Famous deaths that have really saddened you.

[The Cryptkeeper]

Over the past couple of weeks two of my favourite celebrities have passed away. The great Sean Lock and the even greater Charlie Watts. Both made me pause to consider the celebrity deaths that have saddened me and for what reasons. Some of them felt like I had lost a bit of my youth, others were just sad because of how much I respected or am invested in their work. A number made stop in my tracks for no easily explainable reason whatsoever.

Yes, it's a miserable topic but also an opportunity to consider and celebrate those who have made our lives even just a little bit more interesting or enjoyable. My list (which may have accidently omitted a few) is as follows:

Tom Petty - probably my favourite musician. I was lucky enough to see Tom Petty the Heartbreakers at the Isle of Wight Festival in 2012. As a man in his 40's, I'll admit to shedding a tear when that news came through.
Marie Fredriksson of Roxette
Robert Palmer
Robin Williams
Dean Jones - my favourite cricketer.
Rob Pilatus of Milli Vanilli, a guy who got hung out to dry and OD'd.
Michael Hutchence
Bob Hawke

There are quite a few more which I will add, but that might start a discussion.

 

[Roobs321]

I'll never grieve over a celebrity as I did with George Michael. In my early teen years I struck a formative connection with his music and he remained the most constant fixture of high rotation with me ever since. His death was so soul-crushingly tender and private. I immediately screamed and ran off when the news broke, and couldn't bear to hear anything about it and completely withdrew from any media for weeks afterward. It didn't help that I was vulnerable then (second year grief over my brother) and that news coming through over Xmas was just unbearable. Every December since I still get really melancholy and find solace in his music to get through it.

 

[And_ROOS]

Chris Cornell passing away still hurts my soul.

 

[Mofra]

I normally don't react to celebrities deaths very much but Sean Lock was a sad one.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Chris Cornell

 

[Gough]

I'll never grieve over a celebrity as I did with George Michael. In my early teen years I struck a formative connection with his music and he remained the most constant fixture of high rotation with me ever since. His death was so soul-crushingly tender and private. I immediately screamed and ran off when the news broke, and couldn't bear to hear anything about it and completely withdrew from any media for weeks afterward. It didn't help that I was vulnerable then (second year grief over my brother) and that news coming through over Xmas was just unbearable. Every December since I still get really melancholy.

Plus one for George Michael, I came out a year or so before him and was trying to work everything out, he gets outed and releases a song about cottaging, legend. On top of that he seemed to be a sweet and funny guy with the soul of poet, a song like Father Figure will live forever. He had a pretty self destructive streak in him too which sadly I identify with.

 

[the_interloper]

I can’t think of any off the top of my head really, when James Hetfield drops off the twig ill be sad that’s for sure

 

[And_ROOS]

I normally don't react to celebrities deaths very much but Sean Lock was a sad one.

That one came out of the blue especially with a new season of 8OO10C does countdown coming soon. He might be in it, it might coincide with when he took a turn. Hoping we get him in the latest episodes.

 

[peternorth]

The queen

 

[Bostonian]

Rik Mayall and Subzero.

 

[peternorth]

Over the past couple of weeks two of my favourite celebrities have passed away. The great Sean Lock and the even greater Charlie Watts. Both made me pause to consider the celebrity deaths that have saddened me and for what reasons. Some of them felt like I had lost a bit of my youth, others were just sad because of how much I respected or am invested in their work. A number made stop in my tracks for no easily explainable reason whatsoever.

Yes, it's a miserable topic but also an opportunity to consider and celebrate those who have made our lives even just a little bit more interesting or enjoyable. My list (which may have accidently omitted a few) is as follows:

Tom Petty - probably my favourite musician. I was lucky enough to Tom Petty the Heartbreakers at the Isle of Wight Festival in 2012. As a man in his 40's, I'll admit to shedding a tear when that news came through.
Marie Fredriksson of Roxette
Robert Palmer
Robin Williams
Dean Jones - my favourite cricketer.
Rob Pilatus of Milli Vanilli, a guy who got hung out to dry and OD'd.
Michael Hutchence
Bob Hawke

There are quite a few more which I will add but that might start a discussion.

mike hutchance i think saddened many because he and inxs were the representation of australia on the international music scene. everyone know inxs, kangaroos, koala bears and beaches.

robin williams - because he was the beacon of joy and brought it into peoples lives.

dean jones - the sudden nature, and remoteness i think added to the sad experience.

