6 Rockstars And Their Crazy Near Death Experiences

The history of music production—especially rock—has numerous cases of death that could have been prevented by the use of various addictive products. Many talented people fail on the way, they cannot get rid of a brief moment of happiness that is followed by those who do not understand that this dangerous path is often irreversible. Unless, of course, you’re Keith Richards.

OZZY OSBOURNE
There are many crazy tales of rock and roll in Ozzy Osbourne’s memoir, I am Ozzy, (Birmingham, United Kingdom, 1948), but one of the most shocking stories of his near-death experience was actually due to a quad bike accident in 2003. Following the flipping of his vehicle, it landed on him and he was pinned under it, where he sustained fractures on his neck, clavicle, and several ribs. His lungs were filled with fluid, and he had no pulse for more than a minute before his bodyguard resuscitated him. Osbourne then stated that the doctors had diagnosed and had told him that he ‘had been dead’ for a while.

DAVE GAHAN
Dave Gahan, lead singer of Depeche Mode, was found in a room in the Sunset Marquis Hotel in Los Angeles in 1996 and was clinically dead for two minutes. He said that his experience was as black as complete darkness; he felt as if whatever he was doing was deeply wrong. He then remembered seeing himself lying on the floor with lots of activity going on before the doctors brought him back to life. On regaining consciousness, he found himself being arrested by a cop and handcuffed, and had said it was an experience he did not want to be associated with again.

SLASH
Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash is no stranger to the vices. One severe moment occurred on the 24th of September, 1992, after a performance in Oakland, he overdosed in a San Francisco hotel. He remembered drug dealers coming to his room earlier that morning, and after taking everything they offered, he fell down the hallway, frightening a maid nearby. Although he was rushed to the hospital, he signed himself out and went ahead to perform in the next show.

NIKKI SIXX
Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx, was out in Los Angeles, on December 23, 1987, during the height of the 80’s, partying with his friends like Robbin Crosby, Slash, and members of Megadeth. In his pursuit to continue the party, Sixx overdosed and his heart stopped for two entire minutes. Fortunately, a paramedic injected him with adrenaline, reviving him. This near-death experience helped ground focus to the band, inspiring their hit song “Kickstart My Heart” from their 1989 album Dr. Feelgood.

DON POWELL
On the night of the summer of 1973 the drummer of the glam rock band Slade, Don Powell got in an accident after leaving a party while drunk. He got a new Bentley and took his newly-acquired car out to drive; got into an accident, and he wrecked the car – his girlfriend was killed in the car, and Powell was in critical condition. He had been in a coma for six days during which he had two instances of cardiac arrest and surgeons had to drill holes in his head to relieve intracranial pressure. Powell woke up from the coma to find that he had broken limbs, a fractured skull, and his face distorted. All he wanted to know was what really had happened.

PHIL ANSELMO
Vocalist of the hit band Pantera which reached its peak popularity in the mid-90s, after the releases of Far Beyond Driven in 1994 and The Great Southern Trendkill in mid-1995, Phil Almost died of a life-threatening overdose, an incident that almost wiped out the band. Seven years later, on July 13, 1996, during a show in the Starplex Arena in Dallas, Texas, he was declared clinically dead for at least five minutes as he suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest.