiss and W.A.S.P.

May 28, died from heart diease at the age of 70.

Paul Chapman, former guitarist of UFO and Waysted

June 9, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 66.

Yuji "You" Adachi, guitarist of Dead End

June 16, died from sepsis at the age of 56.

Jamie Oldaker, former drummer of Frehley's Comet

July 16, died from cancer at the age of 68.

Tony Costanza, former drummer of Machine Head and Crowbar

August 4, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 52.

Alan Peters, former bassist of Agnostic Front

August 7, died from undisclosed reasons.

Martin Birch, producer and engineer for albums by Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple

August 9, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 71.

Pete Way, former bassist of UFO, Michael Schenker Group, Fastway and Waysted

August 14, died from life-threatening injuries at the age of 69.

Jack Sherman, former guitarist of Red Hot Chili Peppers

August 18, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 64.

Frankie Banali, drummer of Quiet Riot and former drummer of W.A.S.P.

August 20, died from stage IV pancreatic cancer at the age of 68.

Riley Gale, vocalist of Power Trip

August 24, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 34.

Enrique Maseda, vocalist of NJ Bloodline

August 25, died from undisclosed reasons.

Jay White, bassist of The Agony Scene

August 31, died from undisclosed reasons.

Greg Messick, guitarist of Intruder

September 5, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 55.

Lee Kerslake, former drummer of Ozzy Osbourne and Uriah Heep

September 19, died from prostate cancer at the age of 73.

Brent Young, former bassist of Trivium

September 25, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 37.

Mark Stone, former bassist of Van Halen

September 26, died from cancer.

Donny Hillier, vocalist of Trauma

September 28, died from undisclosed reasons.

Eddie Van Halen, guitarist of Van Halen

October 6, died from throat cancer at the age of 65.

 

Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead 

12/28/2015, age 70.Vocals Heart Failure Los Angeles, California.

Ian Fraser "Lemmy" Kilmister, the one and only singer and songwriter who founded the heavy metal band Motorhead has passed away in cancer. He drank and used drugs, he raised hell and lived the rock 'n roll lifestyle all the way to the bitter end. Loved by metal fans as well as punk rockers all over the world and despite that Motorhead never became really big Lemmy was together with Ozzy and Angus Young the most famous rockers around.

Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots

12/3/2015 age 48, vocals Heart Failure Bloomington, Minnesota

Scott Weiland, lead singer of the Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver has died at age 48. He passed away in his sleep while on a tour stop in Bloomington, Minnesota Just a few months earlier, The Wildabout guitarist, Jeremy Brown tragically passed away. Weilands career was overshadowed by his long battle with drug addiction which ultimately took his life.

On December 3, Scott Weilands tour manager Aaron Mohler went to check on Weiland after Scott's wife, photographer Jamie Weiland, became worried that she hadn't heard from the former STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and VELVET REVOLVER singer. Known to be a heavy sleeper, Scott appeared to be passed out in the bus's back bedroom. Mohler removed the pillow from under Scott's head and attempted to shake him awake. After realizing that Weiland wasn't breathing, Mohler called drummer Joey Castillo onto the bus for help. They both unsuccessfully tried to wake Weiland, so they called 911.

 

"We have a tour bus parked out front of the lot and I have a guy that… I think he's dead. He's not moving. He's stiff," the caller told 911 dispatch. "I mean he's, he's like hard as rock right now, not moving. There's no breath. There's no nothing."

Police later noted that the bus was neat. The bandmembers' names were on bunks and doors, including Weiland's bedroom in the back of the bus where has was found dead.

In the bus, investigators found marijuana, prescription drugs, and cocaine. Band and crew told police Weiland had been drinking vodka and tequila quite heavily, was taking the heroin-blocker Subloxone and prescriptions. They also said he used cocaine as recently as a week before his deaths, and took methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) — a party drug often referred to as "Molly" — a day or two before his death.

In a statement, an investigator wrote, "All of the band members and its entourage were visibly upset" but longtime Weiland friend and bandmate Tommy Black said he was "not surprised that Weiland had died."

