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| steel driving hammer |
Ex-Heartbreakers Bassist Dead at 47 - Report
1 hour, 17 minutes ago
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rock musician Howie Epstein, bassist for Tom Petty (news) & the Heartbreakers for 20 years until ousted from the band last May, has died in a New Mexico hospital, Billboard magazine's Web site reported on Tuesday.
Epstein, who was 47, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the veteran rock band in 2001. He had battled legal and drug problems in recent years.
Although the cause of the musician's death on Sunday night was not immediately known, a female companion who took Epstein to a Santa Fe hospital told authorities he had been using heroin and also had been taking prescription antibiotics for an illness, according to Billboard.com.
"We are deeply saddened at the news of Howie's passing," the online report quoted Petty & the Heartbreakers as saying in a statement. "It's difficult to put into words how much we loved him and will miss him. The world has lost a great talent and a kind ... soul. We can only take solace in knowing he is now at peace. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and his many friends."
The veteran rock band fired Epstein in May of last year, citing his "ongoing personal problems," and he was replaced on tour by Ron Blair, the original band member Epstein subbed for in 1982.
Epstein and his then-girlfriend, Carlene Carter, daughter of country music icon June Carter Cash (news), were arrested in New Mexico in 2001 while driving a vehicle that was reportedly stolen. Inside, state troopers found three grams of black tar heroin and drug paraphernalia. Carter was charged with heroin possession, and both with receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle, but the cases ultimately were dismissed.
Epstein, a Milwaukee native who previously played with John Hiatt (news) and Del Shannon, joined the Heartbreakers in 1982. In addition to playing bass, he sang harmony.
In an interview with Reuters last fall, Petty said no one had heard from Epstein in many months.
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| jb |
That is awful!!! I really liked his playing and background vocals..I did not appreciate Petty( a super ass-hole) throwing him and Lynch out of the band.
[Edited by jb] |
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| nankerphelge |
That's too bad -- I saw TP&HBs here in Virginia back in the summer of 2001 right after Howie's bust. He looked rough -- guy clearly was riding the horse too much. I didn't realize they had fired him tho. Unfortunately, sounds like he never got the help he needed. |
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| Larry Dallas |
Lynch started writing songs with Don Henley. I don't blame Petty one bit for that reason alone.
As for Howie, he was obviously troubled on the 2001 summer tour and his days were numbered if he didn't clean up. Did you see him on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremonies last year? He was totally messed up. I loved Howie's vocal range that he added to the classic Heartbreaker harmonies, but he was no longer able to function within the band. It's a very sad end to a great musician. Howie produced John Prine's "The Missing Years," one of my favorite records of all-time. |
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| steel driving hammer |
quote:
Larry Dallas wrote:
John Prine's "The Missing Years," one of my favorite records of all-time.
John Prine? I lOVE him.
Don't know if I have a favorite of his but I really like
Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings. Good stuff. |
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| Larry Dallas |
Howie also produced John Prine's "Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings" record. It was the follow-up to "The Missing Years." The "Missing Years" song is Prine's interpretation of what Jesus did in the years that aren't accounted for in the Bible. Prine suggests at one point that Jesus toured with the Stones. |
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| lonecrapshooter |
Josh, what is it about Petty you hate so much? He's a big Stones fan so that's good. I didn't like him preaching about corporate America during his MSG show though. Just play your damn tunes. We don't care about your views. |
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| jb |
Exactly what you said LC....I thought he was taking shots at the boys b/c of their ticket prices and i resented his self-righteous attitude... |
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| Prodigal Son |
damn,that sucks. i met john prine at a concert this year, btw.good guy, with a huge divot in his neck from a throat cancer operation. but howie was a huge part of tp and the heartbreakers. this is a pretty sad thing. he did great things with and without the heartbreakers. i love 'the missing years' and 'lost dogs and mixed blessings.' howie epstein will certainly be missed. |
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| glencar |
I went to school with a Howie Epstein or two. Too bad for this guy. Heroin is rough stuff, I guess. RIP Howie Epstein. |
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| Maxlugar |
Real men check out in a swimming pool.
With their speedo on....
And a bathing cap....
And their pool tiles later get sold to manic fans.
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| Factory Girl |
How did Howie die-od? |
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| glencar |
I believe that would be Sgt. Joe Friday's guess... |
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| Factory Girl |
http://www.usatoday.com/life/2003-02-25-epstein-obit_x.htm |
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| woodywoodpecker |
R.I.P Howie.
