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Ex-Scorpions Drummer James Kottak Dead at 61David Wolff – Patrick, Getty Images
Ex-Scorpions Drummer James Kottak Dead at 61
Bryan Rolli
Bryan Rolli
Published: January 9, 2024
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James Kottak, drummer for Kingdom Come and formerly Scorpions, has died at 61, TMZ confirmed.
“James was a wonderful human being, a great musician and loving family man,” the Scorpions wrote on social media. “He was our ‘brother from another mother’ and will be truly missed.”
The Louisville-born musician played in myriad hard rock bands throughout his career, including Buster Brown, Montrose, McAuley Schenker Group, Dio and Warrant. He achieved his first considerable success with Kingdom Come, whose self-titled 1988 debut peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 and went gold (while also earning plenty of Led Zeppelin comparisons) off the strength of the single “Get It On.”
Kottak joined Scorpions in 1996 and remained with the group until 2016, making him their longest-tenured drummer, just ahead of Herman Rarebell (1977-1996). He performed on the studio albums Eye II Eye, Unbreakable, Humanity: Hour I, Sting in the Tail and Return to Forever before being dismissed and replaced by Motorhead’s Mikkey Dee.
James Kottak’s Long Struggle With Alcohol
Kottak grappled with alcoholism for years, leading to his 2014 arrest and imprisonment in Dubai and his eventual dismissal from Scorpions. He sought treatment at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Centre Antigua and said he remained on good terms with his bandmates, even as they moved on with new personnel.
“Mikkey came into the band and it was going to be temporary,” Kottak said in 2018. “And it wasn’t until we got down to business in October or November of 2016, which was a long time later, that they just decided to say, ‘Hey, man, we wanna talk to you. It’s not like you’re being fired. We wanna move on. We wanna part ways.’ It didn’t feel like being fired. … They’re great guys like that. I’m so grateful to them. Put it this way: 21 years is a lifetime.”
Kottak also turned heads when he took part in a highly criticized Kingdom Come performance at the 2022 Sweden Rock Festival. Black Star Riders and former Ratt bassist Robbie Crane commented at the time: “This is a sad situation … James is a good dude … He’s a father, brother, son, husband and friend … But sadly, you are correct … the only person that can save James is James. He has to want it.”
In Memoriam: 2023 Deaths
A look at those we’ve lost.
Gallery Credit: Allison Rapp
Fred White
Fred White
Rob Verhost, Getty Images
Fred White
Earth, Wind & Fire drummer Fred White played on many of the band’s hits, including “September,” “Shining Star” and “Let’s Groove.” He died on Jan. 1 at the age of 67. Born in Chicago, White collaborated on Little Feat’s Feats Don’t Fail Me Now, Linda Ronstadt’s Heart Like a Wheel and a pair of Donny Hathaway albums before joining Earth, Wind & Fire in 1974. “Fred was the brick wall,” brother Maurice White wrote in his 2016 memoir, My Life With Earth, Wind & Fire. “He provided a rock-solid tempo and a rock-solid feel, priceless qualities in a drummer. He was one of the best things going for us.” White was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 with the band.
Melinda Dillon
Melinda Dillon
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Melinda Dillon
According to a statement from her family, the two-time Oscar-nominated actress Melinda Dillon died on Jan. 9 at age 83, though news of her passing was not released until early February. Dillon began her acting career in Chicago, before moving to New York City and earning a Tony Award for her role in the 1963 original production of Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? She eventually transitioned to film, landing roles in flicks like Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Absence of Malice, Slap Shot and the holiday classic, A Christmas Story.
Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Getty Images
Jeff Beck
Rock legend Jeff Beck died on Jan. 10 at 78. The guitar virtuoso, first inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 as a member of the Yardbirds, had been battling bacterial meningitis. Beck’s diverse and lengthy career earned him many accolades, including seven Grammy Awards. His trailblazing work with the Yardbirds, the Jeff Beck Group (where he worked with Rod Stewart) and his solo career inspired many guitarists. Beck lent his guitar skills to many outside projects as well, including work with Roger Waters, Kate Bush and Jon Bon Jovi. Beck was inducted into the Rock Hall as a solo artist in 2009.
Lisa Marie Presley
Lisa Marie Presley
Rick Diamond, Getty Images
Lisa Marie Presley
Lisa Marie Presley, singer-songwriter and daughter of Elvis and Priscilla Presley, died on Jan. 12 at age 54. She was born in 1968, the same year her dad enjoyed a career revival thanks to a televised comeback special. Less than a decade after Elvis’ 1977 death, Lisa Marie became an heir to his estate. Married four times, she lamented the 2009 death of Michael Jackson, her second husband. “I wanted to ‘save him,'” she noted at the time. An active philanthropist, Presley remained in the spotlight, engaging in a range of activities. Her last public appearance was at the Golden Globes, just two days before her death.
