Cheetah Chrome has died. The guitarist, who co-founded the punk band Dead Boys, died on Sept. 13, the band announced on Instagram. He was 71.
“We are incredibly sad to announce the news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Cheetah Chrome,” the post read. “Cheetah was a true original, an architect of the punk rock movement. a one man hurricane tearing up the musical landscape with his feral guitar riffs and manic energy.”
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Not only that, the band wrote, but “Cheetah was also just a really sweet guy that loved rock-roll.”
“We extend our deepest condolences to Cheetah’s family, friends and fans around the world,” the post continued. “His music lives on and will continue to inspire others for generations to come. We ask for privacy during this difficult time. Godspeed Cheetah.”
No cause of death was disclosed.
What to Know About Cheetah Chrome
Born Eugene Richard O’Connor, the musician began his career in 1974 as a guitarist for Rocket From the Tombs. The band lasted less than a year, and O’Connor went on to found Dead Boys with Stiv Bators, Jimmy Zero, Jeff Magnum, and Johnny Blitz.
Throughout their tenure, Dead Boys released two albums: Young, Loud and Snotty in 1977 and We Have Come for Your Children the following year.
The band called it quits in 1979. They reunited for several performances over the years, most notably for a 40th anniversary tour of their debut album in 2017. However, they never released another album.
In addition to his work with Dead Boys, O’Connor also played with the New York Dolls’ Sylvain Sylvain in Batusis.
O’Connor released his autobiography, Cheetah Chrome: A Dead Boy’s Tale from the Front Lines of Punk Rock in 2010.
More recently, O’Connor served as the creative director of A&R/director of special projects for Plowboy Records. His solo album, Solo, came out in 2014.
According to Variety, Dead Boys had plans to tour in 2027, as a way to mark the 50th anniversary of their debut album.
The outlet further reported that O’Connor is survived by his wife, Anna O’Connor, and his 14-year-old son, Rogan.
Photo by John Anderson/The Austin Chronicle/Getty Images
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