D.H. Peligro, the drummer for influential punk band Useless Kennedys who additionally was a drummer for the Crimson Scorching Chili Peppers for a brief time period, had died. He was 63.
The band confirmed the information of Peligro’s passing on their official social media accounts Saturday evening (Oct. 29), noting that he died the day earlier than in his Los Angeles house following an unintended fall.
“Useless Kennedys’ drummer D.H. Peligro (Darren Henley) handed away in his Los Angeles house yesterday, October twenty eighth,” Useless Kennedys wrote in an announcement on Instagram. “Police on the scene said that he died from trauma to the top attributable to an unintended fall. Preparations are pending and might be introduced within the coming days. We ask that you just respect the household’s privateness throughout this troublesome time. Thanks on your ideas and phrases of consolation.”
“My expensive buddy, my brother I miss you a lot,” Crimson Scorching Chili Peppers’ Flea wrote on Instagram upon listening to of his demise. Peligro had performed with the band briefly, in 1988, and has three writing credit on RHCP’s Mom’s Milk album.
Flea’s tribute mentioned: “I’m devastated at the moment, a river of tears, however all my life I’ll treasure each second. The primary time I noticed you play with the DK’s in ‘81 you blew my thoughts. The facility, the soul, the recklessness. You grew to become my beloved buddy, so many occasions of each type. We had a lot enjoyable, a lot pleasure, having one another’s backs. I like you with all my coronary heart. You’re the truest rocker, and an important a part of rhcp historical past. D H P within the place to be, you reside perpetually in our hearts, you wild man, you bringer of pleasure, you large hearted man. I’ll at all times honor you. Relaxation In Peace and freedom from all that restrained you.”
Peligro, born Darren Henley in 1959, joined Useless Kennedys in 1981 and first appeared on the band’s In God We Belief, Inc. EP that 12 months. The St. Louis native who moved to San Francisco recorded on the band’s pre-breakup studio albums Plastic Surgical procedure Disasters (1982), Frankenchrist (1985) and Bedtime for Democracy (1986), plus the compilation album Give Me Comfort or Give Me Dying (1987).
Useless Kennedys reunited (with out unique vocalist Jello Biafra) in 2001, with Peligro returning on drums alongside different unique band members East Bay Ray and Klaus Flouride.
In a 2018 interview with LA Weekly, he spoke of the racism he confronted touring in a punk rock band over time. “You go down South, you go throughout the Midwest, then folks have been pondering that it was music for white folks, or I used to be the janitor or safety or one thing,” Peligro mentioned. “You bought to expertise the racism firsthand, as a result of all people wasn’t as open-minded as they have been in San Francisco. It’s a bit extra open and accepted at the moment, however there’s nonetheless pockets of people that need to use punk rock to create hate music. That angers me to no finish.”
On the time, he mentioned he was engaged on a script for a collection primarily based on his 2013 memoir, Dreadnaught: King of Afropunk. “It’s about all of the stuff you don’t hear about from African-American punk rockers,” he informed the publication.