Robbie Bachman
Robbie Bachman
Fin Costello, Getty Images
Robbie Bachman
Founding Bachman-Turner Overdrive drummer Robbie Bachman died on Jan. 12. His brother and onetime bandmate Randy Bachman eulogized him as “the pounding beat of BTO.” Randy called his younger sibling “an integral cog in our rock ‘n’ roll machine,” adding that “we rocked the world together.” Robbie was also in the songwriting mix with BTO, helping pen several of the band’s classic songs, including “Roll On Down the Highway” from 1974’s Not Fragile. Although he was in and out of the group’s lineup several times over the years, Robbie Bachman was with the band when it was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2014.
Bruce Gowers
Bruce Gowers
Jason Garrett, Getty Images / YouTube
Bruce Gowers
Bruce Gowers directed many famous music videos, including Queen’s classic “Bohemian Rhapsody. The award-winning director died on Jan 15. at 82 from complications of an acute respiratory infection. Among his many accolades were a 1986 Grammy Award for his work on a concert video by Huey Lewis and a 2009 Emmy that arrived near the end of his tenure overseeing American Idol for nine seasons. Gowers was paid $590 in 1975 to direct “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which became the first music video ever aired by the BBC’s Top of the Pops. “It changed the way music was perceived,” he told the Daily Mail in 2018. “Everyone was doing videos and bands were seeing their sales and chart positions rise if their videos were good.” He went on to direct clips for Michael Jackson, Prince, Journey and Rush.
Van Conner
Van Conner
Steve Eichner, WireImage
Van Conner
Van Conner, a co-founding member of alt-rock favorites Screaming Trees, died on Jan. 17 at 55 after an extended illness and developing pneumonia. “He was one of the closest friends I ever had, and I loved him immensely,” his brother and bandmate Gary Lee Conner shared on social media. As a member of Screaming Trees, the bassist scored several hits on alternative radio in the ’90s, including “Nearly Lost You” from 1992’s Sweet Oblivion. Conner also logged time playing with Dinosaur Jr. during the decade. After Screaming Trees disbanded in 2000, he focused on other musical projects.
David Crosby
David Crosby
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
David Crosby
David Crosby, a founding member of both the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash, died on Jan. 18 at 81 after a long illness. He joined the Byrds in 1964, and the band scored its first No. 1 single the next year with “Mr. Tambourine Man.” He formed Crosby, Stills & Nash in 1968 with the Hollies’ Graham Nash and Buffalo Springfield’s Stephen Stills. It was a potent combination that secured the group its first Grammy Award in 1969 for their self-titled debut album. Crosby worked in a variety of different configurations of the group, which occasionally included Neil Young, for decades. When CSN disbanded in 2015, Crosby turned his focus to his solo career, releasing four well-regarded albums between 2016 and 2021, with at least one more completed at the time of his death.
Marshall Tucker
Marshall Tucker
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
Marshall Tucker
The man who inspired the Marshall Tucker Band’s moniker died on Jan 20 at age 99. The Southern rock group was rehearsing in its early days and found a keychain with Tucker’s name on it in an old warehouse in Spartanburg, S.C. In an interesting twist, Tucker was also a musician. “Marshall was blind since birth but amazingly could play the heck out of the piano,” the band noted on social media. “He always said his talent was simply God-given. He tuned pianos in South Carolina for decades. We are thankful for Mr. Marshall Tucker and the life he lived.”
Anthony
Anthony “Top” Topham
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Anthony “Top” Topham
Founding Yardbirds guitarist Anthony “Top” Topham died at 75 on Jan. 23. He had been fighting dementia in his later years, a publicist statement revealed. He helped found the legendary English band when he was just 15. But Topham left the Yardbirds after less than a year to focus on an art degree. The guitar player was eventually replaced by Eric Clapton. As he recalled, he had no second thoughts about his decision. “I didn’t regret leaving [the Yardbirds] because they’d moved away from the blues music that I was interested in,” he said. “Even if I’d stayed with them to become professional, I think I would have left later for the same reasons Eric left.” Topham did return to music, however, eventually collaborating with Marc Bolan, Peter Green and Christine McVie.
