Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison and Brian Jones all died at the age of 27. Do you think musicians, deep down, long to die by that age just to be amongst the greats?

And if so, do you think their music would be appreciated more?

Neah, I think it's just a big coincidence. John Bonham, Layne Staley, Dimebag Darrell, Keith Moon, John Lennon, Freddy Mercury all died after 27. I think Ritchie Valens died when he was 17.

In fact, I think most bands should die sooner. Like Good Charlotte for example. How come all the great ones have to die?

But I don't think their music is anymore appreciated when they die. I know I'd rather have all of them alive now instead of not having the chance to experience more of their music or see them in concert. I just think it seems more appreciate since it's all we have left of them to hold on to.

Because they died so young, you never got to hear a bad album. Especially in Ritchie Valens case, he didnt even have a full album of his own songs, but the songs he did have were great, e.g. Jenny and his cover of La Bamba. People just expect that, if they lived, they would live the rest of their music life on the same high when really most will just fall into obscurity.

I don't think dying hurts the legend of a rock star. Just look at Michael Hutchins from INXS. It had been years since anyone had given a toss about him or his band.
Then he dies and BANG, Hutchins is suddenly bigger than Ben Hur again.
Now they play the $hit out of INXS on the commercial stations.

Now look at some rock legends that are still alive: Jimmy Page, Johnny Rotten, Lou Reed, and David Bowie; to name a few. Now if these guys had the good sense to go and die, they would be immortalized as rock gods instead of being considered old farts.

But, I'm guessing they're well past giving a toss about what complete strangers think of them. I personally think an artist who kills themself to boost their public image is taking their image way too freaking seriously.

I hope no artist has ever had the intention to boost their fame by killing themselves.

Quoted from Takeshi I don't think dying hurts the legend of a rock star. Just look at Michael Hutchins from INXS. It had been years since anyone had given a toss about him or his band. Then he dies and BANG, Hutchins is suddenly bigger than Ben Hur again. Now they play the $hit out of INXS on the commercial stations.

Not only do they play constant INXS but now they resurrect the band with some canadian singer (If Michael Hutchins isn't in it, its not INXS), this is just another example of the commercial beast that has comsumed music. That rockstar reality TV show gives me the sh**s. Supernova is doomed to fail, especially with that croaking "Individual" punk leading them.

Quoted from Takeshi Now look at some rock legends that are still alive: Jimmy Page, Johnny Rotten, Lou Reed, and David Bowie; to name a few. Now if these guys had the good sense to go and die, they would be immortalized as rock gods instead of being considered old farts.

I don't consider them old farts. I still consider them to still be living legends. I don't think Jimmy Page or David Bowie would have been anymore celebrated for dying. And I would have loved to hear more sex pistols stuff.

Quoted from Steve-Dave I don't consider them old farts. I still consider them to still be living legends. I don't think Jimmy Page or David Bowie would have been anymore celebrated for dying. And I would have loved to hear more sex pistols stuff.

Yeah, living legends is a more positive way to look at it. But I still think that if they had died they would be sitting on an even higher pedestal, especially if they’d snuffed it in their prime. Just look at AC/DC. Bon Scott was the singer for six years whilst Brian Johnson has fronted them for twenty five years, but poor old Brian is still living in the shadow of Bon.