https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/cinderella-guitarist-jeff-labar-dead-at-58/
CINDERELLA guitarist Jeff LaBar has died at the age of 58. No cause of death has yet been revealed.
According to Metal Sludge, LaBar's passing was confirmed by his son Sebastian. He wrote on social media: "So i just got the call… Jeff LaBar, my father, my hero, my idol, passed away today. I'm currently at a loss for words. I love you pop!"
Jeff's father, Bob LaBar, also shared the tragic news. "We have been told that our son Jeff LaBar has passed away in Nashville", he wrote on his Facebook page.
Although CINDERELLA hasn't released a new studio album since 1994's "Still Climbing", the band started playing sporadic shows again in 2010 but has been largely inactive for the last few years while frontman Tom Keifer focused on his solo career.
Back in 2016, LaBar accepted blame for CINDERELLA's prolonged period of inactivity, explaining that his "drinking problem" caused a rift between him and his bandmates. He told "Another FN Podcast With Izzy Presley": "I can only speculate, but I believe it's all my fault. It's no secret that I've had a drinking problem. And it showed its ugly face on one of those [cruises that CINDERELLA played]. I guess that's what caused a rift… When I fell out on one of those cruise ships in front of everybody — like, basically O.D.'d — that's when the band, and mostly Tom, took notice and was, like, 'What the fuck?'"
Asked if he was sober at the time of the interview, LaBar said: "No, I'm not. Which is the problem. Which is probably the problem. Like I said, I can only speculate, because I don't talk to the other guys anymore. I talk to Fred every now and then. Eric [Brittingham, bass] lives 20 minutes from me. We haven't talked lately, but Eric and I have been the most consistent of all my bandmates throughout the past 32 years. It's just Tom and I that don't talk anymore. And I can only speculate that he's very disappointed and doesn't wanna see me die. He doesn't wanna witness me dying."
LaBar went on to say that the touring lifestyle "fed [his] appetite for partying… all the way back to the '80s." He explained: "I have a history. It's not just these past issues. I have a history of drinking and cocaine… In the '80s, it was cocaine abuse. In the '90s, it was heroin. I went through every cliché phase that a rock star could go through. It just wasn't highly publicized. I was arrested, I went through rehab, I did all the things MÖTLEY CRÜE did. I just didn't publicize it. I was MÖTLEY CRÜE and GUNS N' ROSES all wrapped into one. As a band, we tried to hide our dirty laundry, and most of our dirty laundry was me. We didn't try to hide it; we just didn't publicize it. We just didn't tell people. 'Oh, yeah, Jeff's in rehab. Jeff's in jail. Jeff's in… whatever.' We just didn't publicize it. We actually kept it to ourselves. It was our family. It was our family business, and that's how we treated it."
Despite the fact that he hadn't spoken to Keifer for a couple of years prior to the "Another FN Podcast With Izzy Presley" interview, LaBar said that he didn't hold a grudge against his longtime friend and bandmate. "I understand why he doesn't return my calls, and I don't blame him," he said. "I understand. And hey, you know, he's been the major talent of CINDERELLA all this time, and he deserves to be solo. Not deserves to be solo, but, you know, it was inevitable for him to go solo. He's just one of those guys — lead singer, main songwriter. It's inevitable that he should go solo and basically dump [laughs], dump the dead weight."
Keifer told RockRevolt Magazine that "some issues" within the band — "going back decades" — had effectively sidelined the group for the past several years. He explained: "We took some pretty extreme measures to right the ship and fix things, and we made a pact as a band in 2012 that we would not do anything as a band until the issues were resolved. That's how much it came to a head. The issues are unresolved, so that's all I can say about that."
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
sad he wasn't able to get himself together
@matt05 Yes sad indeed. One could almost use the basic outline and routine of his interview and release it over and over with the names of other noted musicians and singers who have died (often young) and or created problems within their bands.
at least Jeff is upfront that it was his fault and he has the problems
@matt05 Yeah Matt some deny they have a problem. First thing you have to do if you join AA or go to rehab is admit you have a problem.
I can't remember how many times I read Jerry Garcia was in rehab and remember reading the Grateful Dead had to make sure their tours didn't go to any cities where Jerry doesn't know where he can score.
I liked Jerry Garcia. It's sad he didn't make it to 55. I remember Rolling Stone after his death that his autopsy looked like the organs of someone 83 rather than 53. THAT IS LIFE IN THE FAST LANE!!
Cinderella's music is nowhere near to my personal taste. I'm sure they're all solid players with the chops and merits to have made it to the top of their game. During the early 1970s, young players often felt that substance abuse was not only a part of the career, but that it would lead you to play better. This idea not only turned out to be a load of crap - it ruined many young people's lives and wasted whatever talents that they had. Quite often, this behavior was encouraged and rewarded by promoters, management and hangers-on. Sex, drugs and rock and roll. Two outta three ain't bad.
Two on one day. Sad of course.
I always liked them as a teen. That was the in thing at the time. Tom Keifer is a great musician, I think he can play anything. He definitely has that screechy voice.
Everything in Moderation. Including Moderation.
Two on one day. Sad of course.
I always liked them as a teen. That was the in thing at the time. Tom Keifer is a great musician, I think he can play anything. He definitely has that screechy voice.
Cinderella and Tesla we favorites of mine as a teen too. I still like to listen to them occasionally, best of the 'hair bands' in my opinion.
Long Cold Winter is a great album.
Tesla is probably my favorite of that genre. I've seen them a bunch of times. They aren't coming around here but they are in Michigan with Kid Rock of all people and I'm kind of mulling that over. They are also playing Red Rocks with Skynyrd. I think that will be fun.
Everything in Moderation. Including Moderation.
Lee, you obviously have excellent taste! Frank Hannon is a great guitarist and when my friends would play EVH 'eruption' ad nauseum I'd always counter with the intro to 'Cumin Atcha Live'. Good times
Kid Rock isn't my thing but he is a good entertainer. I saw him open for the Stones a few years back.
Lee, you obviously have excellent taste! Frank Hannon is a great guitarist and when my friends would play EVH 'eruption' ad nauseum I'd always counter with the intro to 'Cumin Atcha Live'. Good times
Kid Rock isn't my thing but he is a good entertainer. I saw him open for the Stones a few years back.
I used to live not far from where he is from along M-15 in Michigan. He would go into a local watering hole and apparently is a nice guy. Buy people drinks and whatnot. The only time I saw him was at The Palace in Auburn Hills, MI. He didn't perform but he introduced Skynyrd and called them the greatest effing band in the world. A tad of hyperbole but the crowd loved it. And this was just after he hit it big.
Everything in Moderation. Including Moderation.
Not a huge super fan, but thought they had a few good tunes. I thought they nailed the slow blues on Long Cold Winter.
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
Tesla is probably my favorite of that genre. I've seen them a bunch of times. They aren't coming around here but they are in Michigan with Kid Rock of all people and I'm kind of mulling that over. They are also playing Red Rocks with Skynyrd. I think that will be fun.
Quoting myself here and a segue from the topic but I was listening to Tesla so I checked on tickets for their Michigan show in Mt Pleasant. Central Michigan University is there. Anyway they have a casino there which is probably the biggest industry in town. They are opening for Kid Rock at said casino. You can enjoy yourself for the low, low price of $180. 😮
Think I'll pass.
Everything in Moderation. Including Moderation.