Dean Daughtry
Dean Daughtry
Tom Hill, WireImage
Dean Daughtry
Atlanta Rhythm Section co-founder Dean Daughtry died on Jan. 26 at age 76, the band announced on Facebook. His early musical exploits included performing with the Candymen, who often backed Roy Orbison. He followed that with a stint in Classics IV, getting a taste of chart success in 1968 when their song “Spooky” went to No. 3. In 1970, the initial lineup of Atlanta Rhythm Section began to take shape, with Daughtry joined by former members of both the Candymen and Classics IV. Top 10 singles like “So Into You” and “Imaginary Lover” were among the many highlights the keyboardist played on during his nearly 50 years with the group.
Tom Verlaine
Tom Verlaine
Gus Stewart, Getty Images
Tom Verlaine
Tom Verlaine, the singer, guitarist and songwriter behind Television, died on Jan. 28 at 73 after a brief illness. The New York band’s 1977 debut LP, Marquee Moon, is considered a masterpiece. R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe, Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante, Joy Division’s Stephen Morris and U2’s the Edge are among those who credit it with being a key influence on their own music. Marquee Moon and its follow-up, Adventure, didn’t have any commercial presence, so Television called it quits in 1978. Verlaine then launched a solo career and occasionally reunited with Television, who toured most recently in 2019.
Cindy Williams
Cindy Williams
ABC Photo Archives, Getty Images
Cindy Williams
Cindy Williams, who played Shirley on the groundbreaking ’70s sitcom Laverne & Shirley, died at the age of 75 after battling an unspecified illness on Jan. 25. With costar Penny Marshall, Williams pioneered more realistic, blue-collar female characters than had previously been showcased on television. She also appeared in 1973’s American Graffiti and the following year’s The Conversation.
Floyd Sneed
Floyd Sneed
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Floyd Sneed
Drummer Floyd Sneed, best known for his work with Three Dog Night, died in late January at the age of 80. “Floyd broke many barriers both musically and culturally; he also influenced countless other drummers with his amazing technique,” the band wrote in a statement following his death. “He will be greatly missed by all of us in the band and the many musicians, artists and others he inspired throughout his life. ”
Barrett Strong
Barrett Strong
Gilles Petard, Getty Images
Barrett Strong
Motown songwriter Barrett Strong died on Jan. 29 at 81. He scored a hit as a solo artist with 1959’s “Money (That’s What I Want)” and went on to write many other classic songs. His death was mourned by Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr., who praised Strong as “the man who sang my first big hit.” “Money” has been covered many times over the years, including by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. Strong also co-wrote “War” for Edwin Starr, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” for Marvin Gaye and several songs for the Temptations, including “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” which earned Strong a Grammy.
George R. Robertson
George R. Robertson
YouTube
George R. Robertson
George R. Robertson, best known for his role as police chief Henry Hurst in the Police Academy films, died in early February at the age of 89. He appeared in every Police Academy film except the seventh and final installment of the series. Prior to Police Academy, Robertson had roles in 1968’s Rosemary’s Baby and 1970’s Airport.
Phil Spalding
Phil Spalding
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Phil Spalding
Bassist Phil Spalding, a former member of the prog supergroup GTR, as well as Mike Oldfield’s band, died on Feb. 6 at the age of 65. Spalding joined GTR in 1985, along with Genesis’ Steve Hackett, Yes’ Steve Howe, singer Max Bacon and drummer Jonathan Mover. Their 1986 self-titled debut album went to No. 11 on the Billboard 200, featuring the hit single “When the Heart Rules the Mind.” “He was a lovely guy and a great bass player in GTR,” Hackett shared online following Spalding’s death.
Burt Bacharach
Burt Bacharach
NBC, Getty Images
Burt Bacharach
Burt Bacharach, the songwriter who penned some of pop’s most recognizable tunes, died on Feb. 9 at 94. His career began when he met the lyricist Hal David in 1957 at the Brill Building in New York City, and the pair would go on to write hits like “Walk on By,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” and “What the World Needs Now Is Love,” among others. His songs were covered by the likes of Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, the Beatles and more. He also enjoyed a longstanding collaborative friendship with Elvis Costello, who described Bacharach as “a really great man” following the news of his passing.
Huey
Huey “Piano” Smith
Jack Vartoogian, Getty Images
Huey “Piano” Smith
Huey “Piano” Smith, a pioneering figure in R&B and early rock ‘n’ roll music, died in mid-February at the age of 89. One of Smith’s earliest gigs was as the piano player in Little Richard’s first group, and he also recorded with musicians like Lloyd Price, Earl King, Smiley Lewis and Dr. John. In 1957, Smith’s own band released “Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu,” a hit that was later covered by acts like Aerosmith, the Grateful Dead, Bruce Springsteen and Deep Purple.
