Anthony Jude Pero (October 14, 1959 – March 20, 2015) was an American drummer, in American heavy metal bands Twisted Sister and Adrenaline Mob.
Pero went to St. Peter’s Boys High School in Staten Island, but left because the faculty made him cut his hair. He then went to New Dorp High School and graduated in 1977. He was initially a jazz drummer, later gravitating to heavier music akin to Rush and Led Zeppelin. Pero worked as a taxi driver for a time, and joined Cities, a local New York City band. He joined Twisted Sister in 1981, after seeing them play at a club and being told they were in need of a drummer. Upon his departure from Twisted Sister in 1986, he re-joined Cities. He participated in the band’s 1997 reunion and continued to perform with Twisted Sister until his death.
He was also a member of Ozzy Osbourne cover band No More Tears which is well known around Staten Island, New York.
In 2007 Pero formed Circle Of Thorns with former Cities guitarist Steve Mironovich AKA Steve Irons.
In 2011 Pero played drums on a song titled “Elephant Man” on the Eric Carr CD Unfinished Business.
On December 3, 2013, Pero was announced as the new drummer of the band Adrenaline Mob.
On March 20, 2015, Adrenaline Mob’s band members attempted, but failed to wake Pero on their tour bus. The band was traveling from Baltimore to Poughkeepsie. Pero was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead from an apparent heart attack.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._J._Pero
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Michael Brown, “Walk Away Renee” Songwriter, Dies
Michael Brown (born Michael David Lookofsky; April 25, 1949 – March 19, 2015) was an American keyboardist-songwriter. Born in New York as the son of violinist and arranger Harry Lookofsky, he was best known as the principal songwriter for the 1960s baroque-pop outfit The Left Banke and for writing their two hits “Walk Away Renee” and “Pretty Ballerina”.
After internal band tensions saw Brown leave the Left Banke in late 1967, prior to the completion of their second record, he went on to become heavily involved in the band Montage. Brown also co-wrote the minor mid-1968 hit “And Suddenly” for The Cherry People, which was a #45 single on the Billboard Hot 100. Subsequently, he became involved with Stories and The Beckies. Brown briefly reunited with the Left Banke at a New York performance in April 2012.
Brown died on March 19, 2015. He was 65.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Brown_rock_musician
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Other Notable Musicians’ Deaths…
March 2015
24: Scott Clendenin, 47, American bassist (Death, Control Denied).
Notable people killed in the crash of Germanwings Flight 9525:
Oleg Bryzhak, 54, Kazakh-born German opera singer.
Maria Radner, 34, German opera singer.
23: Roy Douglas, 107, British composer; Lil’ Chris, 24, British singer-songwriter, actor and television personality.
22: Norman Scribner, 79, American choral conductor.
21: Moncho Alpuente (es), 65, Spanish journalist, writer and musician; Jørgen Ingmann, 89, Danish musician (“Apache”), 1963 Eurovision Song Contest winner; Jackie Trent, 74, English singer-songwriter and actress.
20: Paul Jeffrey, 81, American jazz saxophonist; A. J. Pero, 55, American drummer (Twisted Sister, Adrenaline Mob), heart attack; Shahir Krishnarao Sable, 92, Indian Marathi folk singer-songwriter.
19: Michael Brown, 65, American musician (The Left Banke) and songwriter (“Walk Away Renée”); Peter Katin, 84, British pianist.
18: Samuel Charters, 85, American music historian and musician, myelodysplastic syndrome.
16: Bruce Crump, 57, American rock drummer (Molly Hatchet); Andy Fraser, 62, British bassist (John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Free).
From http://www.wikipedia.com