Drummer Dino Danelli, an authentic member of Sixties New Jersey rock group The Rascals has died. He was 78.
His demise was confirmed by Rascals archivist and pal Joe Russo on Danelli’s Fb web page, the place Russo wrote, “To know Dino, you could perceive that artwork was his life. Artwork, music and movie consumed his thoughts and his coronary heart. He was an insomniac, generally staying awake for days, as a result of he was at all times writing, studying, portray, drawing, watching movies. He was past non-public and for somebody who many contemplate one of many biggest drummers of all time, humble to a fault.”
Russo stated the drummer who manned the package for the Rascals from 1965-1971 — and in addition carried out with E Avenue Band member and solo rocker “Little” Steven Van Zandt’s Disciples of Soul from 1982-1984 — was the “most non-public individual I knew.” Whereas he didn’t disclose a reason for demise, Russo wrote that Danelli was “acutely dissatisfied” in regards to the “abrupt” conclusion of the Rascals’ 2013 “As soon as Upon a Dream” reunion tour and he famous that after it fell aside the timekeeper was “virtually obsessed” with looking for a strategy to “preserve the ball rolling” as his well being started to say no.
“When this challenge try failed, it appeared Dino’s intense inventive spirit started to float away,” Russo wrote of the musician who was born in Jersey Metropolis on July 23, 1944 and shaped the Younger Rascals with singer Eddie Brigati, keyboardist Felix Cavaliere and guitarist Gene Cornish in 1964.
“Round this time in 2017, I seen delicate modifications in his actions and talent to stroll regular. Someday, he requested me to choose him up from a physician’s go to. We returned to his residence the place he started indicating to me sure needs he would really like honored after his passing,” Russo continued. “It wasn’t alarming for a person his age to take action, however it appeared unusually sudden and out of left subject.”
Along with his musical ventures drying up, Russo stated Danelli’s want and talent “to do the artistic issues he cherished abruptly started dissipating. He stopped being ‘Dino.’ Nearly in a single day it appeared, an enormous side of the super character I knew since I used to be a teen just about started to fade.” Russo stated Danelli ended up in a hospital after which checked out in Dec. 2019, solely to return in early 2022 to a rehab heart the place his situation rapidly deteriorated.
“He’d spend day by day there till his passing,” Russo defined. “His major challenges have been coronary artery illness and congestive coronary heart failure, however there have been many others. He had already required an angioplasty over a decade earlier.” (Learn the complete Fb put up right here.)
Pushed by Danelli’s swinging, high-energy drum sound, the Younger Rascals (as they have been initially recognized) scored 9 Billboard Scorching 100 singles, together with their signature No. 1 1966 recording of Rudy Clark and Arthur Resnick’s “Good Lovin’,” in addition to the 1967 No. 1 “Groovin’,” and 1968’s chart-topping civil rights anthem “Folks Received to Be Free,” written by Brigati and Cavaliere, which touched a nerve within the wake of the assassinations that spring of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. The band — who shortened their title to only The Rascals in 1968 as they moved away from their extra eclectic storage soul vibe to a extra psychedelic sound — was inducted into the Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame in 1997.
After the departure of Brigati and Cornish within the early Nineteen Seventies, Danelli and Cavaliere carried on and launched two extra albums to diminishing returns earlier than breaking apart in 1971. Danelli shaped the group Bulldog with Cornish that yr and the duo launched a pair of albums earlier than breaking apart three years later. Danelli then bounced round, taking part in with Mountain’s Leslie West and the short-lived energy pop act Fotomaker earlier than becoming a member of Van Zandt’s band within the early Nineteen Eighties and taking part in on the teams first two information, 1982’s Males With out Girls and 1984’s Voice of America.
The Rascals reformed in 1988 briefly, with all 4 authentic members available for his or her Rock Corridor induction in 1997 after which once more for a run of exhibits entitled “One Upon a Dream” in 2012-2013 — which was co-produced and co-written by Van Zandt — earlier than taking that present on the highway for a North American run. In a Fb message, Cornish wrote, “It’s with a damaged coronary heart that I need to inform you of the passing of Dino Danelli. He was my brother and the best drummer I’ve ever seen. I’m devastated at this second. Relaxation In Peace Dino I like you brother.”
Van Zandt additionally paid tribute, tweeting, “RIP Dino Danelli. One of many biggest drummers of all time. Rascals 1965-1971. Disciples Of Soul 1982-1984. On Broadway on the Richard Rodgers Theater in As soon as Upon A Dream 2013.” Whereas heartbroken over the lack to hold one with the Rascals, Russo stated Danelli continued to work with him on video, artwork and images initiatives in addition to writing, recording and producing “total albums price of songs collectively” that haven’t been launched.
“He was the epitome of ‘cool’ and by no means ceased to impress me together with his seemingly countless reservoir of concepts and approaches,” Russo stated of his pal and collaborator. “The phrase ‘artist’ is so generally used to explain even the slightest degree of self expression, however let me guarantee you Dino Danelli possessed a mindset, a artistic philosophy and a set of expertise as profound as any of the nice artists you’ve ever examine.”
This story first appeared on Billboard.com.
