Cocaine Led To Death of Who Bassist;John Entwistle Died When The Drug Caused A Heart Attack

AP via MSNBC ^ | July 25,2002 | ASSOCIATED PRESS

[John W]

LAS VEGAS, July 25 — John Entwistle, the 57-year-old bass player for the rock band The Who, died from a heart attack caused by cocaine use, the Clark County coroner said Thursday. Coroner Ron Flud ruled the death accidental and said it was not an overdose.

“The heart attack we believe was brought on by the significant amount of cocaine” that was in Entwistle’s system at the time of death, he said. The exact amount of the drug remains unknown. “Cocaine is a different animal,” Flud said. “It’s not like alcohol. There’s no way we can put a number on it. You’ve got a lethal drug on board at the time you have a bad heart. That’s a bad combination.”

Entwistle’s body was found in his bed at the Hard Rock Hotel on June 27, one day before the band was scheduled to kick off a three-month nationwide tour at the hotel’s concert hall.

Hotel officials declined comment Thursday. District Attorney Stewart Bell said no criminal charges were anticipated. “From a legal point of view, there isn’t anything to be done because we don’t have anybody else who might be responsible,” he said. Advertisement

Entwistle was one of the band’s founders. Another original member, drummer Keith Moon, died in 1978 of a drug overdose at the age of 32. Authorities said he took too many pills prescribed to control his alcoholism. Entwistle’s death was caused when cocaine caused the contraction of coronary arteries that were already damaged by heart disease, Flud said. After the death, a musician in Entwistle’s own band said he had been on medication for a heart condition. The Who, founded in London in the early 1960s, was part of the British rock invasion along with the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. Their parade of hits included “I Can See For Miles,” “I Can’t Explain,” “Substitute,” “Pinball Wizard,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and “Who Are You.”

[Paul Atreides]

You mean it wasn't an uncontrollable addiction to McDonalds, Wendy's, etc.?

[Senator Pardek]

"...he had been on medication for a heart condition."

And he used coke? I'm a big Who fan, but that should get a Darwin or "Hold Muh Bass" Award.

[VOA]

Entwistle’s death was caused when cocaine caused the contraction of coronary arteries
that were already damaged by heart disease, Flud said.

I'm not an M.D., but I guess the bottom-line take-home message is:
If you even suspect your ticker isn't perfect, don't do a stress-test with cocaine
(or any of a number of other substances...including the wrong kinds/amounts of foods).

[Vidalia]

The heart attack we believe was brought on by the significant amount of cocaine” that was in Entwistle’s system at the time of death, he said. The exact amount of the drug remains unknown. “Cocaine is a different animal,” Flud said. “It’s not like alcohol. There’s no way we can put a number on it.

Well that's one of the largest bags of sh*t since King Kong hit the streets of New York.

Guess all those analytical drug labs are totally worthless.

Bubba Entwistle just got of some stuff that closer to pure than he thought. That's one of the dangers of being a rocker, but he knew that already. Must've been a bitchin' line or so...

[Lizavetta]

Entwistle’s body was found in his bed at the Hard Rock Hotel

“From a legal point of view, there isn’t anything to be done because we don’t have anybody else who might be responsible,” he said.

Sure you do....the hotel. Knowing they had an aging rock star with a drug history on their premises, they neglected to send around the Drug Concierge to make sure its lodgers weren't using.

[zarf]

More power to Mr. Entwhistle. He had an awsome adventure and finally hit the wall. No tears, no regrets. He made his choices.

Rock On!!!!

[jwalsh07]

This isn't a comment on the WOD, just a comment for the aging boomers with bad tickers. Weed elevates the heart rate and a recent study at a good hospital in Boston says weed plus plaque = Cardiac Cath Lab.

[NY.SS-Bar9]

Foxtrot Alpha Hotel

[Semi Civil Servant]

...the band was scheduled to kick off...

Kind of an unfortunate choice of words.

[scholar]

That's one of the dangers of being a rocker...

Don't know if most of you folks here are old enough to remember Jim Morrison. He drank enough booze to float a battleship and ingested enough psychedelic drugs to send an army on a trip. He died a very young man--the human body is a marvelous organism but there is a limit to what it can tolerate.

[MinuteGal]

Cause of death should have been listed as suicide.

Leni

[Prodigal Son]

Don't know if most of you folks here are old enough to remember Jim Morrison.

I lived in Paris for a while. It was always a nice way to spend a Sunday to go down to the cemetary where he's buried and have a walk. His grave is boring. I mostly went for the other graves (Victor Noir is my favorite)- but I always cut out five minutes or so to go and check out the "Jim Pilgrims" who would be at his grave. Sometimes they'd be doing funny stuff like standing there sort of catatonic and rocking back and forth.

My wife and I talked to one of the guards they have to keep there and we asked him what he thought about the types that showed up and what kind of crazy things he had seen. He just rolled his eyes and made a cheeks puffed out sighing noise. That said it all. Of course- Ollie Stone's movie has helped this phenom out a little too.

[Rollee]

Entwistle’s body was found in his bed at the Hard Rock Hotel “From a legal point of view, there isn’t anything to be done because we don’t have anybody else who might be responsible,” he said.

Wouldn't you just fall over if he said "Mr. Entwistle is responsible for his own demise. Ya play, ya pay."

[Vidalia]

Me, old enough? Incense and Peppermints and Orange triangles...silly definitions like "ooh, this is two-way, or four way"...

I'll stop there.

[scholar]

Me, old enough? Incense and Peppermints ...

LOL--So I'm not the only one here who feels older than dirt??

[Vidalia]

No, "older than dirt" will apply to those terror-bound basturds they are taking back to their own "system" of juris prudence.

BTW, let's leave those who do not know what we were referring to "in the dark"...

[NormsRevenge]

...And The Band PlaYed On ...

[IncPen]

?From a legal point of view, there isn?t anything to be done because we don?t have anybody else who might be responsible,? he said.

He means to say, "we're not gonna look into the possibility that Entwhistle coked out in the presence of people who placed him on his bed and called the authorities".

[HAL9000]

The Music Must Change.