CRASHDIET Frontman DAVE LEPARD Found Dead

[T-BONE]

Frontman David Hellman (photo) (a.k.a. Dave Lepard) of the Swedish sleaze metal band CRASHDIET was found dead this morning. It has been unofficially reported that he hanged himself, although this has yet to be confirmed. More information will be available during the coming days.

 

CRASHDIET was a Stockholm, Sweden-based Eighties hard rock-style band whose debut album, "Rest in Sleaze", entered the Swedish national album chart at position No. 12. A video clip, dubbed "On the Road with Crashdiet 2005", was recently posted on their official web site. Check it out: Real Media, Windows Media. Photos taken at CRASHDIET's video shoot for the song "It's a Miracle" (which took place on November 8, 2005) can be viewed at this location.

 

CRASHDIET were reportedly the first "sleaze rock" band in over 10 years to be signed directly to a major company — Universal Music. The group, whose members were said to be in their early 20s, were scheduled to make their next live appearance at Gothenburg, Sweden's Storan on January 28.

[crazynights]

It's a very bad new, I really loved their first cd, I'm reaaly sorry.

[Kim_Hp]

Very sad news indeed... and I'm afraid that's the end of Crashdïet. A shame, as this band had a lot of potential...

[JustJason]

Rest In Sleaze.

[whiplash1972]

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and fans he has left behind.

 

R.I.S. Dave

[Nick C]

That is just ..... lost for words ..... I loved that album/band. What crap news!!!! Completely out of the blue that ..... I'm truly shocked, what a sad sad waste. What a pity.

 

I feel sorry for his loved ones above all.

[craigdufresne]

This is truely a shame. This band kicked ass!! I was hoping that they would be one of the leaders and bring back the rock n roll we all miss. What a loss.

[T-BONE]

The surviving members of the Swedish band CRASHDIET have issued a statement regarding the death of their frontman David Hellman (photo) (a.k.a. Dave Lepard) and the group's future plans.

 

As previously reported, Hellman was found dead Friday morning (Jan. 20). It has been unofficially reported that he hanged himself, although this has yet to be confirmed.

 

In a joint statement released to the media, Martin Sweet (guitar), Peter London (bass) and Eric Young (drums) said, "As a bandmember, but most of all as a person, we will miss him for all eternity. Dave was nothing but a genius and a very special person. CRASHDIET will definitely not continue as a band. CRASHDIET consisted of four people and now one has left us."

 

CRASHDIET was a Stockholm, Sweden-based Eighties hard rock-style band whose debut album, "Rest in Sleaze", entered the Swedish national album chart at position No. 12.

 

"It's pretty clear that, up to now, there's been a vacuum as far as hard rock goes," Dave said in a 2005 interview. "We can play a gig for 1,200 kids with big hair and skinny spandex-covered legs, who just stand there screaming. So it's even cooler when ZTV [swedish music video channel] or MTV and the others play our rock-hard video which gets to be one of the most played clips alongside old ladies like J-Lo, or whatever she's called."

 

A video clip, dubbed "On the Road with Crashdiet 2005", was recently posted on their official web site. Check it out: Real Media, Windows Media.

 

CRASHDIET were reportedly the first "sleaze rock" band in over 10 years to be signed directly to a major company — Universal Music. The group, whose members were said to be in their early 20s, were scheduled to make their U.S. debut in March at the South by Southwest music conference/festival in Austin, Texas.

[Kip]

holy fucking shit! that sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[T-BONE]

Shortly before 1:00 a.m. on Friday, January 20, the police in the Swedish city of Uppsala, north of Stockholm, were called to the apartment of CRASHDIET frontman David Hellman (photo) (a.k.a. Dave Lepard). He had not been in touch with his friends or family for 20 days and a close friend of his had entered the apartment and found him dead, reports the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet.

 

”There is no foul play involved in his death, other than that we don't know what the circumstances are," police spokesperson Christer Nordström told the newspaper Expressen.

 

Zübeyde Güngodogmus is shocked by the news that her neighbor has been found dead in his apartment. They were acquaintances.