 

[Gough]

mike hutchance i think saddened many because he and inxs were the representation of australia on the international music scene. everyone know inxs, kangaroos, koala bears and beaches.

robin williams - because he was the beacon of joy and brought it into peoples lives.

dean jones - the sudden nature, and remoteness i think added to the sad experience.

Phillip Hughes because of the nature of his death. Nobody goes out to bat expecting to come back feet first.

 

[peternorth]

Phillip Hughes because of the nature of his death. Nobody goes out to bat expecting to come back feet first.

Unless you faced the 80s Windies

 

[Freofalcon]

Muhammad Ali made salt water well in my eyes.

 

[Gough]

Unless you faced the 80s Windies

I was only in my teens back then and have a historically poor technique off the back foot so thankfully that never happened to me.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

I'll never grieve over a celebrity as I did with George Michael. In my early teen years I struck a formative connection with his music and he remained the most constant fixture of high rotation with me ever since. His death was so soul-crushingly tender and private. I immediately screamed and ran off when the news broke, and couldn't bear to hear anything about it and completely withdrew from any media for weeks afterward. It didn't help that I was vulnerable then (second year grief over my brother) and that news coming through over Xmas was just unbearable. Every December since I still get really melancholy.

Yes, I was in my car when I heard that and pulled over to the side of the road for a minute.

 

[Moonwatcher]

Phil Walsh hit hard. Picking my 6 year old son up from school and having him tell me that Walsh was killed by his son.

 

[Catfish Alley]

They've mostly been mentioned already. Watts saddened me recently. Petty, Cornell, O'Riordan, Robin Williams. Irwin was a sudden one. He was probably always going to go out doing what he loved but was still a shock. Gord Downey is a legend over here and his tour while fighting brain cancer was sad but inspiring.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

They've mostly been mentioned already. Watts saddened me recently. Petty, Cornell, Robin Williams. Irwin was a sudden one. He was probably always going to go out doing what he loved but was still a shock. Gord Downey is a legend over here and his tour while fighting brain cancer was sad but inspiring.

Ahh, I forgot about Gord.

I fell in love with the Hip when I first visited Canada in 2014. I now listen to Boom Radio (I think it's a Toronto based station) almost daily and they played a full day of tributes to the great man the day after he passed.

 

[Catfish Alley]

Oh, another I forgot was Anthony Bourdain.

 

[Catfish Alley]

Ahh, I forgot about Gord.

I fell in love with the Hip when I first visited Canada in 2014. I now listen to Boom Radio (I think it's a Toronto based station) almost daily and they played a full day of tributes to the great man the day after he passed.

Was my first concert when I moved to Vancouver. Was outdoors in the rain. Had a bucket of pouting and the smell of weed was in the air. He was a great performer.

 

[Moonwatcher]

They've mostly been mentioned already. Watts saddened me recently. Petty, Cornell, O'Riordan, Robin Williams. Irwin was a sudden one. He was probably always going to go out doing what he loved but was still a shock. Gord Downey is a legend over here and his tour while fighting brain cancer was sad but inspiring.

Many Australians like me had never heard of Irwin until his death.

 

[Catfish Alley]

Many Australians like me had never heard of Irwin until his death.

Really? Maybe you're a bit younger than me. Used to see his shows on TV all the time as a kid.

 

[Shell]

Michael Hutchence

There are quite a few more which I will add but that might start a discussion.

+1 and Heath Ledger.

The latter always wonder what amazing films he would have made/starred in/directed etc. The fact he won the Oscar for The Joker + the family collecting it on his behalf just made it all the more emotional. Gone way too soon.

 

[Shell]

The queen

Will certainly feel like an end of an era- many eras in fact- when she does pass.