Last week, we reported on the deaths of Quiet Riot's Kevin DuBrow and Hawthorne Heights' Casey Calvert. We were hoping we'd be able to deliver better news this week...but unfortunately, that's not the case. According to one Christmas song this is supposedly the "most wonderful time of the year," but if that's the case, then why are so many musicians dying lately?
The biggest celebrity death of this week was that of Dirty South hip-hop star Pimp C, of UGK, who was found dead in a room at L.A.'s Mondrian hotel on the Sunset Strip--only three days after performing at the Sunset Strip club House Of Blues alongside Too $hort. He was only 33, and much like the mysterious demises of the aforementioned Kevin and Casey, no cause has yet been determined for his death, although foul play has been ruled out by the city coroner.
Sadly, foul play was indeed the case this week for mainstream Mexican singers Sergio Gomez (of K-Paz de la Sierra, whose surviving band members are shown at right) and Zayda Pena (of Zayda & the Guilty Ones), who were respectively strangled and shot...possibly by members of warring Mexican gangs. Zayda and Sergio aren't the only murdered Mexican musicians lately, either: Valentin Elizalde, whose "To My Enemies" was unofficially known as a drug lord's anthem, was also slayed last year. It seems a wave of organized-crime violence is terrorizing the Mexican music business, and we sincerely hope that no one else--famous or otherwise--meets a similar horrific fate.
Speaking of murder, Remy Ma has already been hit with an attempted murder rap (she allegedly shot her "friend" twice during an argument over missing money), and now the rapper has been ordered to stand trial on witness-tampering and gang-assault charges stemming from an August 2006 nightclub brawl. Remy could get a 25-year prison sentence on the attempted murder charge, with another seven years tacked on if she is convicted on these new charges. Her next hearing is January 3, at which point we may all find out whether or not her song "Guilty" is indeed autobographical. Wow, bet she's wishing she'd recorded a song called "Not Guilty" instead, huh?
In other legal news, oft-arrested, oft-rehabbed Velvet Revolver/Stone Temple Pilots trainwreck (make that carwreck) Scott Weiland was nabbed for a DUI this week--a charge actually stemming from a November 21 accident in which his Mercedes collided with another car on a Los Angeles freeway offramp. This isn't his first DUI arrest--he was also caught driving while intoxicated four years ago, on his 36th birthday--but while he pleaded no contest to that particular offense, this time he insists he's innocent and that his blood-alcohol level was "well within the legal limit." Scott's due back in court December 13, and right about now he's probably wishing Velvet Revolver hadn't recorded a tune called "Illegal I Song."
And finally, speaking of trainwrecks, unsuccessfully rehabbed rockers, blood alcohol levels, etc....congratulations to Amy Winehouse, who received a whopping six Grammy nominations this week, including nods in the four big-kahuna categories (Album Of The Year, Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist). Let's hope she makes it to the ceremony on February 10, because if she does it might be the most interesting, trainwrecky Grammy night since 1998, when Soy Bomb jumped onstage with Bob Dylan and Ol' Dirty Bastard bumrushed Shawn Colvin.
OK, that's it for now, but do come back next Friday for more confusing, bemusing, and hopefully amusing music news. No more deaths, OK?
THIS WEEK'S TOP 10 STORIES:
1) Pimpin' Ain't Easy - Southern rapper Pimp C is found dead at age 33.
2) No Communication Breakdown Here - Led Zeppelin speak candidly about their reunion to Y! Music.
3) Britney: "Gimme More...Lawyers" - Kevin Federline accuses his ex of child abuse in court.
4) Grammy Whammy - Kanye West and Amy Winehouse lead this year's nominations.
5) It's A Spiceworld, Once More - The Spice Girls' international tour finally kicks off.
6) Senseless Slayings - Two popular Mexican singers are murdered in the same week.
7) Stoned Temple Pilot? - Scott Weiland is charged with a DUI.
8) Rapper Faces Murder Rap - The charges keep piling up against Remy Ma.
9) Tom Petty To Play Super Bowl - Let's hope he doesn't have any "wardrobe malfunctions."
10) Stamp Of Approval - Frank Sinatra is getting his own postage stamp.