27 Club

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 27 Club is a term that refers to a number of popular musicians who died at a
ge 27,[1] often as a result of drug and alcohol abuse, or violent means such as
homicide or suicide.[2] The number of musicians who have died at this age and th
e circumstances of many of those deaths have given rise to the idea that prematu
re deaths at this age are unusually common.
The "club" has been repeatedly cited in music magazines, journals and the daily
press. Several exhibitions have been devoted to the idea, as well as novels, fil
ms and stage plays.[3][4][5][6][7] There have been many different theories and s
peculations about the causes of such early deaths and their possible connections
. Cobain and Hendrix biographer Charles R. Cross writes "The number of musicians
who died at 27 is truly remarkable by any standard. [Although] humans die regul
arly at all ages, there is a statistical spike for musicians who die at 27."[8]
However, a study published in the British Medical Journal in December 2011 concl
uded that there was no increase in the risk of death for musicians at the age of
27. Although the sampled musicians faced an increased risk of death in their 20
s and 30s, this was not limited to the age of 27.[9]
Contents
1
2
3
4
5

Origins
References in music
People identified as being in the 27 Club
See also
References

Origins
Jim Morrison, lead singer of the rock band the Doors.
Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison all died at the age of
27 between 1969 and 1971. At the time, the coincidence gave rise to some comment
,[10][11] but it was not until the death of Kurt Cobain, about two and a half de
cades later, that the idea of a "27 Club" began to catch on in public perception
.[8]
According to Hendrix and Cobain biographer Charles R. Cross, the growing importa
nce of the media Internet, television and magazines and the response to an interview
of Cobain's mother were jointly responsible for such theories. An excerpt from
a statement that Cobain's mother, Wendy Fradenburg Cobain O'Connor, made in the
Aberdeen, Washington newspaper The Daily World "Now he's gone and joined that stup
id club. I told him not to join that stupid club." referred to Hendrix, Joplin, an
d Morrison dying at the same age, according to Cross.[12] Other authors share hi
s view.[13] On the other hand, Josh Hunter and Eric Segalstad, writer of The 27s
: The Greatest Myth of Rock & Roll, assumed that Cobain's mother referred to the
death of his two uncles and his great uncle, who all committed suicide.[14] Acc
ording to Cross, the events have led a "set of conspiracy theorists [to suggest]
the absurd notion that Kurt Cobain intentionally timed his death so he could jo
in the 27 Club".[8]
In 2011, seventeen years after Cobain's death, Amy Winehouse died at the age of
27, and there was a large amount of media attention devoted to the club once aga
in. Three years earlier, she had expressed a fear of dying at that age.[15]
References in music
The song "28" by John Craigie off his album Montana Tale, is about the club. The
three verses refer to the deaths of Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, and Kurt Cobain

respectively.
The theme is referenced in the song "27 Forever" by Eric Burdon, on his 2013 alb
um 'Til Your River Runs Dry.[16]
The name of the song "27 Club" by letlive. off their album The Blackest Beautifu
l is derived from the club.[17]
The song title "27" by Fall Out Boy from their album Folie Deux is a reference t
o the club. The song explores the hedonistic lifestyles common in rock and roll.
Pete Wentz, the primary lyricist of Fall Out Boy, wrote the song because he fel
t that he was living a similarly dangerous lifestyle.[18]
People identified as being in the 27 Club
Name
Date of death Official cause of death
Fame
Age
27 Club
references
Alexandre Levy January 17, 1892
Unknown
Composer, pianist and co
nductor
27 years, 98 days
[19]
Louis Chauvin March 26, 1908 Neurosyphilitic sclerosis
Ragtime musician
27 years, 13 days
[19][20]
Robert Johnson August 16, 1938
Poisoning (strychnine [unattributed])
Blues singer and musician who recorded a very influential set of 29 songs.
27 years, 100 days
[19][20][21][22][23][24][25]
Nat Jaffe
August 5, 1945 Complications from high blood pressure Swing ja
zz pianist
27 years, 216 days
[19]
Jesse Belvin
February 6, 1960
Traffic collision (car)
R&B sing
er, pianist and songwriter
27 years, 53 days
[19][20][22][23]
Rudy Lewis
May 20, 1964
Drug overdose Vocalist of the Drifters
27 years, 271 days
[22][24]
Joe Henderson October 24, 1964
Heart attack
R&B and gospel singer
27 years, 183 days
[26]
Malcolm Hale
October 31, 1968
Poisoning (carbon monoxide)
Original
member and lead guitarist of Spanky and Our Gang
27 years, 166 days
[19][23]
Dickie Pride
March 26, 1969 Drug overdose (sleeping pills) Rock and roll si
nger
27 years, 156 days
[22]
Brian Jones
July 3, 1969
Drowning[27] (coroner's report states "death by
misadventure")[28]
Rolling Stones founder, guitarist and multi-instrumental
ist
27 years, 125 days
[19][20][22][23][24][25][29]
Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson
September 3, 1970
Drug overdose (barbitura
te), possible suicide Leader, singer and primary composer of Canned Heat
27 years, 61 days
[19][20][22][23][24][25]
Jimi Hendrix
September 18, 1970
Asphyxiation[30]
Pioneering elect
ric guitarist, singer and songwriter for the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Band of
Gypsys
27 years, 295 days
[19][20][22][23][24][25][29]
Janis Joplin
October 4, 1970
Drug overdose (probable, heroin)[31]
Lead vocalist and songwriter for Big Brother and the Holding Company, the Kozmic
Blues Band and Full Tilt Boogie Band 27 years, 258 days
[19][20][22][23]
[24][25][32]
Arlester "Dyke" Christian
March 13, 1971 Murdered
Frontman, vocali
st and bassist of Dyke and the Blazers 27 years, 273 days
[19]
Jim Morrison
July 3, 1971
Heart failure[33]
Singer, lyricist, and le
ader of the Doors
27 years, 207 days
[19][20][22][23][24][25][29]
Linda Jones
March 14, 1972 Complications from diabetes
Soul singer
27 years, 91 days
[22]
Leslie Harvey May 3, 1972
Electrocution Guitarist for Stone the Crows an
d brother of Alex Harvey
27 years, 233 days
[20][23][25]
Ron "Pigpen" McKernan March 8, 1973 Gastrointestinal hemorrhage
Founding
member, keyboardist and singer of the Grateful Dead
27 years, 181 days
[19][20][22][23][24][25]
Roger Lee Durham
July 27, 1973 Fell off a horse and died from the injur

