On November 24, 1991, we lost two great rock legends. Let us take this moment to remember them.
Eric Carr (born Paul Charles Caravello, July 12, 1951) joined KISS in 1980 following the departure of drummer Peter Criss. Having been influenced by Ringo Starr, Ginger Baker and the late John Bonham, Eric helped redefine KISS's sound with his powerful drumming skills. Though he participated in the band's single worst album (1981's Music from "The Elder"), he brought out his full potential on 1982's Creatures of the Night, which was not only the band's best work in the '80s, but their last one with their makeup on for the rest of the decade.
Shortly after KISS wrapped up their Hot in the Shade tour in 1990, Eric's health went to a decline. It was revealed that he had heart cancer, one of the rarest forms of cancer. Despite successful surgeries to remove the tumors in his heart, he succumbed to a cerebral hemorrhage on this day, caused by the cancerous blood cells that were transported through his bloodstream. He was 41.
His last work with KISS was the song "God Gave Rock and Roll to You II", in which he did backing vocals. KISS dedicated their 1992 album Revenge in memory of Eric. It featured "Carr Jam 1981", the only audio recording of Eric's drum solo.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RORKrCPLCzo]KISS - Eric Carr Drum Solo 1990[/ame]
Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara, September 5, 1946) grew up in his birthplace in Zanzibar and in a boarding school in India before moving to London, England, where in 1970, he co-founded the band we know now as Queen. Throughout the '70s and '80s, Queen sold out concerts and generated sales of over 190 million albums worldwide (as of 2006, according to guitarist Brian May).
On stage, Freddie was a phenom, dazzling audiences worldwide with his incredible vocals and amazing stage presence. "Bohemian Rhapsody" (from the 1975 album A Night at the Opera), a song he single-handedly wrote, became not only Queen's biggest hit, but one of the greatest rock songs ever made.
Queen's last tour with Freddie was in 1986 for their album A Kind of Magic. At that point, Freddie's health started to deteriorate; hence the lack of tours for the band's last two albums. On November 22, 1991, Freddie officially announced he had AIDS. The next day, he died at age 45.
Today, his legacy still lives on. Many other musical acts such as George Michael and Robbie Williams have paid tribute to Freddie over the years. In 1996, a bronze statue of Freddie was unveiled in Montreaux, Switzerland. Fans make the pilgrimage to the statue on every first week of September. The surviving members of Queen, along with rock legend Paul Rodgers, currently carry on Freddie's legacy on tour.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oozJH6jSr2U]Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody" (Live)[/ame]
To Freddie and Eric - may you always be remembered forever.
Eric Carr (born Paul Charles Caravello, July 12, 1951) joined KISS in 1980 following the departure of drummer Peter Criss. Having been influenced by Ringo Starr, Ginger Baker and the late John Bonham, Eric helped redefine KISS's sound with his powerful drumming skills. Though he participated in the band's single worst album (1981's Music from "The Elder"), he brought out his full potential on 1982's Creatures of the Night, which was not only the band's best work in the '80s, but their last one with their makeup on for the rest of the decade.
Shortly after KISS wrapped up their Hot in the Shade tour in 1990, Eric's health went to a decline. It was revealed that he had heart cancer, one of the rarest forms of cancer. Despite successful surgeries to remove the tumors in his heart, he succumbed to a cerebral hemorrhage on this day, caused by the cancerous blood cells that were transported through his bloodstream. He was 41.
His last work with KISS was the song "God Gave Rock and Roll to You II", in which he did backing vocals. KISS dedicated their 1992 album Revenge in memory of Eric. It featured "Carr Jam 1981", the only audio recording of Eric's drum solo.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RORKrCPLCzo]KISS - Eric Carr Drum Solo 1990[/ame]
Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara, September 5, 1946) grew up in his birthplace in Zanzibar and in a boarding school in India before moving to London, England, where in 1970, he co-founded the band we know now as Queen. Throughout the '70s and '80s, Queen sold out concerts and generated sales of over 190 million albums worldwide (as of 2006, according to guitarist Brian May).
On stage, Freddie was a phenom, dazzling audiences worldwide with his incredible vocals and amazing stage presence. "Bohemian Rhapsody" (from the 1975 album A Night at the Opera), a song he single-handedly wrote, became not only Queen's biggest hit, but one of the greatest rock songs ever made.
Queen's last tour with Freddie was in 1986 for their album A Kind of Magic. At that point, Freddie's health started to deteriorate; hence the lack of tours for the band's last two albums. On November 22, 1991, Freddie officially announced he had AIDS. The next day, he died at age 45.
Today, his legacy still lives on. Many other musical acts such as George Michael and Robbie Williams have paid tribute to Freddie over the years. In 1996, a bronze statue of Freddie was unveiled in Montreaux, Switzerland. Fans make the pilgrimage to the statue on every first week of September. The surviving members of Queen, along with rock legend Paul Rodgers, currently carry on Freddie's legacy on tour.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oozJH6jSr2U]Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody" (Live)[/ame]
To Freddie and Eric - may you always be remembered forever.
