Romanticizing The Forever 27 Club

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The 27 Club, also, known as the Forever 27 Club, is not a society of musicians to aspire to, because you have to be dead to join. It’s members lived tradgic lives: Brian Jones, Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and, now, Amy Winehouse have been placed into this Forever 27 Club.

It’s so easy for us to romanticize death, especially when it involves extremely talented individual like authors, fine artists and musicians. It lends so much the allure of the gifted and brilliant who suffers for their art. By labeling these deaths, the 27 Club, it adds to the mystic. This doesn’t send out a good message for other young musicians; this is not a club to aspire to be a member of. The prerequisite for membership is death. And it seems that many of the 27 club members suffered from drug and alcohol addiction and definitely died too soon. While they were very talented musicians and beloved by fans, friends and family, they were often quite troubled and self destructive. I wonder if anyone of them, if asked, now, would encourage anyone to become a member the Forever 27 Club.

Brian Jones: February 28, 1942 – July 3,1969

Brian Jones was a musician and one of the founding members of The Rolling Stones. He was found at the bottom on his pool around midnight on July 3, 1969. His death was labeled ‘death by misadventure’ by the police, however, years later further investigation revealed that murder may have been the true cause of death at the hands of contractor Frank Thorogood. Thorogood, supposedly made a death bed confession in 1994. Although, there are believed to be eyewitnesses, no one has come forward with anymore information. Read more about Brian Jones.

Jimi Hendrix: November 27, 1942-September 18, 1970

Jimi Hendrix is said to be the greatest electric musician of all times. His death is an enigma. Several different stories have been told; none match up or make sense. His body was found in a hotel room, on September 18, 1970; while some present said that he was still alive upon being placed in an ambulance. The ambulance workers claim he was dead upon arrival. His girlfriend, Monika Dannemann says he took nine Vesparax sleeping pills, without her knowing. The physician said he died because he asphyxiated on his own vomit which contained mostly wine. Read more about Jimi Hendrix.

Janis Joplin: January 19, 1943 – October 4, 1970

Janis Joplin died alone on October 4, 1970. It is believed that she accidentally overdosed on heroin, that may have been much more potent than usual. This was reinforced by the reality that others died the same week from drugs sold by her dealer. Her will set aside $2,500 for a wake, which took place on October 26, 1970 and brownies laced with hashish were passed around. Read more about Janis Joplin.

Jim Morrison: December 8, 1943 -July 3, 1971

Jim Morrison was lead singer for The Doors. Morrison died on July 3, 1971 amid strange circumstances. No autopsy was performed because the medical examiner said that there were no signs of foul play. However, it is believed that he accidentally snorted heroin, while drinking with his girlfriend Pamela Courson, who found him in the bathtub after she woke up. Other versions of his death were told and conspiracy theory were born from the mysteries surrounding his death. Read more about Jim Morrison.

Kurt Cobain: February 20, 1967 – April 5, 1994

Cobain’s first known suicide attempt was on March 3, 1994, when he overdosed on a combination of champagne and Rohypnol, a drug prescribed for insomnia. He was hospitalized and released. On March 18, 1994, his wife Courtney Love called for help; Cobain was held up in a room with a gun. Police discovered several guns and a bottle of pills. He agreed to enter a detox program and was admitted on March 30, 1994. He left the facility by climbing a fence and disappeared. He was never seen alive by friends and family again, although he was spotted at several locations around Seattle on April 2 & 3. His body was found on April 7, with a gunshot to the head. He had been dead for a few days, and the coroner placed the death at April 5, 1994.

Amy Winehouse: September 14, 1983 – July 23, 2011

Amy Winehouse, the newest inductee into the 27 Club, was found dead in her London apartment. Her death has be classified as ‘unexplained,’ pending further investigation. However, fans are speculating that drugs played a role in her demise, because of known drug use and erratic public behavior. Read more about Amy Winehouse.

Other less noted muscians who died at the age of 27 and are members of the Forever 27 Club: Louis Chavin, Robert Johnson, Nat Jaffe, Jesse Belvin, Rudy Lewis, Malcolm Hale, Dickie Pride, Alan “Blind Owl” Wilson, Arlester “Dyke” Christian, Linda Jones, Les Harvey, Ron “Pigpen” Mckernan, Roger Lee Durham, Wallace Yohn, Dave Alexander, Pete Ham, Gary Thaim, Cecilla, Helmut Kollen, Chris Bell, Jacob Miller, D. Boon, Alexander Bashlachev, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Pete de Freitas, Kristen Pfaff, Richey James Edwards, Stretch, Fat Pat, Freaky Tah, Sean Patrick McCabe, Rodrigo Bueno, Maria Serrano Serrano, Jeremy Michael Ward, Bryan Ottoson, Valentin Elizalde, Orish Grinstead, Lily Tembo. Read more about the 27 Club.