ies
Singer and percussionist of Bloodstone 27 years, 163 days
[19][23]
Wallace Yohn
August 12, 1974
Plane crash
Organ player of Chase
27 years, 212 days
[19]
Dave Alexander February 10, 1975
Pulmonary edema
Bassist for the
Stooges
27 years, 252 days
[19][20][22][23][24][25]
Pete Ham
April 24, 1975 Suicide by hanging
Keyboardist and guitaris
t, leader of Badfinger 27 years, 362 days
[19][20][22][23][24][25]
Gary Thain
December 8, 1975
Drug overdose (heroin) Former bassist o
f Uriah Heep and the Keef Hartley Band 27 years, 207 days
[19][20][23][24]
Cecilia
August 2, 1976 Traffic collision (car)
Singer 27 years
, 296 days
[34][35]
Helmut Kllen May 3, 1977
Poisoning (carbon monoxide)
Bassist for 1970
s prog rock band Triumvirat
27 years, 62 days
[19][23]
Chris Bell
December 27, 1978
Traffic collision (car)
Singer-s
ongwriter and guitarist of power pop band Big Star and solo
27 years, 349 da
ys
[19][20][22][23]
Jacob Miller
March 23, 1980 Traffic collision (car)
Reggae artist an
d lead singer for Inner Circle 27 years, 324 days
[20][24]
D. Boon
December 22, 1985
Traffic collision (van)
Guitaris
t, lead singer of punk band the Minutemen
27 years, 266 days
[19][20]
[22][23][25]
Alexander Bashlachev
February 17, 1988
Fall from a height, probable sui
cide
Poet, rock musician and songwriter
27 years, 266 days
[34]
Jean-Michel Basquiat
August 12, 1988
Drug overdose (Speedball)
Painter and graffiti artist; formed the band Gray
27 years, 234 days
[22][23][24][25]
Pete de Freitas
June 14, 1989 Traffic collision (motorcycle) Drummer
for Echo & the Bunnymen
27 years, 346 days
[19][20][22][23][24]
Mia Zapata
July 7, 1993
Murdered
Lead singer of the Gits
27 years, 316 days
[19][20][22]
Kurt Cobain
April 5, 1994 c.
Suicide by gunshot[36] Founding member,
lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for Nirvana
27 years, 44 days c.
[19][20][22][23][24][25][32]
Kristen Pfaff June 16, 1994 Drug overdose (heroin) Bass guitarist for Hole
and Janitor Joe
27 years, 21 days
[19][20][22][23][24][25]
Richey Edwards February 1, 1995
Disappeared; officially presumed dead No
vember 23, 2008
Lyricist and guitarist for Manic Street Preachers
27 years, 41 days
[19][22][23][25]
Fat Pat
February 3, 1998
Murdered
American rapper and memb
er of Screwed Up Click 27 years, 61 days
[19][20]
Freaky Tah
March 28, 1999 Murdered
American rapper and member of th
e hip hop group Lost Boyz
27 years, 318 days
[19]
Kami
June 21, 1999 Subarachnoid hemorrhage
Drummer for Malice Mizer
27 years, 140 days
[37]
Rodrigo Bueno June 24, 2000 Traffic collision (car)
Cuarteto singer
27 years, 31 days
[34]
Sean Patrick McCabe
August 28, 2000
Asphyxiation
Lead singer of I
nk & Dagger
27 years, 289 days
[19][20][22][23]
Maria Serrano Serrano November 24, 2001
Plane crash (Crossair Flight 359
7)
Background singer for Passion Fruit
27 years, 363 days
[19]
Jeremy Michael Ward
May 25, 2003
Drug overdose (heroin) The Mars Volta a
nd De Facto sound manipulator 27 years, 20 days
[19][20][22][23]
Bryan Ottoson April 19, 2005 Drug overdose (prescription medication)
Guitarist for American Head Charge
27 years, 32 days
[19][20][23]
Valentn Elizalde
November 26, 2006
Murdered
Mexican banda si
nger
27 years, 297 days
[19]
Amy Winehouse July 23, 2011 Poisoning (alcohol)[38]
Singer-songwrite
r
27 years, 312 days
[20][22][23][24][25][29]
Richard Turner August 11, 2011
Cardiac arrest Trumpet player, collabor
ator with Friendly Fires[39]
27 years, 12 days
[20]

Nicole Bogner January 6, 2012

Undisclosed illness
Singer for Visio
ns of Atlantis 27 years, 290 days
[40]
Soroush "Looloosh" Farazmand
November 11, 2013
Murdered
Guitaris
t for the Yellow Dogs 27 years, 11 days
[41][42]
Slada Gudura
December 10, 2014
Road accident Bosnian pop singer and a
ctress 27 years, 121 days
[43]