The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #99439 Message #1982345
Posted By: Bugsy
28-Feb-07 - 08:56 PM
Thread Name: Obit: Australian Rocker Billy Thorpe RIP Feb 2007
Subject: RE: Obit: Australian Rocker Billy Thorpe RIP Feb 2007
I Just found this article on the Optus Zoo page.
Thorpie taught me how to scream: Barnes
Thursday Mar 1 11:32 AEDT
Billy Thorpe died of a heart attack in hospital hours before friend and fellow rocker Jimmy Barnes left the same Sydney hospital following open heart surgery.
Barnes said he was shattered over the death of his mate and mentor.
"I'm totally shattered and my family and I send our love to Lynne and the girls," the former Cold Chisel frontman said in a statement dedicated to Thorpe's family.
"For once in my life I'm at a loss for words."
Thorpe, 60, died at St Vincent's Hospital early on Wednesday after suffering a massive heart attack at his Sydney home.
Hours later Barnes, 50, left St Vincent's for home following open heart surgery last Thursday to replace a faulty aortic valve.
Thorpe paved the way for Australian rock bands such as Cold Chisel, AC/DC, Rose Tattoo and Midnight Oil, while his vocals inspired Barnes' gravelly trademark sound.
"As a kid I'd go to Thorpie's shows and get there early so I could be in the front row and just study him," Barnes said in a recent interview.
"I learnt to scream from listening to him. Every time I see Billy, I let him know that I pay homage to him."
Rock band INXS also paid tribute to Thorpe.
"Billy was always there for others and will be remembered as one of Australia's greatest music ambassadors," the band said in a statement.
"Our thoughts are with his family, and also with his many fans, of whom we are proud to count ourselves a part."
"We grew up listening to Thorpie," said INXS, comprising Andrew Farriss, Tim Farriss, Jon Farriss, Gary Beers, Kirk Pengilly and JD Fortune.
"The first gigs we ever snuck into were Billy and the Aztecs pinning us to the back wall with their power and extreme volume.
"Kirk and Tim have fond memories of when they hitched their way to Melbourne to see the Aztecs' legendary Sunbury performance where they blew Deep Purple off stage."
After years of idolising Thorpe, the band finally got to meet him in the early 1980s.
"We were more than impressed with his intelligence, graciousness and passion for music," they said.
"He was always pushing the boundaries of the Australian music industry."