Free Republic

All human cultures have traditions around death. In the western world, we have wakes and funerals, obituaries and tombstones, private or public burials. Famous people get retrospectives on the evening news; prominent politicians may lie in state at a capitol rotunda. It’s the printed word, however, that’s most interesting to me. There’s a rule that governs all these retrospectives and obituaries: Never speak ill of the dead. It’s a reasonable standard, clearly written with some eye – conscious or no – to the Golden Rule. We hope nobody will speak ill of us when we die, so we don’t speak...

Radio shock jock Don Imus, one of the early pioneers of his genre, died Friday less than two years after retiring, according to a family statement given to NBC New York. He was 79. The controversial morning personality’s last day on the radio was on March 29 of last year. He had announced on Jan. 22 that he was retiring, telling fans: “Turn out the lights...the party's over."

New York Dolls bassist Arthur Kane died last night (July 13) in Los Angeles due to complications from leukemia, the group's manager confirms to Billboard.com. He was 55. The reunited Dolls were fresh off a well-received appearance at Morrissey's Meltdown Festival in London last month and had also opened some of Morrissey's concerts in May in New York. It is unclear if the David Johansen-led group will still perform next month at Little Steven's International Underground Garage Festival in New York. The Dolls are scheduled to release an album for Morrissey's Attack imprint in September, but no details have been...

Hello Folks, It is with great sadness today that I report the passing of my good friend Niki Sullivan. He apparently died of natural causes in his sleep. He had been healthy and recently retired so it came as a surprise to all. I was informed today of the sad news by his wife Fran and his son's Erin and Marty. Niki, for those that don't know was an original member of Buddy Holly's band, the Crickets. He was a very modest person, generous, kind, funny and just an all around great guy to hang out with. He enriched my...

Just heard on the radio that Joe Strummer was found dead, presumably of a heart attack. RIP Joe.

<p>LONDON — Joe Strummer, lead singer of the legendary British punk band The Clash, has died, his record company said Monday. He was 50.</p> <p>Strummer, who was the band's guitarist, vocalist and songwriter alongside Mick Jones, died on Sunday. The British Broadcasting Corp. quoted The Clash's video director Don Letts as saying Strummer died of a heart attack.</p>

Former Clash frontman died of apparent heart attack Joe Strummer 1952-2002 Joe Strummer, former singer, guitarist and songwriter for legendary punk rockers the Clash, died Sunday at his home in Somerset, England of an apparent heart attack; he was fifty. An autopsy is pending. The son of a British diplomat, Strummer was born John Graham Mellor in Ankara, Turkey, in 1952, and as a boy he lived in Mexico City, Cypress and Cairo, in addition to England. His rock & roll conversion came behind boarding school walls, courtesy of the Rolling Stones' version of Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away." "I...

Actor James Coburn died tonight in Los Angeles at 74. More to follow.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) -- James Coburn, who played tough-guy roles in such films as "Our Man Flint'' and "The Magnificent Seven,'' and who won an Academy Award with his portrait of a dissolute father in "Affliction,'' died Monday. He was 74. Coburn died of a heart attack at home while listening to music with his wife, said his manager, Hillard Elkins. Coburn won his best supporting actor Oscar for the 1998 film after overcoming a 10-year struggle with arthritis that left one hand crippled. Born in Laurel, Neb., on Aug. 31, 1928, Coburn studied acting in Los Angeles...