 

"He was so sweet and very friendly," she tells Expressen.

 

However, she had noticed a change in the rock star. Last week she met him at the local supermarket.

 

"He looked so thin and was out of character," she says.

 

During the first weeks of 2006, there were signs that everything was not well in the CRASHDIET camp. The other members were rumored to be fed up with Hellman's excessive drug intake and were on the verge of leaving, or already had left, the band. Both they and Hellman's family have declined to talk to the media at the moment.

 

Hellman, 25, made no qualms about his sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll lifestyle.

 

"We want to get hard rock back on track again and it's nice that it's getting bigger again," he told the Swedish music magazine Groove last year. "All the other crap is becoming so tiresome. I mean, hip hop people live the sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll lifestyle to a much larger extent than hard rockers do."

 

Describing his lifestyle, he said: "You live in chaos, depend on welfare, are an addict and things fucking suck. That's why it often collides with the music; it's too much of the good stuff and the music is affected. You would need 48 hours per day, but you're so fucking stupid and get your priorities wrong."

 

CRASHDIET were a Stockholm, Sweden-based Eighties hard rock-style band whose debut album, "Rest in Sleaze", entered the Swedish national album chart at position No. 12. They were reportedly the first "sleaze rock" band in over 10 years to be signed directly to a major company — Universal Music. The group, whose members were said to be in their early 20s, were scheduled to make their U.S. debut in March at the South by Southwest music conference/festival in Austin, Texas. A video clip, dubbed "On the Road with Crashdiet 2005", was recently posted on their official web site: Real Media, Windows Media.

 

In a joint statement released to the media, the surviving members of CRASHDIET — Martin Sweet (guitar), Peter London (bass) and Eric Young (drums) — said, "As a bandmember, but most of all as a person, we will miss him for all eternity. Dave was nothing but a genius and a very special person. CRASHDIET will definitely not continue as a band. CRASHDIET consisted of four people and now one has left us."

[Dr. Feelgood]

This is really sad news. I was just beginning to discover the potential of the band each time i listened to their album. My heart goes out to his loved ones.

 

R.I.S., David.

[IcecreamJapan69]

RIP to Dave Lepard...although I never bought or listened to any of their material. I hate to see something like this happen....especially with drugs being involved. Not only he hurt himself, but the others around him as well. I pray for all. This is a cool quote from Anthrax's "Be All End All" If I have this wrong, correct me.

 

"LIFE'S NOT FAIR, LIFE'S JUST LIFE....DEATH NOT SUICIDE."

[Geoff]

Wow. What do you say to that??? Completely unexpected. Very sad news, for his friends and family obviously, but also for the fans. They were the best band I'd heard in sleaze metal for about 15 years. F*cking huge shame that is... RIP.

[glam_junkie]

this sort of news just leaves me stunned.

a band with the potential that crashdiet had and he goes and does this befoe that potential can be realised.

The album will go down as a classic!

 

RIP

[glam_junkie]

5 years today....

 

RIP Dave Lepard!

Long Live Crashdiet.

[JamesEagle]

 

In a joint statement released to the media, Martin Sweet (guitar), Peter London (bass) and Eric Young (drums) said, "As a bandmember, but most of all as a person, we will miss him for all eternity. Dave was nothing but a genius and a very special person. CRASHDIET will definitely not continue as a band. CRASHDIET consisted of four people and now one has left us."

 

 

 

Eh? Did I miss something? (I haven't been here for long, so I probably did.)

 

Cool band though. I found the following surprising, until I found out that 3 members of the band are/were in Repugnant: "In the mid 1990s he was the lead singer of an old school death-metal band called Warpath and used to play the charango."

[Ali Rock]

 

In a joint statement released to the media, Martin Sweet (guitar), Peter London (bass) and Eric Young (drums) said, "As a bandmember, but most of all as a person, we will miss him for all eternity. Dave was nothing but a genius and a very special person. CRASHDIET will definitely not continue as a band. CRASHDIET consisted of four people and now one has left us."

 

 

 

Eh? Did I miss something? (I haven't been here for long, so I probably did.)

