RIP Dick Wagner

[That 70s Guy]

from Dick Wagner Maestro of Rock

Former Alice Cooper/Lou Reed guitarist Dick Wagner passed away today at age 71. Played on most of Alice's classic 70s early 80s albums from "Welcome To My Nightmare" to "DaDa".


Also known for filling in for Ace Frehley on "Sweet Pain" from KISS "Destroyer"

 

[Sweaty]

Another one gone, not a bad innings...R.I.P.

 

[That 70s Guy]

According to the Detroit Free Press, former ALICE COOPER guitarist Dick Wagner died this morning (Wednesday, July 30) of respiratory failure. He was 71 years old.

Wagner spent the past two weeks at Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Medical Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he had been in intensive care following a cardiac procedure.

Back in 2007, Wagner suffered a serious heart attack but made a full recovery and returned to the stage five years later.

Dick was most notably the guitarist and co-writer of many of Alice Cooper's biggest hits but was also featured on KISS' "Destroyer" and AEROSMITH's "Get Your Wings".

Wagner was Alice Cooper's right-hand man on the albums "Welcome To My Nightmare", "Goes To Hell", "Lace And Whiskey", "From The Inside" and "DaDa", helping in songwriting, composing, production and playing lead guitar. He also contributed to the making of "School's Out", "Billion Dollar Babies", "Muscle Of Love", "Hey Stoopid", and Alice Cooper's latest album, "Welcome 2 My Nightmare".

In January 2012, Wagner released his book, "Not Only Women Bleed: Vignettes From The Heart Of A Rock Musician", as a Kindle edition. It features a foreword by Cooper.

Read more at Former Alice Cooper Guitarist Dick Wagner Dead At 71 - Blabbermouth.net

 

[That 70s Guy]

- Paul Stanley: "RIP Dick Wagner. He burned on Alice, Lou Reed & uncredited on Destroyer & some of our contemporaries. Sad day."

 

[Mr. Shadow]

Lou Reed - Sweet Jane from Rock n Roll Animal


Dick Wagner & The Frost - Sunshine (1967)


Dick Wagner Live 1983 (All Along The Watchtower)

 

[Sharp Dressed Man]

R.I.P. Mr. Wagner!

 

[That 70s Guy]

blabbermouth.net

Alice Cooper has issued an emotional farewell to his late collaborator Dick Wagner, calling him “irreplaceable.” Wagner, who co-wrote ‘Welcome to My Nightmare’ with Cooper and played guitar on 1972′s ‘School’s Out,’ died today (July 30) at 71 from respiratory failure.

“Even though we know it’s inevitable, we never expect to suddenly lose close friends and collaborators,” Cooper said via Billboard. “Dick Wagner and I shared as many laughs as we did hit records. He was one of a kind. He is irreplaceable. His brand of playing and writing is not seen anymore, and there are very few people that I enjoyed working with as much as I enjoyed working with Dick Wagner. A lot of my radio success in my solo career had to do with my relationship with Dick Wagner. Not just on stage, but in the studio and writing. Some of my biggest singles were ballads what I wrote with Dick Wagner. Most of ‘Welcome to My Nightmare’ was written with Dick. There was just a magic in the way we wrote together. He was always able to find exactly the right chord to match perfectly with what I was doing. I think that we always think our friends will be around as long as we are, so to hear of Dick’s passing comes as a sudden shock and an enormous loss for me, Rock N Roll and to his family.”

Wagner struggled with his health for years, having suffered a massive heart attack in 2007, and then lapsing into a weeks-long coma. His latest setback followed heart surgery, which led to a lung infection earlier this month. He died while in intensive care at a Phoenix hospital.

Wagner also co-wrote Cooper’s ‘Only Women Bleed’ and ‘I Never Cry,’ among others, while performing on albums like ‘Goes to Hell,’ ‘Hey Stoopid’ and 2011′s ‘Welcome 2 My Nightmare,’ which included a final collaboration called ‘Something to Remember Me By.’


Read More: Alice Cooper Says Late Dick Wagner Was 'One of a Kind' | Alice Cooper Says Late Dick Wagner Was 'One of a Kind'

 

[rtbuck]

I became a fan of Dick Wagner around 1978 when I purchased my first Alice Cooper record "The Alice Cooper Show". At the time I had no idea about the original Cooper band nor had I heard any of his tunes. I bought the album because I was heavy into Kiss & when I seen the cover & back cover of the Cooper album I had to try it. The song that blew me away was I'm 18 because of the wild guitar exchange between Dick Wagner & Steve Hunter. I became a Cooper Freak after that & began buying his albums & later that year at midnight a local theater played the Welcome to my Nightmare movie. The part that really went over the edge was the guitar dual between Wagner & Hunter in a giant Spider Web where they just jammed for several minutes.

Around 1980 or so I was at a friend's place having a few beers while listening to his music. I came across Lou Reed's Rock & Roll Animal in his collection & told my friend I always heard of Reed but had no desire to try his music. He put on the album & I couldn't believe the guitars throughout the album. I look at the back cover & listed is Wagner & Hunter. Once the internet came around I was looking up Dick Wagner & I was looking at his credits & found out he played on Peter Gabriel's debut, Air Supply, Hall & Oates, & Tim Curry. I actually had a couple of Tim Curry albums & sure enough Dick Wagner played lead guitar which is why I chose Sloe Gin here (the f word is used in the lyrics just so you know. Joe Bonamassa covered this tune & named an album after it)

 

[LOU/REALM]

R.I.P.....Another sad loss

 

[METALPRIEST]

R.I.P.