It seems in recent months there has been a minor spate of rock n roll deaths of figures who, while not achieving anything close to stellar fame, were well-respected or ‘cult’ personalities. The latest to pass away, according to multiple media reports, is Seth Putnam of notorious hardcore band Anal Cunt.
Spinner reports that the news of his fatal heart attack has not yet appeared in any official press materials, but has been reported by one Kim Kelly, the band’s publicist, who wrote of his death on Twitter and in a heartfelt dedication on her personal blog. If confirmed, Putman was 43 years old.
She wrote, “I want to remind everyone that no matter how outrageous and controversial his musical career has been, Seth was still a human being with friends and family that loved him. I’m hoping that the Internet will remember that.
“This is a very sad and trying time for those that knew him, and the last thing they need to see is an outpouring of message board hate. The man lived and died by his own rules; if anything, respect him for that.”
As Spinner note, A.C have a good claim for being one of the most abrasive, provocative bands of all time. They formed in Newton, Massachusetts in 1988 and have had a revolving door of members ever since. They released their first album in 1993, Morbid Florist and went on to release 10 more up until this year.
An idea of their music can perhaps be found in their songs titles, such as The Word Homophobic Is Gay, I Just Saw The Gayest Guy On Earth and Hitler Was A Sensitive Man. Most of A.C’s songs last no longer than a minute or so, with a good example of their craft coming on their second album Everyone Should Be Killed, which contains no less than 58 ‘songs’.
Putnam had a history of drug use, including an overdose of sleeping pills in 2004, which led to suggestions the ‘singer’ had attempted suicide.
Fellow hardcore band No Redeeming Social Value posted a message in response to Putnam’s death, saying, “R.I.P. Seth Putnam of Anal Cunt. Truly a sad day it is that we have lost such a tremendous talent. NRSV has enjoyed playing w/ A.C. over the years as they were one of the best, and most revolutionary bands of our time. Never again will we hear/ play ‘Anal Cunt Sucks and They’re All Gay’ w/o thinking of Seth and his awesome talent. See you in Hell my friend!”.
