John “Blackie Onassis” Rowan, the former drummer of the ’90s rock band the Urge Overkill, has died. No details on his cause of death (or his age) were confirmed when the news was revealed on Wednesday.
“Urge Overkill is saddened to report that Blackie has passed away. Please respect our privacy at this time. We are sending much love to his family and all his fans. We know he will be missed,” the band’s official Twitter account posted
Chicago-based alt-rock trio Urge Overkill was best known for hits like “Sister Havana,” off their 1993 album “Saturation,” and their cover of Neil Diamond’s “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon,” which was featured in Pulp Fiction. Director Quentin Tarantino selected the rendition as the track that Mia (played by Uma Thurman) sings and dances to before suffering from an overdose.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=bTVRXByWyPo%3Ffeature%3Doembed
Onassis joined Overkill in the early 90s and played with the group until the release of their last major-label set, 1995’s “Exit the Dragon.” By then the group had already shared their debut album “Jesus Urge Superstar,” in 1989, and followed up with “Americruiser” in 1990.
The band had circulated through different members before and after Onassis joined founders and guitarists Nash Kato and Eddie “King” Roeser. While Onassis was in the band, they opened for Nirvana’s “Nevermind” tour in late 1991, which led to the band being signed by Geffen Records. Under the label, Overkill produced two albums: “Saturation” in 1993, and “Exit the Dragon” in 1995. Onassis drummed and sang on the latter two records, plus 1991’s “The Supersonic Storybook” and their 1992 six-song “Stull” EP.
According to a report by the Los Angeles Times, shortly after the release of “Exit the Dragon,” Onassis was arrested for heroin possession but those charges were later dropped. He left the band in 1996 and Kato and Roeser reformed Urge Overkill in 2004 (sans Onassis).
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