Cheetah Chrome, Dead Boys Co-Founder and Guitarist, Dies at 71

Cheetah Chrome, the co-founder and guitarist of the influential punk band the Dead Boys, died on Sunday at the age of 71. His bandmates confirmed the news through a statement on the band's official Instagram account. The musician, whose birth name was Eugene Richard O’Connor, was remembered by his colleagues as a "true original" and a "beloved friend" and bandmate.

Born in Cleveland, O’Connor was a pivotal figure in the city's emerging punk rock movement. He first gained recognition as a member of Rocket From the Tombs, a group identified as one of the originators of the Cleveland punk sound. This early period of his career established the "feral guitar riffs" that would become his signature, according to NME.

After the dissolution of Rocket From the Tombs, Chrome co-founded the Dead Boys, a move that helped export the aggressive Cleveland sound to a wider audience. The band's social media tribute described him as a "one-man hurricane" who tore up the musical landscape with "manic energy." His work during this era is credited with helping to shape the sound of early American punk rock, as noted by Rolling Stone.

Throughout his career, Chrome remained a prolific figure in the industry, extending his reach beyond his own bands. He collaborated with Syl Sylvain and provided musical support for Ronnie Spector. These partnerships showcased his versatility and his standing as an "architect of the punk rock movement" among his peers and successors.

While contemporary rock artists like The Warning or Kasabian navigate the modern charts, Chrome’s contributions remain a permanent fixture of the genre's history. No specific cause of death has been reported by his family or representatives following the announcement on Sunday.