Cliff Burton, Dimebag, Kurt Cobain, Freddie Mercury......?

Cliffs death did not impact me very much. I mean I was very sad for my other friends at the time I had several that were MAJOR MAJOR Metallica fans. But at that time I was more into Malmsteens Rising Force and the Shrapnel Records thing that's when it was new and breaking ground. It was when I was getting my feet wet with regard to shredding and stuff.

When Dime passed the whole trauma of the event and violent nature of his death Shocked me I was stunned for days. But yeah I was Heartbroken. His Death effected me for months.

However, most of all the passing of Denis "Piggy" of Voivod was also devastating to me. Him other than say David Gilmour are really the only 2 Non Shredding guitar players I really worshiped not as gods just as guitar players. Piggy had a style I just had never ever heard before. I mean Ron J. of Watchtower, Spastic Inc, Blotted Science is also extremely unique but Piggy was just special to me, Voivod is sacred turf in my book. Anyway, other unique players are Frank Zappa, Steve Vai, Ron J. John 5. But I hold Piggy above them all.

Of the ones you listed, Kurt Cobain. I was 14, he was the biggest thing around.

I wouldn't say it really impacted me. I definitely remember thinking, I guess that means no more Nirvana albums. People act like real drama queens sometimes when a musician dies.

Oh wait, here was my effort to memorialize Kurt:

That night I decided to play all four of my Nirvana albums. I think I got halfway through Incesticide and then fell asleep. That should give you a idea of how it wrecked my life!

I dimly remember Freddy Mercury dying, I was definitely like 4 or 5 when Cliff died and when Dimebag was killed I thought,"That sucks" and went about my day.

I like music, I have a lot of it, but I don't seem to form these emotional bonds to people I have never met that a lot of people do.

EDIT: Even with the field opened up, I'll stick with my answer, like I said these things don't really impact me anyway. Not trying to insult anyone for whom they do though.

Well, I was only 2 years old when Freddie Mercury died, but I do remember my parents watching the news and I distinctly remember their shock and the sadness in the room. It is weird that I can recall almost that whole day in history, but nothing else from that time period.

If I had to pick a more recent one, I would say Brad Delp's death. Boston is one of my top 5 bands, and a longtime favorite of my dad's. I was truly saddened to hear that a man with such talent and ability took his own life like that.

MQ: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EceOhfqYQhw

*Great question

Syd Barrett. Mainly because I was either not born or a child when the rest of my idols died. That said, I felt a little sad, but relieved for him. I don't think he enjoyed the life he was living. It was more like the life he had was more tragic than the actual death.

I was also pretty pissed off when I heard about Ron Asheton and Rick Wright.

But when Iggy Pop dies [which hopefully won't be for another 10 or 15 years], I know I'll be devastated.

Syd & Rick: Shine On You Crazy Diamond - Pink Floyd

Ron: T.V. Eye - The Stooges

The only one of these I was alive for the death of (besides Cobain, who died when I was 2 months old) was Dimebag, which, like all of these, didn't affect me till later. Just because I wasn't around when they died doesn't mean I can't miss what it was like when they were alive. All of these guys' deaths affected me a whole lot, and I wasn't necesarilly "there" for any of them. Personally out of these 4, Burton's life and death affected and influenced me most.

I pick Cliff Burton. I fell in love w/ my bass player and we've been together 13 years now. I worry so much about him dying that it consumes my thoughts in a sickening way. Besides my love for him as a companion, he is also the source of our music and I often think about Cliff Burton w/ Metallica in comparison. Sad, truly, truly, sad loss when he passed.

MQ: Changes - Ozzy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LGNG0VY8_k&feature...

Do I have to pick one of the four you listed? I hope not.

The one that had the biggest effect on me was Frank Zappa's passing. It was my freshman year of college and I had gotten into his music about two years previous to his death and he ahd catapulted into the group of my favorite artists. The others on the list were all dead so Zappa was my last chance to see one of my favorites live; I never got the chance.

Here is a vid of Steve Vai talking about FZ.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6cplMM3d_Q&feature...

i think i answered this before.

anyway, kurt cobain and janis joplin

i was 3 when cobain died and wasnt born when joplin died. anyway it had an impact to me when i listened to their stuff 12 years later, not major impact, but felt how many more albums nirvana could have made, personal impact im not so sure, coz i didnt meet cobain or see him. his unplugged album just has so much emotions. i like his attutude in that album, he is so laid back and doesnt care about fame. thats what i think anyway.

janis joplin , because i wish i was born in the hippy era. everything was so weird. her songs just capture the magic of that time. society wasnt so one-sided.

I think you have to look at Kurt Cobain, we will never know how far Nirvana could have gone. You never see more love for a musician from so many people than you do Kurt Cobain. I will dedicate Lithium because it's one of my favorites.

Of those four listed, Freddie Mercury was very painful for me.

Not listed - Lynyrd Skynyrd. So much tragedy at one time. I can remember that day like it was yesterday even though I was fairly young.