- 11 months ago
Behind the epic riffs and legendary performances lie stories of heartbreak and loss. Join us as we explore the rock icons of the 70s whose music lives on despite their tragic histories. From mysterious deaths and plane crashes to substance abuse struggles, these bands created timeless music while enduring unimaginable pain. Which band's story affected you most?
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today, we're counting down our picks for the bands active during
00:08the 1970s that share a history of trauma or tragedy.
00:12There's a feeling I get when I look to the West.
00:20Number 10. The Doors
00:22It can be easier sometimes to discuss various conspiracy theories concerning a beloved rock
00:29icon's death, rather than facing the reality of their passing.
00:33But keep your eye on the road, your hand upon the wheel.
00:38Jim Morrison's legacy with The Doors is, of course, secure today as one of the founding
00:43fathers of modern psychedelia.
00:45Everybody love my baby.
00:51Yet his tragic passing in 1971 remains shrouded in mystery, thanks largely to a French law that
00:57makes post-mortem autopsies optional, rather than required.
01:01This essentially meant that fans continue to debate whether or not Morrison suffered heart
01:06failure, as it says on the death certificate, or something more sinister.
01:11When you're afraid, no one remembers your name.
01:17Meanwhile, Morrison's girlfriend Pamela Corson would die only three years later, at the same age of 27.
01:24Number 9. New York Dolls
01:27The passing of David Johansson in 2025 effectively put an end to the proto-punk
01:32legend of the New York Dolls.
01:34We can't take her this way
01:37In a face of one another's face!
01:40All original members of the group may have passed on, yet many fans who were there to witness the
01:45dolls at their peak often speak of their charisma, aggression, and charm.
01:49And you're a prima ballerina on a spring afternoon!
01:54Yet there also remains a dark cloud surrounding their fraternity, from the mysterious and conspiracy
02:01theory-laden death of guitarist Johnny Thunders in 1991, to original drummer Billy Mersha's
02:08substance-fueled drowning in 72.
02:11Cause I don't know if I do
02:15Wanna wipe it out here with you
02:18The music will always be the most important thing, of course.
02:21And the New York Dolls managed to capture a defiant spirit of individuality within their
02:26glamorous, hard rock sound.
02:28Don't take my night away for triumph!
02:35Number 8. T-Rex
02:37Glam, psychedelia, and hard rock all received a boost of adrenaline once T-Rex hit the field in 1967.
02:51This brainchild of songwriter Mark Bolin initially inhabited a bulkier space under the moniker
02:57of Tyrannosaurus Rex, but would eventually go fully electric for the 1970s.
03:02Where's I going with you still?
03:06Bolin's work during this period would inspire many, but unfortunately,
03:09this prototypical rock star would suffer a tragic fate.
03:13When you're skimming your weed, you got the teeth of the hydra upon you.
03:19Mark Bolin, who never learned to drive and was allegedly frightened of dying in an automobile crash,
03:25died from injuries sustained in this very sort of accident.
03:28The car in which he was riding struck a post,
03:31with Bolin dying at the scene.
03:38Number 7. The Who
03:40The aftermath of an inter-band death can often be a chaotic and tumultuous time.
03:52Fans and associates alike often feel as if they have the answers to whether or
03:56not a group should soldier on with their careers, or call it a day.
04:07The Who, to their credit, did not break up after the untimely demise of drummer Keith Moon in 1978.
04:13They continue to tour and perform under the Who name, although many critics have discussed the
04:18validity of this decision with regards to the band's long-lasting legacy.
04:27Ultimately, only surviving members of The Who were able to make these decisions,
04:32after Moon expired after accidentally consuming too many clomathiazol pills that had been prescribed for
04:38his alcohol detox.
04:47Number 6.
04:48AC DC
04:49Bond Scott wasn't a founding member of the Aussie rock legend AC DC, but he is,
04:54quite possibly, the voice most associated with their success.
04:58It was Bryan Johnson's adoption of the lead vocal position in 1980 that also inspired many
05:08after AC DC tragically lost Scott to alcohol poisoning that same year.
05:18The resulting album, Back in Black, almost felt like a funeral dirge, a way of coping with the loss
05:23of Scott while also symbolizing AC DC's continued resilience.