David Van Landing of The Michael Schenker Group 

11/17/2015, vocalist died in a car accident in Clearwater, Florida

David VanLanding, vocalist for the The Michael Schenker Group from 1997 until 1999 and again on the 2011 and 2012 tours. He died in a car crash after colliding with a garbage truck in Clearwater, Florida.

Phil 'Philthy Animal' Taylor of Motorhead

11/11/2015, age 61, drummer

Onetime Motorhead drummer Phil 'Philthy Animal' Taylor passed away Nov. 11 at the age of 61. He played on every Motorhead album through 1992 when he exited the band.

Gary Richrath of REO Speedwagon, 

9/13/2015 age 65. guitarist

Gary Dean Richrath was the lead guitarist for REO Speedwagon from 1970 up until 1989. In 1992. Gary Ricrath released one solo album, "Only the Strong Survive." and he joined his REO Speedwagon bandmates for a 2013 benefit concert in Bloomington, Illinois, to raise money for tornado victims.

Chris Squire of YES 

6/27/2015, bassist died of Acute erythroid leukemia in Phoenix, Arizona 

Chris Squire was a founding member and bassist of the progressive Rock band, YES. He died June 27, 2015 in Phoenix, Arizona.

B. B. King 

5/14/2015 age 89, blues great died in Las Vegas, Nevada

One of the greatest of all times died the 14 April of old age

Bob Burns of Lynyrd Skynyrd

4/3/2015 at age 64, drummer died in a Car Crash Georgia

Robert Louis "Bob" Burns, the founding drummer for Lynyrd Skynyrd, has died of injuries from a car crash near Cartersville, Georgia. Burns, 64, was the original drummer for the band from it's 1964 roots in Jacksonville, Florida until 1974. He played on the bands first two albums (Pronounced 'Leh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd and Second Helping). Burns died in a single car crash after his 1995 Buick Roadmaster left the road and hit a mailbox and tree on a sharp curve in Bartow County, Georgia. Police at the scene indicated that Burns was not wearing his seatbelt.

Jeremy Brown of Wildabouts,

3/30/2015 age 34 guitarist

Jeremy Brown, lead guitarist in Scott Weiland's band the Wildabouts, passed away a day before the band was set to release their debut album.

Anthony A. J. Pero of Twisted Sister

3/20/2015 age 55 , drummer

Anthony Jude Pero was the drummer for heavy metal bands Twisted Sister and Adrenaline Mob. He died March 20, 2015 because of chronic health issues.

Andy Fraser of Free,

3/16/2015 age 62 bassist Temecula, California

Andy Fraser, founding member and bassist of the classic rock band Free, has died in California at the age of 62. Free formed in 1968 when Andy was but 15 years old. He actually cowrote Free's rock anthem "All Right Now." Andy Fraser was found dead in his car near his home in Temecula, California. Though no official cause of death has been announced, the bassist had been living with HIV since the '90s.

Mike Porcaro of Toto

3/15/2015 age 59 bassist ALS Los Angeles, California

Mike Porcaro, the bassist for the rock band Toto, has died at age 59 following a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS / Lou Gehrig's disease). Porcaro became an official member of Toto following the departure of the band's original bass player David Hungate.

Chris Rainbow Alan Parsons Project

2/25/2015, age 68, singer

Scottish singer Chris Rainbow contributed vocals to several albums by The Alan Parsons Project, starting on their 1979 album Eve through to their 1987 album Gaudi. 

Dallas Taylor

1/18/201, age 56, drummer died in Los Angeles

Dallas Taylor was a session drummer on Crosby, Stills and Nash's debut album, Crosby, Stills & Nash (1969) and on their follow-up with Neil Young, Déjà Vu (1970). He also played with the band at Woodstock. 

Kim Fowley music producer and manager

1/15/2015, age 75, died of Bladder Cancer in Los Angeles  

Kim Fowley, best known for discovering the Runaways, has died at 75. The Runaways, which featured Joan Jett, Lita Ford and Cherry Currie released four albums in the late 1970s before breaking up.

Jeff Golub of Billy Squier band

1/1/2015, age 59, guitarist

Jeff Golub, a jazz, blues and rock guitarist, has died at the age of 59 following a lengthy illness. In 1980, Golub joined the band of rock singer Billy Squier, with whom he toured and recorded extensively.