Blackie Onasssis – drummer for the 90s rock band Urge Overkill – passed away at 57 years of age in Los Angeles
The music world is in mourning once again, with the sudden passing of Urge Overkill drummer Blackie Onassis on Tuesday.
A spokesperson for the band confirmed the death of the drummer (born John Rowan) to the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday.
No cause of death has been released at this time, nor have any details about memorial services.
Rowan joined the band in 1991, drumming on their third album The Supersonic Storybook released that year, replacing Jack ‘Jaguar’ Watt on the drums.
He was also behind the kit when they released their 1992 EP Stull, which featured their cover of Neil Diamond’s Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon, which was made famous by its use on Quentin Tarantino’s breakthrough 1994 film Pulp Fiction.
R.I.P.: The music world is in mourning once again, with the sudden passing of Urge Overkill drummer Blackie Onassis on Tuesday
Confirmed: A spokesperson for the band confirmed the death of the drummer (born John Rowan) to the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday
Rowan was born on the South Side of Chicago, who became an integral part of transforming the band from their neo-hardcore punk roots to arena rock mainstays.
‘We are here to resurrect the era of the swinger — the late ’60s, the playboy life when America was a fun place. The golden era of Vegas, Neil Diamond, moonlight dancing, and Anton La Vey!’ Rowan told Spin in 1992.
His first album with the group, 1991’s The Supersonic Playbook, includes a song dubbed Today is Blackie’s Birthday, serving as an introduction to the new drummer.
When asked of his bizarre stage name, Rowan stated, ‘I’m not Blackie Onassis because of my personal life, I’m Blackie Onassis because I drum in Urge. I like being Blackie Onassis; it’s like living in a musical wonderland.’
Rowan helped shape their new style that won then new friends like Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde and Liz Phair.
The group signed with Geffen Records in 1992 after serving as Nirvana’s opening act a year earlier, with the label bringing on hip-hop producers The Butcher Brothers for their major label debut, 1993’s Saturation.
While Saturation was a hit, lead by the single Sister Havana, Rowan started getting deeper into drug abuse with heroin, which was even referenced in a song from their next album, 1995’s Exit the Dragon.
A song dubbed Mistake featured Rowan singing, ‘Be careful what you take, you’ve got a lot at stake / More than you’ll ever know, beware the overdose.’
Integral: Rowan was born on the South Side of Chicago, who became an integral part of transforming the band from their neo-hardcore punk roots to arena rock mainstays
Resurrect: ‘We are here to resurrect the era of the swinger — the late ’60s, the playboy life when America was a fun place. The golden era of Vegas, Neil Diamond, moonlight dancing, and Anton La Vey!’ Rowan told Spin in 1992
Rowan was arrested for heroin possession later that year, as the group started falling apart, with founding member Eddie “King” Roeser leaving the group in 1996.
Rowan had six songwriting credits on another founding member Nash Kato’s 2000 solo album Debutante, though he largely dropped out of sight since then.
Kato and Roeser brought UO back in 2004, but without Rowan, hinting in interviews that year that Rowan would often miss concerts and video shoots, and that he had a revoked passport before an England trip.
The drummer is survived by his mother Mary, his sister Anne and his brother Tim.
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