Music Vehicular Deaths #6 - Cozy Powell
@teamfreak16 (43418)
Denver, Colorado
May 14, 2017 6:07am CST
We have reached #6 in this morbidly fascinating Music Vehicular Deaths countdown: drummer Cozy Powell.
British drummer Cozy Powell enjoyed a 30-year career in rock and roll, lasting from 1968 until 1998, when the car he was driving crashed near Bristol, England.
Powell was on his way to visit his married girlfriend, driving his Saab 9000, in bad weather, at 104 mph. While on the phone with the drummer, she reported hearing a loud bang after an expletive from him. Powell was propelled through the windshield and died at the scene.
According to the BBC, in addition to speeding and using his cellphone, Powell's blood alcohol content was over the legal limit, and he was not wearing a seatbelt. An investigation also suggests evidence of a slow leak in a rear tire that could have caused Powell to lose control of the vehicle.
If you are a fan of rock music, there is a good chance you've heard Cozy Powell's drumming. He appeared on at least 66 albums, playing with notables such as Whitesnake, Jeff Beck, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Gary Moore, Robert Plant, The Michael Schenker Group, and Emerson, Lake, and Powell.
In 1991, on the BBC program, Record Breakers, Powell set a world record for most drums played in under a minute, at 400.
A fast car aficionado, Powell also raced on the British Saloon Car circuit in the mid-1970's, sponsored by Hitachi.
This one covers all the modern public service announcements: drinking and driving, cellular phone usage, seatbelts, and speeding. Be sure to inspect your tires as well.
(Info verified by Wikipedia)
Cozy Powell Drum Solo performed by Whitesnake live in Japan, 1984. Super Rock Japan - '84. Off "Live In '84: Back To The Bone" DVD. High quality 1080p.
10 people like this
8 responses
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
14 May 17
I don't know the name Cozy Powell but as you say, I have probably heard him.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (68830)
• United States
14 May 17
He replaced Carl Palmer in Emerson, Lake & Palmer and they became "Emerson, Lake & Powell."
2 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
14 May 17
@FourWalls That was staying with the ELP theme.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
14 May 17
I would say odds are, at some point or other. He played on a lot of stuff.
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70022)
• United States
14 May 17
I saw him once in a a pub in Oxford playing Scott.
RIP Cozy, a brilliant talent, lost to this world.
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70022)
• United States
14 May 17
@teamfreak16 It was Scott and as usual I did not remember until you wrote about it here. Thanks
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
14 May 17
That must have been something. Great drummer.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
14 May 17
@TiarasOceanView - Happy to bring back good memories.
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
14 May 17
@teamfreak16 thank you.Guess I was confused on this
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
14 May 17
@amadeo - Great White, Whitesnake. Understandable.
@boiboing (13153)
• Northampton, England
14 May 17
@teamfreak16 I'm looking forward to your Marc Bolan piece. I have to admit I didn't know many of the singers you featured up to now.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
14 May 17
@boiboing - This one wasn't as obvious as plane crashes, which everyone already knows about.
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
14 May 17
He pretty much violated them all at once.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
14 May 17
@JudyEv - No, he was obviously very experienced at driving fast. Too many odds stacked against him that time.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
16 May 17
And this one seems like it could have been avoided.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68830)
• United States
14 May 17
I would add to the PSA: and just because you're famous don't think it won't happen to you.
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
14 May 17
Good post. My lasting memory of Cozy's skill on the drums is his soul-stirring, thumping Theme One...
Skip navigation Sign inSearch Loading... Close Yeah, keep it Undo Close Watch QueueQueueWatch QueueQueue The next video is startingstop Loading... Watch Queue Queue __count__/__total__ Loading... Find out whyClose 5maz9's channel Loading... Unsubscribe fr
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
14 May 17
It's sad. He was such a great drummer.
1 person likes this