He also helped Woody on Seven Day's on Bob D's 30TH ann concert. |
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| Gazza |
>Exactly what you said LC....I thought he was taking shots at the boys b/c of their ticket prices and i resented his self-righteous attitude...
good for him,then. They deserve to have shots taken at them for that. Greedy bastards. No wonder they get so much flak about their credibility when their ticket prices cater to the Streisand,Diana Ross market - any artist charging $1,000 for a two hour rock concert and who then has the gall to sing "Its only rock n roll" without a trace of irony shows someone not in touch with reality,let alone their audience - and anyone who cant see that is either an idiot or a psychophant - and probably both. Some of us arent sheep. I love their music but they're not ABOVE criticism.
very sad to hear about howie. I had no idea he'd had some many problems and that he'd split from Carlene too..met her after a show here about 6 years ago. Very nice lady. |
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| sammy davis jr. |
Gazza- Your'e absolutely right....stop kissin' ass people. Howie looked terrible the last time I saw TP, and that was four or five years ago. He did sing great harmonies and played good bass though. He sang all the high stuff. |
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| HardKnoxDurtySox |
Im a huge TP&HB fan and this is truly a very sad day. Howie was a very good bass player but as far as I'm concerned he ranked right up there with the best backing singers in rock history. Listen to their cover of "Something in the Air" or especially "One More Day, One More Night" from the "Echo" album if you want a good example of his harmonies. Most importantly he was by all accounts a very good guy. RIP Howie. |
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| padre |
RIP Howie. Harmonies extraordinary. |
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| jb |
Hello Gazza...have you and Mathjis been hanging about lately? |
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| GimmeExile |
Sad indeed! Did Petty turn his back on Howie or was Howie too far gone to be saved?
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| Martha |
Woah..I hadn't heard this news until right now and am so sorry about this yet another tragic loss in the music field. Heroin will get ya' I guess is the motto. Very sad.
Thanks Gazza for your "reality" check on the prices of tickets and your views on that. I agree with you and support Tom Petty speaking out about the music industry and all the greed therein.
JB the irony in your words amuses the hell out of me.
RIP Howie Epstein |
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| jb |
I'm just grateful you are not the "other" Martha"...and I again promise her, I will not come within 100 feet of her in London!!! |
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| Larry Dallas |
What really puzzles me about the Stones ticket prices is that they also have sponsors for the tour. Most acts say that the sponsorships help keep down the cost of tix. I don't see that really factoring in these days. Just about every tour has a sponsor and you're still gonna fork over about $100/ticket.
I believe Petty should be heralded for his stance. He was just featured on the cover in Magnet magazine, which is for hardcore indie-rockers. If Magnet bought Petty's stance, then it should seem genuine. Petty, Mellencamp, Pearl Jam, and Springsteen continue to hit the road without having to give a shout out to wireless phones, lite beer, or soft drinks. Regardless if I like their music, that's still pretty cool to me.
My love for the Stones' music is second to none and I'll raise enough money to see them once per tour if I can. That being said, I don't believe that the Stones still put the music in the foreground. Music is not enough to get them out on the road anymore. Granted, I've never walked away from a Stones show disappointed, but I wish it were a little more affordable for the blue-collar folks that they grew up as. |
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| jb |
Petty is supposedly very nasty to his fans...actually heard stories of him putting down people wwhen they ask for an autograph...so this fan friendly stance means shit if he is ass-hole to his fans... |
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| Joey |
Real Men Check out like John Entwistle !
PERIOD !
J. |
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| jb |
Don't marry her!!!!!!!!!! |
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| Joey |
" Don't marry her!!!!!!!!!! "
<------- He has no choice , his " Scrotum Twins " lead .
Hey , what gives little buddy ????? I thought we were pals .
J.
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| GimmeExile |
Petty is great to his fans--he puts on incredibly passionate shows at a reasonable price.
I don't know what he does to people when they approach him and shove a pen and piece of paper in his face asking for his autograph.
Josh: Petty is from your home state.
[Edited by GimmeExile] |
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| Martha |
quote:
jb wrote:
Petty is supposedly very nasty to his fans...actually heard stories of him putting down people wwhen they ask for an autograph...so this fan friendly stance means shit if he is ass-hole to his fans...
I don't know where you come up with this stuff JB.
I've never met Tom so don't have any idea if this is true or not. I do know that fans can be overzealous and inappropriate though, so I 'd have to read these alleged accounts for myself before I'd be willing to plunk down any comments.
Also Tom is very humble in his interviews and, in my opinion, is much kinder than I know I would be when he discusses his views on corporate greed and the dramatic changes that are taking place in the music business/industry.
Tom spoke in a very kind, respectful and humble manner when he interviewed on Letterman the last time he was on. Listen to Tom speak (and to his lyrics if you want to know what he thinks about things..he is very candid, open and honest) before you throw out those barbs. Give the man some respect.
The "nice" Martha |
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