Here Today... Gone To Hell!

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/rose-tattoo-guitarist-dies/2006/03/28/1143441127607.html

By smh.com.au
March 28, 2006 - 12:35PM

Legendary Australian guitarist Pete Wells from the rock band Rose Tattoo has died after a long illness.

The announcement was made this morning on Rose Tattoo's website and the website of the band's former record label, Alberts.

Wells had been suffering from prostate cancer.

"We have to announce, with much sadness, that Pete Wells passed away today," the statement said.

"Our thoughts are with his family and friends.

"The good news is that Pete's music will live on for the inspiration of generations to come.

"RIP Pete Wells, a great musician, a rock 'n' roll legend and most importantly a great friend."

Along with AC/DC and The Angels, Rose Tattoo helped establish an Australian rock sound in the 1970s that was copied around the world.

The Rose Tattoo song Nice Boys was covered by LA rockers Guns n' Roses in the late 1980s.

Australian rockers including the Beasts of Bourbon, Paul Kelly and Tim Rogers staged benefit concerts for Wells in Sydney and Melbourne last September.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=50225

ROSE TATTOO Frontman: PETE WELLS Was An 'Amazingly Innovative Player' - Mar. 28, 2006 
 
ROSE TATTOO singer Angry Anderson has commented on the death of the band's guitarist Pete Wells, who passed away in Sydney on Monday (March 27) after a long fight with cancer.

A close friend, Anderson said Wells's health had deteriorated dramatically in the past few weeks, according to News.com.au.

Diagnosed with prostate cancer three years ago, the guitarist had "knocked that on the head", only to have the cancer spread to other parts of his body, Anderson said.

He passed away at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, surrounded by his wife and immediate family.

Anderson paid tribute to Wells today, saying he "had a magic that will live a lot longer than any of us".

"His influence (as a guitar player and songwriter) goes right around the world," he said.

"The musical fraternity in Australia have always realized what wonderful music he's left us, and what an amazingly innovative player he was.

"And we got to meet a lot of young bands when we were touring overseas, who said ROSE TATTOO had a huge influence on them. Big bands like METALLICA and GUNS N' ROSES."

"The music 30 years on was still rich and influential."

Wells was also a private man. After knowing the guitarist for 30 years, Anderson said there were some things he never knew about him, including how old he was.

"In all the 30 years I've known him, there were certain things I didn't know about him, and his age was one of them," Anderson said.

"That's just the way he was. He was a very private about a lot of things.

"He always claimed he was younger than me, but I knew he wasn't. But I'm 58, and he could only have been a few years older than me." 
 

RIP Pete. :'(

This is really sad news.   Got to know Rose Tattoo by GN'R's cover of Nice Boys and loved them instantly.  Theye are an example of the true classic rock.  Since they toured with a replacement during Pete's illness I guess they'll probably cary on without him, but it won't be the same ...

RIP Pete Wells :'(

I bet he's up there in heaven jamming with Dimebag, Randy Rhoads, Jimi Hendrix, Cliff Burton and all the others we've lost.

Never heard of that band :S

They wrote and originally did 'Nice Boys' off GN'R Lies

*le sigh* Seems rock n' roll takes so many from us... :'(