05:32Today, most fans embrace the entirety of AC DC's recorded history, but there's
05:37no denying the special place that Bond Scott era retains within those same fans' hearts.
05:47Number 5.
05:48Led Zeppelin
05:49They're often regarded as one of, if not the finest, rock bands to ever hit a stage.
05:59Progenitors of heavy metal with an almost mystical aura and a complicated legacy.
06:05This isn't only due to Led Zeppelin's penchant for underage groupie snatching and
06:09infamously bad backstage behavior, but also their alleged occult leanings.
06:14And this was all prior to the death of Zeppelin drummer John Bonham in 1980.
06:23The impossibly influential Skinsman had battled substance use disorder in the past,
06:29specifically heroin, but unfortunately consumed large amounts of vodka in the hours prior to his
06:34death.
06:35Wait a minute, wait a minute!
06:38Bonham aspirated in his sleep, and Led Zeppelin
06:41only performed a small number of times in the years following his passing.
06:48Number 4.
06:49The Band
06:50This Canadian-American group gained fame for their support of folk rock icon,
06:54Bob Dylan, but also endured their fair share of tragedy along the way.
06:58The band employed no less than two replacement keyboard pianists in quick succession in the
07:11wake of their early 80s reformation. This was due to the tragic death of founding member Richard
07:17Manuel in 1986.
07:26The talented singer and instrumentalist had long struggled with substance use disorder,
07:31dating back to the band's collaborations with Dylan.
07:34May you always do for others, and let others do for you.
07:40Unfortunately, Richard Manuel could not conquer his demons, and committed an act of self-destruction,
07:47after playing a gig with the band in Florida.
07:50I shall be released…
07:57Number 3.
08:00The Allman Brothers Band
08:01The sound of the Allman Brothers Band was gloriously impossible to fully nail down.
08:06Number 3.
08:09Was it country? Rock? Folk?
08:12The answer to all these questions is… yes, of course. But unfortunately,
08:16the story of the Allman Brothers is also one full of accidental deaths.
08:21Founding member Duane Allman would perish from a horrific motorcycle accident in 1971,
08:27while bassist Barry Oakley would suffer the exact same fate at the exact same age,
08:32only blocks from Allman's original accident a year later.
08:36In 1972.
08:43Fans would largely prefer to celebrate the Allman Brothers Band's recorded legacy than dwell upon
08:49the negative, however, since so much of the band's work was beautifully melodic,
08:53expertly composed, and musically timeless.
08:56It feels reductive to only remember the Welsh group Badfinger solely for the seemingly omnipresent
09:13black cloud of bad luck that seemed to follow their entire career.
09:17If you want it anytime, I can give it.
09:22This was, after all, a band that was often labeled as the next big thing,
09:27a natural successor to the Beatles that many critics felt were primed to carry on the torch.
09:32If you want it, here it is, come and get it.
09:37Yet tragedy seemed to befall Badfinger at every turn, from internal squabbles with record companies,
09:43to band management stealing funds from the coffers.
09:46Well, I can't forget tomorrow when I think of all my sorrow.
09:53No less than two separate members of Badfinger would commit self-destructive acts less than 10
09:59years apart, while issues with musical availability affected Badfinger's back catalog with Apple
10:05Records.
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10:29Number 1.
10:31Leonard Skinnerd
10:32The first-hand accounts of this story feel like something out of a horror movie.
10:43That fatal plane crash from 1977 that claimed the lives of Leonard Skinnerd frontman Ronnie
10:48Van Zandt, guitarist Steve Gaines and his sister Cassie, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick,
10:54as well as both pilots, Walter McCreary and William Gray Jr.
10:58The Convair CV-240 airliner in which the band was traveling was
11:09well past its sell-by date, and was actually due to be replaced by Skinnerd in short order.
11:14The band stopped playing together until 1987, when Ronnie's brother took the lead.
11:19Unfortunately, the Convair ran out of fuel during its flight on October 20,
11:231977, crashing not far from its final destination in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
11:35Is there anything you wish you could tell any of these rock survivors?
11:40A message of hope or love for all the music shared over the years?
11:44Share your favorite memories from any of these bands in the comments.
11:48We keep that legacy alive by playing the music with honor.
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