roy-loney

Roy Loney (Flamin' Groovies), RIP

roy-loney

Roy Loney, dynamic cofounder on Flamin’ Groovies, died today at age 73 in San Francisco. The sad news came via Flamin’ Groovies Facebook, where the band wrote, “We are all deeply saddened and stunned to learn that our dearest friend and bandmate, Roy Loney, passed away this morning.” His girlfriend, Vivian Altmann, told The San Francisco Chronicle that he died of severe organ failure. “Roy was born on a Friday the 13th and he died on a Friday the 13th,” said Altman. “That is a very rockin’ thing to do.”

Flamin’ Groovies began in 1965 in San Francisco, led by Loney and Cyrl Jordan, and they made three albums — 1969’s Supersnazz, 1970’s Flamingo and 1971’s Teenage Head — before Loney left the group to be replaced by Chris Wilson. Loney went on to be a talent scout for ABC Records, and played in other groups, including Phantom Movers and Fondellas both of which featured fellow former Groovies members Danny Mihm and James Ferrell, and he put out solo records as well. Roy reunited with Cyril Jordan in the late-’00s, including a 2009 tour backed by members of Yo La Tengo and A-Bones. This year Roy toured the U.S. with Jordan and the current lineup of Flamin’ Groovies, but he was forced to drop out of a European tour after being hospitalized from a fall.

Roy, you’ll be missed. Rest in peace.

Read tributes from Steve Van Zandt, Yo La Tengo and more, and listen to Teenage Head, below.