Nikki Sudden is dead!

This is no joke! And I thought I'd post it here to let everyone know.

I just got off the phone with a really shook up Dave Kusworth who phoned to tell me that Nikki Sudden died in his sleep in America last night on tour.

This is truely a sad day for me and all fans of his music. I'm shaking all over as I'm writing this. Not only have I been a great fan of the Jacobites and a lot of both Dave and Nikki's solo works over the years, but in the last years I have gotten to know them as friends and I was even there and recorded some backing vocals and guitar for Nikki's last studio sessions as well as played lead guitar with him live on some occasions.

The last time I saw him was at a dinner party he threw at his flat in Berlin on the day before he left for the American tour.

I'll miss you, Nikki, now I'm off to get drunk!

RIP Nikki

You will be remembered by all!

<font color="#FF0099" size="1">[ March 27, 2006 10:31 AM: Message edited by: SmokenAngel ]</font>

Swell Maps' Nikki Sudden Dies
March 27, 2006, 9:45 AM ET
Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Swell Maps frontman Nikki Sudden died Saturday after a show at New York's Knitting Factory, Billboard.com has learned. He was 49. No cause of death has been made public yet, according to Secretly Canadian label head Chris Swanson, whose company reissued 10 of Sudden's albums in recent years.

Always a prolific artist, Sudden has just completed a new solo album, "The Truth Doesn't Matter," and has a gig booked in London on Wednesday (March 29) with his band the Jacobites. According to a post from longtime group member Dave Kusworth on Sudden's MySpace.com page, the show will go off as planned in memoriam to Sudden.

"Nikki Sudden believed in rock'n'roll -- and how hard was that in this cold new millennium?," Kusworth wrote.

Sudden rose to fame with his brother Epic Soundtracks in Swell Maps, a late 1970s rock combo that has remained influential despite its brief lifespan. Soundtracks died of unknown causes in 1997.


According to Secretly Canadian, Sudden was nearing completion on his autobiography, "The Last Bandit.

Blimey. At least it sounds like it wasn't anything nasty, although that won't be much comfort to some. Been re-visiting some of the old Jacobites stuff lately. Not sure if I can listen to it now.

Rip to those two great & true rockers Mr Nikki Sudden & Mr Pete Wells. Sad day for rock'n'roll.

That SUCKS..

RIP Nikki

Oh my god. I've been sick as a dog for about a month now, and this is actually one of the worst days I've had with it. Now this. I'm seriously at a loss.

RIP Nikki. I'm now REALLY pissed that this sickness kept me from getting the chance to see him about a month ago.

RIP Nikki. A sad loss.

In other news, Rose Tattoo slide guitarist Peter Wells has finally succumbed to the prostate cancer he's been fighting since '02. [img]frown.gif[/img]

Am surprised there is no more comments from Glitzineters on this. Surprised also that Dave is doing the gig tonight on 12 Club in London, its so soon. Myself am not going, but I think my other half is, so maybe able to let you know tomorrow what happened.
RIP Nikki

Quote:

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Originally posted by Sherri Sixxx:
Am surprised there is no more comments from Glitzineters on this. Surprised also that Dave is doing the gig tonight on 12 Club in London, its so soon. Myself am not going, but I think my other half is, so maybe able to let you know tomorrow what happened.
RIP Nikki

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<font size="4" face="Arial">I'm not too surprised. I would expect that the vast majority of the G-Netters have never even heard Nikki, and I would bet that many of those that have not heard him would not like him. He's not "Glam" in many eyes. I don't know, his not being better well known and more widely loved is a huge shame.

As for Dave, considering all Dave and Nikki know are playing, and that was the biggest bond between them, and they were so damn alike in so many ways, I think this might be the only way Dave really knows how to deal with it. I would bet that this show is something he has been really wanting to get to since it happened. His place of solace. He'll be with Nikki tonight. I also am betting that he is dreading the show being over.

The show tonight was booked weeks ago by Nikki Sudden and was supposed to be a Jacobites gig.
The guys have been working on quite a few great demos for an upcoming Jacobites album which will now never see the light of day.

I have had contact with Dave several times since the tragedy occured and I doubt Dave would have booked this show by himself so soon, but since it was already booked I think he felt it was the best he could do. He and Nikki always talked about releasing albums where they would sing eachothers songs, so you get 50% of that tonight I guess and the other part will sadly never happen.

Dave is still in shock and I'm not sure he's really grasped what has actually happened. He's been too busy keeping himself together and trying to make tonight something special for his friend and all fans of Nikki's music and that's good for him.

And for those of us who knew Nikki well I can definitly say that this is what he would have wanted.

I wish I could have been there and played a few songs with them too... But there will be a tribute gig to Nikki in Norway soon as well. Plans are already on the way and Dave will be here then.

For those interessted the gig is at the 12 Bar Club in Denmark St, W1. Doors open at 7pm and bill also features Knox from the Vibrators

And I think you're right Carl. If I would be there I would dread the second the gig was over as well.

If anyone goes please write a review. I'd love to see that.

RIP Nikki - I didn't discover his stuff until about 1991 & only saw him play once (with Dave Kusworth, of course). Classic rock n roll stuff.

Did anyone go there last night?

Would love to hear some comments about the gig

bump..... no one went?

Too far of a walk for me, otherwise I would have been there in a heartbeat.

Yeah, my other half went. Said they played mostly Jacobites songs, but also 2 'specials', You can't put your arms around a memory (Johnny Thunders)and New York City (Marc Bolan).There was more crowd than last time they played in London, but it wasn't full. People weren't crying, not even Dave. Overall it had a warm atmosphere. Sorry can't ad more, as wasn't there myself

There is a review of the show on Nikki's site.
http://www.nikkisudden.com/news/index.htm

I'm in the camp that had never heard of him.
I have heard of "The Jacobites" though, and of Dave from Carl, but from reading these posts, he was obviously a busy man who loved rock n' roll, and thus, put out lots of material for his fans to remember him by. Sounds like his book was nearly ready too, so hopefully for fans of his, that will get released, along with his solo album. I'm off to try to hear some of his stuff right now. RIP Nikki.

Been a fan of both Nikki Sudden and Dave Kusworth for many years since I was a teenager. R.I.P. Nikki.

If you have any troubles Dan, let me know and I will send you some via email or whatever tonight. I'm not expecting you to be the biggest fan.