Cheetah Chrome, Dead Boys guitarist, dies at 71

Cheetah Chrome, guitarist for punk rock bands the Dead Boys and Rocket From the Tombs, has died at age 71. His bandmates confirmed he died on Sunday, Rolling Stone reported on 14 September. He was 71.

The Dead Boys shared the news on Instagram on Sunday night. That post was the band's confirmation of his death. No cause of death was given.

The group also posted an announcement on its official Facebook page. In that message, the members called Chrome their "beloved friend and bandmate," according to the post. They described him in the same note as "a true original." The wording was brief. It did not add medical or other details.

Chrome was born Eugene Richard O'Connor in Cleveland on 18 February 1955. The name and date were listed in the obituary coverage. The age of 71 fits that timeline.

Punk rock, the music Chrome played, is built around short, fast songs with loud electric guitars. In a small band, the guitarist carries much of the sound. Chrome held that role in two groups. The Dead Boys and Rocket From the Tombs are both described in the reports as punk rock bands.

For readers catching up, the order of events is simple. The band announced the death on social media. Variety reported the news on 13 September after that announcement. Rolling Stone published its obituary the next day, on 14 September, with the age, birth details and confirmation.

The report published on 14 September gives the age, the day of death and the birth details. It does not give a cause of death. It does not list memorial plans. It records what the band has confirmed and nothing more.

Readers will find the public record still narrow. The age, the day of death, the birth name and the band's short tribute are confirmed. Anything beyond that has not been published in the reports to date. The band's pages are the stated source for the news so far.

What makes this stand out is the restraint in the band's tribute. Two phrases do all the work. "Beloved friend and bandmate" points to a personal loss inside the group. "A true original" points to how the band wishes him to be remembered. It is short. It is personal.