One of the travesties of being a young and modern fan of 50-year-old rock music is the looming idea that I could lose one of my favorite artists at any given moment. Yet, the inescapable death-by-old-age factor seems to scare me less than the past lifestyles of these old rockers. Hard drugs, rampant partying, and an overall unhealthy lifestyle gave many artists a sneak peak of death and destruction at a very young age. While many rock stars just barely escaped this fate, not all of them were so lucky. The fast and furious lifestyle of rock stars in the 60s and 70s ultimately led to overdose, heart attacks, and other travesties of the sort. The impact and legacy of an artist--good or bad-- typically reveals itself after their death. Death of any kind is inevitable, but it always seems like those particularly tragic tales stick around in our memories. I, as well as many other avid music lovers, cannot help but be enthralled by the cultural phenomenon known as the “27 Club.”
The 27 Club represents the group of musicians, artists, and pop culture icons that passed away at the ripe, young age of… you guessed it… 27. Before I dive into the various theories behind this phenomenon, it is important to mention that: scientifically speaking, the statistical spike in musical deaths at 27 years old has been repeatedly disproven by research. In other words, science does not support this theory. Clearly, this phenomenon is still something you and I cannot let go of, though. I mean, you are reading about it right now, aren’t you? The 27 Club is an entirely notional grouping, so there are no ‘official’ members. However, the majority of the club consists of members with high levels of fame and success. Many, if not all, of the 27 Club deaths are related to high-risk lifestyles. Drug and alcohol abuse takes the cake for the highest number of deaths, followed by suicides, homicides, and transportation-related incidents. Attention to young deaths first sparked when many rock musicians, such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Brian Jones, and Jim Morrison all passed away at the same age and within a short span of time (1969-1971). It was not until popular grunge artist Kurt Cobain’s death, in 1994, that the 27 Club truly piqued people’s interest.
So, you may be wondering, who exactly is in the 27 Club? Buckle your seatbelts, as I have a winding list of names for you. Most commonly associated with the 27 Club are the aforementioned artists: Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Kurt Cobain. Joplin died of an overdose, while Hendrix died of asphyxiation. The theories surrounding Kurt Cobain’s cause of death is an entirely seperate story within itself, but legally, it is recorded to be death by suicide. Similarly, Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones had a somewhat suspicious ending, and his cause of death is listed as drowning. Other incredibly famous artists in the club include Jim Morrison (heart failure) and Amy Winehouse (alcohol poisoning). The Grateful Dead lost their keyboardist and singer, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, to an alcoholism-related GI hemorrhage at 27. The earliest popular musician to be included in the club is blues artist, Robert Johnson. On that note, I should touch on the importance of music. Each of the names that I listed above have a profound connection to the music industry. Along with the seven I already named, there are sixty-nine other artists, performers, and musicians on the notable 27 Club member list.
The list of 27 Club members is quite lengthy, prompting notable conspiracies regarding its existence. Arguably, the most well-regarded theory behind the Club's formation involves the Prince of Darkness, himself. No, not Ozzy Osbourne! I’m referring to Satan. As overly-fearful parents, the “Silent Generation” claimed that rock music insinuated violence and devil worship within their young, music-listening children. Looks like they are called the Silent Generation for a reason--booooring. Over time, these fears developed into speculations of full-fledged devil worship. The fastest way to fame is achieved by selling your soul, no? Notable 27 Club member Robert Johnson is presumed to have developed his musical talent from this exact exchange, at the crossroads, with the ‘Dark Lord.’ Interestingly, 27 Club members are not the only musicians or talented acts notorious for this soul-selling exchange. Ex-Yardbird and guitarist for Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page, is often alleged to be involved with devil worship, given the band’s satanic undertones and his personal infatuation with infamous occultist Aleister Crowley. Page took his admiration for Crowley as far as moving into his old Scottish manor, the Boleskine House. While I personally do not have much sympathy for the devil, Keith Richards also provokes many demonic allegations. I mean, seriously, how has Keith Richards managed to live this long, despite all he has put himself through?
The study and understanding of astrology seems to be more relevant than ever in pop culture, which brings me to another notable theory concerning the Club’s formation. One common phenomenon of astrology is known as “Saturn return.” Saturn return occurs when the planet Saturn returns to the exact ecliptic longitude placement as when a person was born. While this planet may not reach its exact placement for upwards of 30 years, Saturn’s astrological influence is said to affect a person’s life as early as the notable age of 27. You may be thinking, how does this relate to the 27 Club? Well, astrological philosophy describes that Saturn return represents a major life check, where relationships, emotions, and stability begin to shift profusely. At the ripe age of 27, especially as a rock star, healthy coping mechanisms for massive life changes are not always a priority. Why would Jimi Hendrix sit down and mope about his coming-of-age, when he could easily take the edge off with a two-week bender of music, booze & hard drugs?
The 27 Club is hands down the most popular theory within music subculture. With all of the seemingly coincidental data and suspicions floating around out there, it is hard not to become an advocate for this group. If anything, I am glad to know that the 27 Club memorializes the thrilling and profound lives that many of my favorite musicians once lived. I will remind you one more time that science has repeatedly rejected the theory of the 27 Club; however, who’s to say that Saturn’s return or making exchanges with Satan have nothing to do with these early deaths in the music industry?
Stay groovy,
Clare 🧿
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