Thu Dec 20, 2012, 11:07 AM

Stairway to Heaven: Rock, Pop, Rap Stars Die Young

Last edited Thu Dec 20, 2012, 11:09 AM USA/ET - Edit history (2)

Who knew?

Stairway to Heaven: Rock, Pop, Rap Stars Die Young

LIZ NEPORENT
Dec 20, 2012

Stephen Harris recalled a concert in the late 1980s when he was playing bass for The Cult, a huge rock band at the time, and the audience stormed the stage.
....

At the time Harris, who also played with Guns N' Roses, said he found the incident hilarious, but as he looks back, many of his friends from his time in the spotlight are gone, dead from overdoses, AIDs or drunk-driving accidents.

Though rock and roll may never die, Harris has seen for himself that rock stars do. And according to a new report in the British Medical Journal, they die young.

The study, led by Mark Bellis of the Centre for Public Health in Liverpool, found that the average lifespan of American musical superstars in the pop, rock and rap genre is only 45. The average European stars doesn't even make it to 40 -- they die, on average, at age 39.

And here's the link (but not the actual study): Is 27 really a dangerous age for famous musicians? A retrospective cohort study

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13 replies	Author	Time	Post
Stairway to Heaven: Rock, Pop, Rap Stars Die Young (Original post)	mahatmakanejeeves	Dec 2012	OP
Bogus	NICO9000	Dec 2012	#1
Hmm	skamaria	Dec 2012	#3
So, how did Ted Nugent make it to 50 something?	Bucky	Dec 2012	#2
Only the good die young........	skamaria	Dec 2012	#4
He was never a superstar.	Uncle Joe	Dec 2012	#5
But Jimmy Page very nearly defines rock superstar, never mind all that Golden God business.	Fumesucker	Dec 2012	#7
It's better to burn out than to fade away	Fumesucker	Dec 2012	#6
Tina Turner and Grace Slick are both 73 now and alive and well.	Manifestor_of_Light	Dec 2012	#8
Go back further	duffyduff	Dec 2012	#12
who did they average in?	treestar	Dec 2012	#9
It's all kind of silly	duffyduff	Dec 2012	#11
Yep	treestar	Dec 2012	#13
You needed a #1 album in the UK to be in the study	caraher	Dec 2012	#10

Response to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Thu Dec 20, 2012, 12:25 PM

NICO9000 (970 posts)

1. Bogus

There was never anyone named Stephen Harris in either The Cult or GNR, so I don't know where they got this info from.

I actually saw that tour in 87 or 88. The Cult headlined, but GNR were pretty fucking great that night too,.

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Response to NICO9000 (Reply #1)

Thu Dec 20, 2012, 04:51 PM

skamaria (95 posts)

3. Hmm

He went by the name Kid Chaos when he played for the Cult. Per wiki.

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Response to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Thu Dec 20, 2012, 04:41 PM

Bucky (41,687 posts)

2. So, how did Ted Nugent make it to 50 something?

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Response to Bucky (Reply #2)

Thu Dec 20, 2012, 04:52 PM

skamaria (95 posts)

4. Only the good die young........

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Response to Bucky (Reply #2)

Thu Dec 20, 2012, 05:46 PM

Uncle Joe (25,036 posts)

5. He was never a superstar.

The study, led by Mark Bellis of the Centre for Public Health in Liverpool, found that the average lifespan of American musical superstars in the pop, rock and rap genre is only 45. The average European stars doesn't even make it to 40 -- they die, on average, at age 39.

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Response to Uncle Joe (Reply #5)

Sat Dec 22, 2012, 07:31 PM

Fumesucker (32,077 posts)

7. But Jimmy Page very nearly defines rock superstar, never mind all that Golden God business.

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Response to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Sat Dec 22, 2012, 07:09 PM

Fumesucker (32,077 posts)

6. It's better to burn out than to fade away

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Response to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Mon Dec 24, 2012, 04:18 AM

Manifestor_of_Light (16,449 posts)

8. Tina Turner and Grace Slick are both 73 now and alive and well.

Sir Brian May is 65.

Mick Jagger - 69
Charlie Watts - 72
Bill Wyman - 76
Keith Richards - 69

yeah, I know Brian Jones is dead.

Ringo - 72
Paul - 70

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Response to Manifestor_of_Light (Reply #8)

Mon Dec 24, 2012, 02:03 PM

duffyduff (1,023 posts)

12. Go back further

Chuck Berry--86
Fats Domino--84
Jerry Lee Lewis--77
Little Richard--80

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Response to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Mon Dec 24, 2012, 10:48 AM

treestar (41,449 posts)

9. who did they average in?

Every great band seems to have one death but take in everyone and it should't be that much higher than average. Rock stars are not the only people to die of drug overdoses.

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Response to treestar (Reply #9)

Mon Dec 24, 2012, 02:01 PM

duffyduff (1,023 posts)

11. It's all kind of silly

Last edited Mon Dec 24, 2012, 02:06 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

Rock is a relatively recent type of music. Give it another fifty years or so, and I will bet that average lifespan goes clear up.

Of course there are inherent risks in the business, and it's not just drugs. Small plane crashes, car accidents, and so forth are more likely when an occupation requires a lot of travel.

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Response to duffyduff (Reply #11)

Mon Dec 24, 2012, 03:22 PM

treestar (41,449 posts)

13. Yep

look at Lynryd Skynryd, Stevie Ray Vaughn.

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Response to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Mon Dec 24, 2012, 12:13 PM

caraher (3,646 posts)

10. You needed a #1 album in the UK to be in the study

From the BMJ link:

They included 1,046 musicians (solo artists and band members) who had a number one album in the UK charts between 1956 and 2007.

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