5.) Hillel
Slovak
I’m
not a huge RHCP fan, but if I will listen to them, I much prefer their earlier
period, their time in the mid-80’s, when they infused funk with rap, with a
fast-paced style that was truly unique in the music scene. Since Slovak’s
death, but not necessarily because of it, they veered away from that into a
band that hasn’t been able to truly blend styles but separates them. Both
Anthony Keidis and Flea have mentioned on numerous occasions that Slovak was
the guy that really drove the early days of the band, the guy that gave them
their sound, their identity. His loss was felt on the band, and what they would
become from a musical standpoint. The reason this isn’t higher is that he was a
major heroin addict (if not as much of an addict as Keidis), and probably a
ticking time-bomb. As Keidis and Flea have also both said, someone was going to
die – they just didn’t expect it to be Hillel. Slovak’s legacy is still being
felt (the man who replaced him, John Frusciante, has repeatedly said he’s
basically stole his whole playing style from Slovak), but his style, his
charisma, and his integral part of the early, and in my opinion better, era of
the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s legacy will never be forgotten.
4.) John
Bonham
I
wouldn’t say I’m a huge fan of Led Zeppelin. I do admire their musicality,
their amazing complexity and talent at playing their respective roles. Led
Zeppelin, musically, was pretty damn perfect. John Bonham was arguably the best
part of Led Zeppelin (or maybe he wasn’t – that’s how good they were) but his
loss did more than make the world lose a brilliant drummer, it made the world
lose a band. Robert Plant and Jimmy Page basically called it quits right after
Bonham’s death (I don’t think John Paul Jones had much of a say in the matter).
They’ve never really gotten back together. Bonham was integral to the
Page/Plant relationship, not as a mediator, but as the 3rd piece to
a triangular puzzle. Bonham connected that band more than anyone realized. I
don’t know how much longer Led Zeppelin would have stayed together had Bonham
not died, but had he stayed alive, I am sure they would have had more shows
together than Page and Plant have had without him. I’m sure I would have had a
chance to watch them play.
3.) Cliff
Burton
Metallica
is still going on, with the other three original (discounting Dave Mustaine)
members still in the band, but they’re not the same band they were with Burton
in it. It is easy to say Metallica would have made that transition anyway, but
I think losing Burton was more than just expediting the move towards shorter
songs. Take the album right after Burton’s death - …And Justice For All – which
kept a lot of the earlier Metallica ethos alive, with long intros, complex
framing, and a surfeit of length. That album had some of the longest songs
Metallica ever produced, but they were not the same. Gone was the rhythmic
influence that Burton, a music student, provided, replaced with an almost
workman-like creation. The songs on ‘And Justice’ somewhat plodded, and felt
too structured. The songs on the earlier album were close to perfect. Burton’s
incredible bass anchored some truly great music. Losing Burton definitely
changed Metallica musically, just not in the way most people think.
2.) John
Lennon
I
have serious doubts that had John Lennon not been killed the Beatles would have
gotten back together in any way apart from a music special every 10 years or
so, or maybe one gigantic comeback tour. Still, losing Lennon that soon was
losing the most important single musician in any band of the 20th
Century. John Lennon was the Beatles, something easy to forget all these years
later when Paul McCartney has become the lasting face of the band. John Lennon
was a talent like no other, with a musical mind like no other. We may have lost
some truly great music he produced, but we also missed a guy who could tour and
play Lennon Beatles songs the way they’re supposed to be played. Having Lennon
alive would probably have the least impact on the actual music produced since
his death of anyone on this list, but losing him may have hurt the most. Of
course, his loss is increased by the way it ended, the stupid, heinous crime
that ended his life. John Lennon was about peace, was about acceptance. The
fact that his lasting song outside of the Beatles was ‘Imagine’ was so perfect.
That was John Lennon in one word, a truly great imagination and mind.
1.) Freddie
Mercury
Why
is Freddie Mercury the biggest loss? Well, he’s arguably the most talented on
this list, though if you count song-writing, Lennon is definitely at the worst
Mercury’s equal. More than that, Mercury headed the one band who I think would
absolutely still be together touring had he not died. There’s a reason I didn’t
put Jim Morrison on this list, the Doors were basically done at the time of his
death. That is not true of Queen, a band that spanned 20 years with Mercury in
it, but still going strong. I have no doubt the concert I saw this summer with
Adam Lambert heading Brian May and Roger Taylor, would have been Freddie
Mercury singing had he not contracted HIV and passed away. Freddie Mercury was
one of the singular rock talents ever. He combined both an incredible feel and
ability for showmanship with a legendary, operatic voice. He was basically Mick
Jagger, with the voice to boot. Freddie Mercury went way too soon and the world
was stripped of enjoying his talents for 25 (and counting) years.
