Keith Richards is Immortal (Top Drug Deaths)

I heard a joke once "If there was a nuclear apocalypse only two things would survive--Cockroaches and Keith Richards." So today I'll take a look at the top 10 most tragic figures that have succummed to or have continued heavy drug use. And no, Mel Gibson and all the other "alcoholics" out there will not be on this list.

10. Judy Garland
Best known for her lead performence as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, Garland had an excellent acting career, but of course with ups and downs. She had an amazing comeback in Carnegie Hall, quotes as "the greatest performence in all of showbiz," because doctors told her she would never sing again but clearly they were wrong. The mother of Liza Minelli, her childhood problems, medical problems, and increasing drug use eventually got the best of her. She died at age 47 of an overdose of barbituates in 1969. Those drugs must have taken her "Somewhere over the rainbow."

9. Len Bias
A future NBA star, Len Bias was highly recruited as "the best forward to ever come out of college." Coach K of Duke says the top 2 ACC players of all time were Jordan and Bias, a Unv. of Maryland standout. He was selected second overall by the Celtics in the 1986 NBA draft. However, he was abusing cocaine to the highest degree and died of a cocaine overdose 2 days after the draft. From rags to riches to worm-food in a matter of days, he is the epitome of the "troubled athlete".

8. Janis Joplin
What is it about music that makes people abuse drugs? Joplin is often considered one of the top 3 women musicians of all time. However, it's likely she could easily have gotten to number one if she lived past 27. Her vocal style, dress style, sexual and political outspokenness, and living like "one of the boys" all contribute to her legacy as ushering in a new generation of female musicians. Her heroin overdose in 1970 was shocking and unneccessary. In perhaps the coolest thing anyone has ever willed to anyone, she willed a ton of money to friends to throw a huge party when she died and they did. She is a member of the "27 Club", a group of musicians who were heavily influential that died at age 27, along with Cobain, Morrison, and Hendrix.

7. John Belushi
The Animal House star was a icon of his time. At age 30, he had the #1 movie (animal house), album (blues brothers soundtrack), and tv program (SNL). However his drug use was documented for some time. Eventually, in 1982 at age 33 he died of an overdose of a "speedball" (cocaine mixed with heroin). His life, like his persona in movies and TV, was eratic and out of control. Belushi was the life of the party and the death of SNL.

6. Chris Farely
A huge admirerer of Belushi, he ironically died the same age and way that his hero did. Farely, known for his crazy antics on stage, was actually rather shy and stuggled with obesity, alcoholism, and drug addiction throughout his late 20s and early 30s. Roles in Black Sheep, Tommy Boy, SNL, Beverly Hills Ninja, all were springboards to success for the troubled star. However, in 1997, Farely died of an overdose of a "speedball", as mentioned above. A funny man on screen but a depressing figure on drugs.

5. Rick James
"Superfreak" was a ridiculous drug user. For 5 years straight, he spent $7,000 a WEEK on cocaine and put alluminum foil on his windows. His music career was that one of stardom and up-tempo Motown style that made him hugely popular. However, his music started to suffer, understandably, after he started heavily abusing coke. Although he didn't die of an overdose like the rest of the list in his system at the time of his death were non-fatal doses of Xanax, Valium, Wellbutrin (smoke aid), Celexa (anxiety meds), Vicodin, Digoxin (heart meds), Chlorphenamine (allergy meds), Meth, Marijuana, and Cocaine. He had diabetes, heart problems, past strokes, a pacemaker, and ultimatly succumed to heart failure likely due to a DISGUSTING amount of continued drug use. To even live as long as he did, he truly was a "Superfreak".

4. Jim Morrison
Morrison, lead singer of the Doors, had a huge amount of fans mainly due to his charismatic personality and music. However, his music is often overshadowed by his extreme drug use combined with little food intake. His death, although a mystery, likely had something to do with drugs. However, he ranks so "high" (pun intended, indeed) on this list because of its shock on the world of music. His lyrics on drugs, sex, maddness and death were influential to future musicians and heavily revered by fans. The most popular account of his death on July 3, 1971 in Paris (making him a 27 Club member) is that he overdosed on a very large amount of heroin believing that it was cocaine, an occasionaly important detail when doing a large amount of drugs.

3. Edgar Allen Poe
Hey, they can't all be musicians and actors. Poe was perhaps the greatest poet of all time and his works are often referenced in popular culture. However, beyond brilliance there is sometimes madness. Poe nearly died of an overdose earlier on laudanum, a tranquilizer at the time. To be fair, his alcoholism and insanity has probably been greatly exaggerated over the years by "character assasination". He was an alcoholic and user. His death remains one of the biggest "conspiracy" types death ever, as there are countless theories including murder, rabies, alcoholism, suicide, cholera, STD, or an overdose. The day of his death he was on the streets of Baltimore "in great distress and in need of immediate assistance" and wearing someone else's close. Poe's true cause may be known nevermore, nevermore.

2. Kurt Cobain
Cobain's story is well known. The troubled rock star of Nirvana was at the helm of the punk rock movement in the 1990s. However, as his popularity increased, he became a reluctant celebrity and heroin user. He also suffered from a very painful stomach problem that he tried to get diagnosed for years but was left without answer. He self-medicated with heroin and other drugs. As time passed, his drug use increased to the addiction level. And in 1994, he became another member of the 27 Club when he shot himself in the head because of the depression his drug use and stardom had caused him. He is survived by his widow, Stupid Ugly Disgusting Whore Courtney Love.

1. Jimi Hendrix
An innovator, Hendrix is often considered one of, if not the, greatest innovators of music in history. His "psychadelic" tunes combined with blues, jazz, and funk were some of the most influential blends of music ever created. He is often considered the greatest guitarist ever and it is hard to argue that. Hendrix is widely known for his drug use, especially LSD which he used to put on his headband and would get high when he started sweating on stage. He often used sleeping pills, speed, and marijuana to fuel a "stop and go" lifestyle. On September 18, 1970, Hendrix was either found dead in his room or died on the way to the hospital. His death was a result of taking 9 sleeping pills at once with wine and then choking on his own vomit, unable to wake up due to the pills. His death was ruled a suicide but conspiracy remains, as it often does, about his ill-timed death. The greatest member of "27 Club", Hendrix's drug use and death was surely Largely Surely Dumbfoundely unneccessary

Suffice to say, this is the greatest blog I've ever written and you should enjoy it, hopefully. Just goes to show you that the great lifestyle of Drugs, Sex, and Rock N'Roll often leads to an early exit off stage.