Who was the saddest rock suicide you can recall?

Question

I usually don’t waste a lot of sympathy feeling bad for those who didn’t care enough to stick around. However, there was always one that struck a nerve with me: Wendy O. Williams. She was the original riot grrl and one of the most intimidating women on the planet during her time. I’m sure the Chicago Police remember her fondly. During her last years, she went into seclusion while doing a lot of charity work for animals. A lot of stories came out regarding what was in her suicide note, but the recurring theme I kept hearing about was that she was depressed because she felt like she was no longer young and beautiful. Because she seemed so much larger than life, you wouldn’t have imagined such vulnerability. Kurt Cobain will likely be the odds on favorite here (my guess).

G - I hope you aren't implying I am sobby? Not quite. Also, I never said she was young and beautiful, this was her own self-evaluation.

Sookie - There would be too many to choose from if you included attempts. :)

Smeelola - I never would have picked you for an INXS fan. Kinda mellow for your taste. :)

Answer 1

I think one can file most suicides under the "sad" category, however, the saddest is the one involving Eliott Smith's death. He stabbed himself in the heart with a steak knife. As amazingly talented as he was, I think it's terribly sad that most people only recently came forward to pay tribute to him and his music. I suppose for the most part, he was largely revered by the indie music community, but still largely underappreciated.

And I'd have to say the description of Ian Curtis's suicide was also sad, although most Joy Division fans like myself agree that it was over the stupidest reason (and "Love Will Tear US Apart" provides us with some clues). They say, when they found him -- Iggy Pop's "The Idiot" had been spinning on the record player.

Props for mentioning Wendy O. Williams

Answer 2

I'm going to go with Elliott Smith also. That was the only one that actually got me kind of welled up (a couple separate times at that). The situation had every element that could possibly tug at my heart strings. The first part is what lead up to it. There were a lot of reports that he was being pretty successful at getting clean (from what I hear he was looking pretty healthy), then a few months later it all turned around. I can relate to the futility and frustration of not being able to get clean, what that can do to you. I've seen it in a family member who overdosed. It appears that is what did him in inevitably. That I find incredibly tragic.

The second is the manner, which has been discussed. Just sounds like such a sad scene. Like MachPen described said, he ran himself through with a steak knife.

The third factor, I think, is in his music itself. There is so much tragedy playing itself out in his songs. He was such a master of projecting these feelings and leaving it as a memorium it makes me feel like... Well, when it happened I felt sad about the fact that I wasn't surprised, and with his music you just get the feeling that his life was never easy. Obviously, you never know someone simply through their music, but if I ever felt someone let you know them it would be him.

Answer 3

Michael Hutchence of INXS. It was sad because I don't think he really meant to suicide..he was just trying to get freaky deeky with a belt and vaseline.

Ian Curtis would rank up there too. At least he went out listening to Iggy Pop. New Order was good, but I always wonder what Joy Division would be like if he had lived on.

Answer 4

I'm not sure that Layne Staley of Alice in Chains was really a suicide in the sense that he shot himself or something like that, but with all the drugs he took it really was suicide. He was a very talented artist. And of course, Kurt Cobain's was very sad. It's tragic that these talented musicians are such tortured souls and they feel they have to end their lives.

Answer 5

I'm going to go with Sid Vicious from the Sex Pistols on this one. Although no one knows if it was intentional or not, (I'd like to think he could no longer live without Nancy, lol) I think it is gravely depressing the way he let drugs control his life and death. Underneath his out-of-control-edness he had some surprising talent. "My Way" is an amazing cover and "Belsen Was a Gas" is my favorite SP song. That has to count for something. It just shows how intense drugs can be, he was alone and he couldn't stop.

Answer 6

Jason Thirsk of Pennywise. It sort of resonates the same as Dave Williams of Drowning Pool (but he had heart failure). It's a shame when they go young. Especially musicians because fans often share an emotional connection with them. And just like when a relative dies, you think, I'll never see them again. Or when a band you like comes to town, you remember these examples and know any show could be their last, even if they are in their prime.

A friend of mine would also say Layne Staley of Alice in Chains.

Answer 7

It's a cliche answer, but I'm gonna have to go with Kurt Cobain. Only because I've done a lot of reading on him and his death, and he just seemed utterly alone and misunderstood. People wanted him to be this big rock n' roll superstar, and he just wanted to play at hole-in-the-wall bars. It's true he couldn't handle the pressure of stardom, and I hate that some people hold that against him. Fame is not an easy thing to deal with, especially if you don't want it. Michael Hutchence was pretty sad to.

Answer 8

Ozzy Osbourne.... Well, in my opinion, it was career suicide when he put his unholy she-devil of a wife and their "wereallyjustneedtohaveourassesbeatonegoodtime" kids on TV. "Godfather of Metal"? Not anymore pal. What was sad about it? There was one daughter who refused to have anything to do with the show. It's sad that only one member of that family has any decency at all.

As for real life-ending suicides, I have no sympathy for any of them. No matter how much you think your life sucks, somebody else has got it worse. I am saddened that Dave Leppard of Crashdiet offed himself, but that's because they only released one album, and I highly doubt that any follow ups with a new singer will be half as good, especially since Leppard wrote most of the material.

Answer 9

Steve Clark of Def Leppard or Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols.

Answer 10

Honestly, besides Michael Hutchence (and Kurt, of course) I can't think of any. I was really bummed when both of them died.

If you threw in suicide attempts and overdoses into this question there would be too many to pick from. :)