Cocaine Found in Entwistle's Body

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Who bassist John Entwistle, who died of a heart attack on June 27th in Las Vegas, was discovered to have cocaine in his system.

According to a new statement by Nevada's Clark County coroner Ron Flud, a "significant amount of cocaine" was discovered in Entwistle's system precipitating the fatal heart attack. The cocaine caused a contraction of coronary arteries already damaged by heart disease -- a condition for which Entwistle, who was fifty-seven, had been taking medication.

Entwistle and the Who were in Las Vegas for the opening of the band's three-month tour, which was scheduled to begin the next day, and was found dead in his bed at the Hard Rock Hotel.

The Who have continued the tour with replacement bassist Pino Palladino and are scheduled to play tonight in Mansfield, Massachusetts.

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Song Stories

“Everyday People”

Sly and the Family Stone | 1968

"Everyday People" managed to trailblaze in two different ways -- it was one of the first pop hits to deal with the subject of racial harmony, and it utilized Larry Graham's "slap" technique on the bass guitar, which would soon be copied by countless other bassists. Graham once said about his pulsating style, "I'd never done that before … that's where the freedom of creativity came in for the band, that we'd be allowed to do that." In 1978, the song's line "Different strokes for different folks" would be borrowed for the title of the hit television show Diff'rent Strokes.

More Song Stories entries »

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