Jim Morrison of The Doors (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971)

On the morning of July 3, 1971, Jim Morrison’s girlfriend Pamela Courson awoke to find Morrison dead in their apartment bathtub. The official coroner’s report simply listed his cause of death as heart failure, although no autopsy was performed due to the ruling out of foul play.

Courson gave several contradictory accounts of Morrison’s death. Morrison may have died due to accidentally inhaling a large amount of heroin — thinking it was cocaine — and ultimately succumbing to a hemorrhage. It is also possible that Morrison began to cough up blood after a night of drinking and purposefully taking heroin. He may have even suffered from a chronic lung ailment, such as asthma, which contributed to his death.

However, according to Morrison’s friend Alain Ronay — who arrived at Morrison’s apartment shortly after his death — Morrison had indeed taken heroin after a night of drinking. While he was coughing profusely, Ronay reported that Morrison actually vomited blood before drawing himself a bath. Courson, strung out and nodding off herself, believed that Morrison had recovered — so she went to sleep, rather than calling for emergency medical attention.

Three years later, on April 25, 1974, Pamela Courson herself died of a heroin overdose — at the age of 27.

Ron McKernan of The Grateful Dead (September 8, 1945 – March 8, 1973)

“Pigpen” McKernan was a founding member of The Grateful Dead and played the blues organ and harmonica, as well as providing vocals. Unlike his band mates, who were heavy drug users (especially of psychedelics), McKernan’s substance of choice remained alcohol, and his heavy drinking caused severe damage to his liver by the young age of 24 in 1970.

In 1972, McKernan was forced to quit the Dead due to his liver problems, and he died within a year. Seven years later, his band mate Keith Godchaux joined the 32 Club.

Dave Alexander of The Stooges (June 3, 1947 – February 10, 1975)

Dave Alexander was the original bassist of The Stooges, playing with the band from 1967 until August 1970, when he was fired after showing up at the Goose Lake International Music Festival too drunk to perform.

Alexander’s drinking problems didn’t end there though. Nearly five years after being ejected from The Stooges, he died of pulmonary edema in his hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan after being admitted to a hospital for pancreatitis, caused by his alcohol abuse.

Coincidentally, when The Stooges reformed in 2003 (they originally disbanded in 1974), they were joined on bass by Mike Watt, whose former Minutemen partner D. Boon also died at the age of 27.

D. Boon of Minutemen (April 1, 1958 – December 22, 1985)

A beloved DIY icon and innovative punk rock musician, D. Boon of the Minutemen was tragically killed in a van accident shortly before Christmas 1985.

While riding through the Arizona desert on Interstate 10, Boon fell ill with a fever, and retreated to the rear of the van to lie down. He was not wearing a seat belt, and when the van went off the road, he was thrown from the rear, breaking his neck and dying almost immediately on impact.

Sadly, the van was being driven by Boon’s girlfriend. She survived the crash, as did her sister.

Jean-Michel Basquiat of Gray (December 22, 1960 – August 12, 1988)

Basquiat is far more well-known for his influential artwork than for his music. However, he was also a member of the noise rock band Gray — previously known as Test Pattern — which also included among its members actor Vincent Gallo.

Basquiat died of a speedball overdose at his art studio in New York City’s NoHo neighborhood.

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