The 27 Club is considered a mysterious phenomenon, capturing the attention of music fans, historians, and conspiracy theorists equally; it refers to a group of musicians who died tragically young at the age of 27. There are many theories as to the cause. Could it be the pressures of fame? Could it be those internal struggles, such as depression, contribute to the creative genius of these artists, as well as their eventual death? Or could it be a mere coincidence?
Rudy Lewis 23rd August 1936 – 20th May 1964
Rudy replaced Ben E. King as the lead singer of the Drifters, singing on hits such as ‘Up on the Roof’. There were rumours that Rudy was a closeted homosexual (at a time when it was not considered acceptable), suffered from an eating disorder and had a heroin addiction. On the 21st of May 1984, the band were due to record ‘Under the Boardwalk’, Rudy was found dead in his hotel room, having died the night before. An autopsy was never performed, and his death was recorded as a ‘probable overdose’.
Brian Jones 28th February 1942 – 3rd July 1969
Brian was the founding member of the Rolling Stones, writing songs such as ‘Ruby Tuesday’. He developed a serious alcohol and drug addiction and in June 1969 he was dismissed from the band. At midnight on the 2nd/3rd of July, Brian was found at the bottom of his swimming pool. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital with the official cause being ‘death by misadventure’.
Alan ‘Blind Owl’ Wilson 4th July 1943 – 3rd September 1970
Alan was the co-founder and singer of the band Canned Heat, who had hits including ‘On the Road Again’. Alan suffered from sleep paralysis as a child and insomnia as an adult. He was also known to have anxiety and depression and was hospitalised for it in 1979 and 1970. There were rumours that he had attempted suicide during these times, although this was never confirmed. On the 3rd of September 1970, Alan was found dead. His death was recorded as ‘accidental acute barbiturate intoxication’. It is not certain whether it was suicide or not.
Jimi Hendrix 27th November 1942 – 18th September 1970
Jimi, in my opinion, was one of the best guitar players of all time, having hits with songs such as ‘Purple Haze’. He headlined the 1969 Woodstock Festival and the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival as the world’s highest-paid performer. At this point, he was a regular drug user and abused alcohol. At 11 a.m. on 18th September 1970, Jimi was found unconscious and unresponsive. He was rushed to hospital and was pronounced dead at 12:45 p.m. Although his death was recorded as an ‘open verdict’, he appeared to have choked on his vomit while intoxicated by barbiturates.
Janis Joplin 19th January 1943 – 4th October 1970
Janis was a powerful vocalist who started as the singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company before carrying on as a solo artist. Some of her most famous songs include ‘Piece of My Heart’ and ‘Mercedes Benz’, her last recording. On 4th October 1970, she was found dead on the floor of her hotel room. Originally, no drugs were found in the hotel room, although they were there when the room was checked again. Janis had officially died of a ‘heroin overdose’.
Jim Morrison 8th December 1943 – 3rd July 1971
Jim was the lead vocalist of the band, The Doors, and is considered in some circles to be one of the most influential frontmen of all time, creating songs such as ‘Light My Fire’. During his time with the Doors, Jim developed an alcohol addiction which affected his performances on stage and in his personal life. At approximately 6 a.m. on the 3rd of July 1971, Jim was found dead in the bathtub while in Paris. French law did not require an autopsy, and his official cause of death was recorded as ‘heart failure’.
Kurt Cobain 20th February 1967 – 5th April 1994
Kurt was the founding member, lead singer and guitarist for the band Nirvana. The band’s songs, such as ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, became anthems for Generation X. Kurt famously suffered from depression, chronic bronchitis, and severe stomach pains, turning to drugs as a coping mechanism. On 8th April, he was discovered dead from a self-inflicted gun wound at his home; he was thought to have died on the 5th, and his death was recorded as ‘suicide’. There is still speculation that his wife, Courtney Love, had him murdered, but there has never been any actual proof, just conspiracy theories and misogyny.
Kristen Pfaff 26th May 1967 – 16th June 1994
Kristen was a self-taught bassist for Janitor Joe and Hole, playing on the album ‘Live Through This’. She was close friends with band member Eric Erlandson (whom she dated) and Kurt Cobain. In February 1994, Kristen checked into a detox centre for heroin addiction. When she left the centre, she quit Hole and re-joined Janitor Joe. On 16th June 1994 at 9.30 am, Kristen was found dead at her Seattle apartment next to a bag of drug paraphernalia. Her death was recorded as ‘acute opiate intoxication’.
Richey Edwards 22nd December 1967 – 1st February 1995 (Possibly)
Richey was a lyricist and rhythm guitarist of the Welsh band Manic Street Preachers, writing songs such as ‘Motorcycle Emptiness’. Richey was open about his struggles with depression and self-harm, needing hospital treatment for some of his injuries. He disappeared on 1st February 1995; the day before his disappearance, he gave a friend a book called ‘Novel with Cocaine’ about someone staying in a mental asylum before going missing. Since then, there have been reported sightings of Richey, but none confirmed. His status changed from ‘missing person’ on 23rd November 2008, when it was changed to ‘presumed dead’.
Amy Winehouse 14th September 1983 – 23rd July 2011
Amy was an impressive singer and songwriter, missing jazz, blues, and soul into her music. She released her debut album, ‘Frank’, to critical acclaim, but her second album, ‘Back in Black’, catapulted her to international stardom. Amy suffered from mental illnesses, including depression, bulimia, and substance abuse. At 10 am on 23rd July 2011, Amy’s bodyguard found her lying on her bed and couldn’t wake her; he said this was normal after Amy had been out the night before. At approximately 3 a.m., he checked on her again and found her in the same position and not breathing. An ambulance was called, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. A verdict of ‘death by misadventure’ was recorded. At the time of death, her blood alcohol level was more than five times the legal drink-drive limit.
There are, sadly, many members of the 27 Club and this article talks of only a few. These musicians left more than their talent in the world; they also left cautionary tales about fame, excess and addiction.
As always, thanks for reading; take care of yourselves, and I will see you next time.
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