2016 has been a bad year for celebrities. Many huge stars that have been the defining voices of past generations have met their shocking and untimely demise. This year we’ve lost music icons such as David Bowie and Prince. We’ve lost sports stars like Muhammad Ali. We’ve lost comedic icons such as Gary Shandling. Well, on June 19th, we lost another celebrity. Anton Yelchin, who played Pavel Chekov in the Star Trek reboot, met his untimely death at the age of 27. Yelchin died in a freak accident. Yelchin stepped out of his car in his driveway, when the car slid backwards and pinned him against a brick pillar and security fence.
Yelchin joined a group that day that no one would want to be a part of: the 27 club. This was a name given to a group of celebrities (primarily musicians) who died at the young age of 27. What is so infamous and interesting about this group is that all of these artists died before reaching their peak. If they lived longer they would have continued to create great things, yet they still managed to influence the world and do great things in their 27 years on earth. I think it is only right now to honor these icons who have gone to soon.
1. Brian Jones (1942-1969)
When most people think of the Rolling Stones they think of four people; Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts. Unknown to some people, that wasn’t the Stones original line up. The band was formed by guitarist Brian Jones, pianist Ian Stewart, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Oddly enough during Jones’ time in the band he was viewed as the leader and entertainer for the band instead of Jagger (who we now view as the face of the iconic band). In fact, Jones was the manager of the band too. Soon the Stones brought in Andrew Loog Oldham to manage the band, who is credited with giving them the “rough around the edges” persona they have today. Soon Jagger and Richards moved into the spotlight after serving as the primary songwriters for the band. Jones began to feel isolated from the band and started experimenting with heavy drug use. Ironically Jones’ drug use became too much for the band and he was asked to leave after recording "Let it Bleed." A month later (July 3rd, 1969), Jones was found dead at the bottom of his swimming pool in Hartfield, East Sussex, England. Jones’ death was ruled an accident.
2. Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970)
Jimi Hendrix, who is thought of by many as the greatest guitar player to ever live didn’t live past the age of 27. In 1966 (4 years before his death) the young Hendrix, who worked as a studio musician, moved from the U.S. to London. He was told to make this move by his manager Chas Chandler. In London Hendrix joined forces with the bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell to form The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Throughout their short time together the Experience released three of classic rocks greatest albums; "Are You Experienced?," and "Axis: Bold As Love and Electric Ladyland." Hendrix is also known for performing one of the most famous renditions of the Star Spangled Banner at the Woodstock music festival. Hendrix died on September 18th, 1970 due to drug-related complications.
3. Janis Joplin (1943-1970)
As if the music world didn’t go through enough that year with losing Hendrix, they lost the queen of rock and roll: Janis Joplin. Joplin started her career in music as the front woman for the band Big Brother and the Holding Company. They released one album, "Cheap Thrills," but after some tension between Joplin and the rest of her bandmates she parted ways. Joplin released two solo albums; "I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama!" and "Pearl" posthumously. Throughout her life Joplin suffered from substance abuse. On October 4th, 1970 Joplin died from an accidental heroin overdose at a hotel in Hollywood. In 1971 her album Pearl was released and became an instant classic.
4. Jim Morrison (1943-1971)
Jim Morrison was one of music’s first bad boys. Throughout his life he was known for his drinking, drug use and outlandish behavior on stage. While studying film at UCLA, Morrison formed The Doors with Ray Manzarek, Robbie Krieger and John Densmore. The Doors recorded six studio albums during Morrison’s life. Morrison’s outlandish behavior soon became out of control. In New Haven, Connecticut Morrison was sprayed by a police officer with mace when he was drunkenly carrying a young woman backstage. He then went on stage and proceeded to let out a tirade which led to his arrest. He was then later arrested for exposing himself at a Florida concert. Morrison eventually left the Doors and moved to Paris with his longtime girlfriend, Pamela Courson, in an attempt to get his life back in order. However, this did not have much success; Morrison still continued his heavy drinking and drug use, now mixed with a deep depression. On July 3rd, 1971 Morrison was found by Courson dead in their bathtub. The official report was that he died of heart failure in his bathroom, but there is a strong belief that Morrison died from a heroin overdose in a Paris club and was moved to the bathtub to cover up the true cause of his death (the owner of the club said so in a book published in 2007).
5. Kurt Cobain (1967-1994)
Kurt Cobain lived much of his life as a rebel and an outsider. Cobain grew up in Aberdeen, Washington. Cobain had a difficult upbringing; his parents would constantly fight and they eventually divorced. They eventually both remarried but again found themselves fighting, only this time with their new spouses. In his mid-teens Cobain started experimenting with drugs and listening to punk music. Eventually Cobain found an outlet in music and started Nirvana with bassist Krist Novoselic and drummer Aaron Burckhard. Nirvana released their debut album Bleach which showed they had great talent. Eventually Burckhard left the band and was replaced by Dave Grohl. Soon Nirvana released their sophomore album "Nevermind." The album became a huge hit and the first song off the album, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" became the defining voice of a generation. All this new found success and stardom deeply affected the sensitive Cobain. At this time, Cobain started using heroin and started dating his future wife, Courtney Love, who he met back in 1990. Eventually heroin and depression took over Cobain’s life. On March 4th, 1994 Cobain attempted to take his life in a hotel room in Rome by overdosing on heroin. He was eventually revived, but 14 days later Love called the police when she was fearful for Cobain’s life when he locked himself in their closet with a gun and pills. The police determined that he wasn’t a danger to himself at this time. A few days later Love had an intervention for Cobain trying to convince him to get off drugs. He eventually checked into rehab, but left only a few days later. On April 5th, 1994 Cobain committed suicide in the guest house behind his Seattle home. He wrote a long suicide note to his fans, daughter and wife, and ended his life by putting a shotgun into his mouth and pulling the trigger.
6. Amy Winehouse (1983-2011)
It was a terrible irony that the great modern age jazz singer had the word “wine” in her name. Winehouse was born on September 14th, 1983 in a suburb of London, England. Winehouse grew up surrounded by jazz, with many family members on her mother’s side being jazz musicians. At the young age of 16, Winehouse made her big break when her friend, pop singer Tyler James, passed on her demo to his label A&R. Winehouse released two albums during her lifetime; "Frank" and "Back to Black." During the time after "Frank," Winehouse already began developing the reputation of an unstable partier, who many times showed up to performances and sets too drunk to sing. In 2006 her management team suggested she go to rehab to deal with her alcohol problem and her new found drug problem, which she developed from her on-and-off-again boyfriend Blake Fielder-Civil. Winehouse refused to go. After the release and success of "Back to Black," Winehouse was married to Fielder-Civil. Still not stopping with her substance abuse, Winehouse was rushed to the hospital in 2007 after overdosing on a mix of heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, ketamine, whiskey and vodka. They were lucky to revive her the first time. For the last few years of her life, Winehouse went in and out of rehab, but with little to no luck. On July 23rd, 2011 Winehouse died from accidental alcohol poisoning.