Tom Whitlock
Tom Whitlock
YouTube
Tom Whitlock
Tom Whitlock, the songwriter and lyricist for “Danger Zone” and “Take My Breath Away” from Top Gun, died on Feb. 23 at the age of 68. (He had reportedly been battling Alzheimer’s for several years.) Whitlock’s earliest work appeared in films like Scarface, Flashdance and Beverly Hills Cop, followed by 1986’s Top Gun. Together with his boss, the Italian composer Giorgio Moroder, they penned five songs for Top Gun, including the soundtrack’s two biggest hits, both of which landed in the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Wayne Shorter
Wayne Shorter
Paul Morigi, Getty Images for Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz
Wayne Shorter
The legendary saxophonist Wayne Shorter died at 89 in February. After serving in the U.S. Army, Shorter performed in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, followed by Miles Davis’ second great quintet, where he played on early jazz fusion albums like In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew. In 1970, Shorter co-founded the jazz fusion group Weather Report, which released more than a dozen albums. He later also collaborated with the likes of Joni Mitchell, Carlos Santana, Steely Dan and Don Henley.
David Lindley
David Lindley
Redferns, Getty Images
David Lindley
David Lindley, multi-instrumentalist who played with the likes of Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Warren Zevon, Rod Stewart, Bob Dylan and others, died in February at age 78. From 1966 to 1970, Lindley was a member of the psychedelic folk group Kaleidoscope, before he accepted an invitation to join Browne’s band, where he stayed for a decade. During this time, he also toured with Crosby & Nash, James Taylor and Ronstadt, as well as contributed to a variety of other musician’s albums. “I like all different kinds of stuff. That’s one of my problems,” he told Rock Cellar Magazine in 2016.
Michael Rhodes
Michael Rhodes
Frederick Breedon, Getty Images
Michael Rhodes
Session and touring bassist Michael Rhodes died in early March at the age of 69. Rhodes, whose career took off in Nashville, worked with dozens of rock legends, including Stevie Nicks, Elton John, Mark Knopfler, Joan Baez, John Fogerty, Michael McDonald, Dolly Parton, JJ Cale and more. In recent years, he was a member of Joe Bonamassa’s touring band.
Glen ‘Spot’ Lockett
Glen ‘Spot’ Lockett
UCR
Glen ‘Spot’ Lockett
Producer Glen “SPOT” Lockett, best known for his work with the iconic hardcore punk label SST Records, died on March 4 at age 72. Lockett began his career as a jazz guitarist before he focused his attention on punk. He co-founded the band Panic, which would later become Black Flag. At SST, the independent label formed by Black Flag’s Gregg Gin, Lockett worked on albums by Husker Du, Descendents, Misfits, Minutemen and more.
Gary Rossington
Gary Rossington
Rick Diamond, Getty Images
Gary Rossington
Gary Rossington, who played guitar for Lynyrd Skynyrd for close to 60 years, died in early March at the age of 71. (Rossington had battled multiple health issues in recent years, and had multiple heart surgeries.) Rossington survived the 1977 plane crash that killed three of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s members — he had steel rods inserted as a result of breaking both legs, both arms, both wrists and his pelvis. Up until his death, he was the longest-tenured member of the band and the only member to appear on every single one of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s albums.
Jim Gordon
Jim Gordon
Brian Cooke/Redferns, Getty Images
Jim Gordon
Jim Gordon, best known as the drummer for Derek and the Dominos, died in March at the age of 77. Gordon was also hailed for his session work, appearing on albums by George Harrison, Steely Dan, Jackson Browne, Tom Petty, John Lennon, Alice Cooper, Frank Zappa and many more. In 1983, Gordon stabbed and killed his 72-year-old mother. He was subsequently diagnosed with schizophrenia and sentenced to 16 years in prison. Though eligible for parole since 1991, he remained incarcerated until his death.
Fuzzy Haskins
Fuzzy Haskins
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
Fuzzy Haskins
Clarence “Fuzzy” Haskins, former singer for Parliament-Funkadelic, died in March at 81. Haskins was an early member of George Clinton’s doo-wop group the Parliaments, sticking with the band as it transitioned. Haskins was credited with writing several Funkadelic staples, like “I Get a Thing” and “I Wanna Know if It’s Good to You.” He also released two solo albums, A Whole Nother Thang (1976) and Radio Active (1978) “We will miss u my friend, bandmate and soul brother!” former bandmate Bootsy Collins said following the news. “Thank u for ur guidance in my pup years.”
Mick Slattery
Mick Slattery
YouTube
Mick Slattery
Mick Slattery, the original guitarist and co-founder of Hawkwind, died in March at the age of 77. Slattery only played with the ba
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