 

Cool band though. I found the following surprising, until I found out that 3 members of the band are/were in Repugnant: "In the mid 1990s he was the lead singer of an old school death-metal band called Warpath and used to play the charango."

 

He was the original singer/guitarist of Crash Diet and the driving force of the band, writing most of the songs off the debut Rest in Sleaze. It was hard at the time of his death to see them continue and become what they are today,,,,

[JamesEagle]

 

In a joint statement released to the media, Martin Sweet (guitar), Peter London (bass) and Eric Young (drums) said, "As a bandmember, but most of all as a person, we will miss him for all eternity. Dave was nothing but a genius and a very special person. CRASHDIET will definitely not continue as a band. CRASHDIET consisted of four people and now one has left us."

 

 

 

Eh? Did I miss something? (I haven't been here for long, so I probably did.)

 

Cool band though. I found the following surprising, until I found out that 3 members of the band are/were in Repugnant: "In the mid 1990s he was the lead singer of an old school death-metal band called Warpath and used to play the charango."

 

He was the original singer/guitarist of Crash Diet and the driving force of the band, writing most of the songs off the debut Rest in Sleaze. It was hard at the time of his death to see them continue and become what they are today,,,,

 

It was more about the statement that they wouldn't continue. And then clearly did.

[Fat Freddy]

Dang, has it been five years ago already? That must mean my 5th anniversary as a member of this forum is coming up too. I don't remember the exact date I joined up here (and I'm too lazy to go look it up right now) but I remember reading this thread during my first couple of days here. I'd never even heard of Crashdiet at the time so it meant nothin' to me then. Obviously by now I've become schooled in 'em. REST IN SLEAZE is/was a great record.

[bangerdave]

Have been meaning to check this band out for awhile because of the positive comments on HH but still haven't had a chance.What a tragic way to end life,R.I.P Dave and my thoughts go out to all his family and friends.

[heaven&hell]

Dang, has it been five years ago already? That must mean my 5th anniversary as a member of this forum is coming up too. I don't remember the exact date I joined up here (and I'm too lazy to go look it up right now) but I remember reading this thread during my first couple of days here. I'd never even heard of Crashdiet at the time so it meant nothin' to me then. Obviously by now I've become schooled in 'em. REST IN SLEAZE is/was a great record.

 

February 1st 2006 is when you joined.

[JamesEagle]

Dang, has it been five years ago already? That must mean my 5th anniversary as a member of this forum is coming up too. I don't remember the exact date I joined up here (and I'm too lazy to go look it up right now) but I remember reading this thread during my first couple of days here. I'd never even heard of Crashdiet at the time so it meant nothin' to me then. Obviously by now I've become schooled in 'em. REST IN SLEAZE is/was a great record.

 

February 1st 2006 is when you joined.

 

Nearly time for a party?

 

[JamesEagle]

Dang, has it been five years ago already? That must mean my 5th anniversary as a member of this forum is coming up too. I don't remember the exact date I joined up here (and I'm too lazy to go look it up right now) but I remember reading this thread during my first couple of days here. I'd never even heard of Crashdiet at the time so it meant nothin' to me then. Obviously by now I've become schooled in 'em. REST IN SLEAZE is/was a great record.

 

February 1st 2006 is when you joined.

 

Nearly time for a party?

 

 

That seems really inappropriate for this thread, doesn't it? No disrespect intended.

[heaven&hell]

Dang, has it been five years ago already? That must mean my 5th anniversary as a member of this forum is coming up too. I don't remember the exact date I joined up here (and I'm too lazy to go look it up right now) but I remember reading this thread during my first couple of days here. I'd never even heard of Crashdiet at the time so it meant nothin' to me then. Obviously by now I've become schooled in 'em. REST IN SLEAZE is/was a great record.

 

February 1st 2006 is when you joined.

 

Nearly time for a party?

 

 

That seems really inappropriate for this thread, doesn't it? No disrespect intended.

 

I don't he feels disrespected since the only true way to upset Keef is to talk shit about Eric Brittingham or Raven.