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Cheetah Chrome, Dead Boys guitarist, dies at 71

musicSep 13, 202654427

Eugene Richard O’Connor, known as Cheetah Chrome, the co-founding guitarist of Cleveland punk band the Dead Boys, died at 71. The Dead Boys announced his passing in a statement shared September 13, saying he was "a true original, an architect of the punk rock movement" and asking for privacy. O’Connor first played in proto-punk band Rocket from the Tombs before forming the Dead Boys with Stiv Bators and Johnny Madansky. The Dead Boys released Young, Loud and Snotty in 1977 and We Have Come for Your Children in 1978 and appeared in Lech Kowalski’s 1980 documentary D.O.A.: A Right of Passage. The group broke up in 1980 and reunited several times, in 1987, 2004, and beginning again in 2017. After the original breakup O’Connor pursued solo projects, did session work, toured with GG Allin, wrote the 2010 memoir Cheetah Chrome: A Dead Boy’s Tale from the Front Lines of Punk Rock, and was portrayed by Rupert Grint in the 2013 film CBGB. Cheetah Chrome’s cause of death has not been disclosed.

Derf Backderf
@derfbackderf.bsky.social

RIP Cheetah Chrome. Rocket From the Tombs, Dead Boys. Just a kid from Cleveland.

1996h ago
nashvegasbelle1

He was a fixture around Nashville a while back. Interesting guy. Safe travels, Mr. Chrome.

Tyler Wilcox
@tylerwilcox.bsky.social

RIP Cheetah Chrome — I talked with him way back when Rocket From the Tombs were making their unlikely comeback.

525h ago
Tyler Wilcox12

The RFTT reunion records are good but this is the best — live on WFMU in 2003 m.youtube.com/watch?v=5Gwd...

Brett Bobley1

Thanks for posting this -- great interview! I saw RFTT on that tour and they were great. (By the way, I don't think Johnny Madansky (no "n") dropped out of sight; he changed his name to Johnny Blitz and was the Dead Boys' drummer.)

Al Bubble Boy1

Aw man. The band i was in opened them on that tour. It was one of the few times i was actually starstruck. Fun times.

Sean Walters
@seanwrite.bsky.social

Cheetah Chrome has died at 71. He was guitarist for Cleveland proto-punk band Rocket From the Tombs with David Thomas of Pere Ubu and then punk rock band Dead Boys. The Dead Boys live at CBGB in 1977. Length: 28:51 #RIPCheetahChrome #PunkRock m.youtube.com/watch?v=QOHO...

433h ago
Beatgrrrl
@beatgrrrl.bsky.social

Cheetah Chrome (Eugene Richard O'Connor) February 18, 1955—September 13, 2026

Photo of American punk rock musician Cheetah Chrome, best known as the lead guitarist for the influential 1970s band the Dead Boys
337h ago
Richard Kadrey
@richardkadrey.bsky.social

RIP to an absolute punk legend. I only saw Dead Boys once, but they blew the door off the club. Cheetah's playing was ferocious throughout the show—except for those moments when Stiv pogoed over his cord and unplugged the guitar! Safe travels, Cheetah.

316h ago
J.D. Kunes
@jdkunes.bsky.social

Godspeed and farewell to Cheetah Chrome (born Eugene Richard O’Connor), the Cleveland-born punk-rock guitarist and founding member of the Dead Boys. A true architect of early American punk, he first rose with Rocket from the Tombs before co-founding the Dead Boys. #RIPCheetahChrome

73h ago
Robert Talisse
@roberttalisse.bsky.social

I saw Cheetah Chrome play once. A decade ago, Blondie played the Ryman. X opened. For the encore, Debbie announced that "a local guitarist" was joining them It was Cheetah. They played The Misfits' "Hollywood Babylon." Billy Zoom and Cheetah Chrome in one night. Damn.

93h ago
Geoffrey D. Wessel
@gdwessel.bsky.social

RIP Cheetah Chrome, pioneering guitarist for the Dead Boys and Rocket From The Tombs, aged 71.

55h ago
Weird Paul Petroskey
@weirdpaul.bsky.social

RIP Cheetah Chrome. Glad I got to see him live years ago singing with Rocket From the Tombs.

75h ago
rev recluse
@revrecluse.bsky.social

Hearing that the great Cheetah Chrome passed today at the age of 71. The Dead Boys were one of the great first wave punk bands and along with Pere Ubu (who both had former members from the seminal band Rocket From The Tombs) we're the finest bands to come out of my hometown. Thank you, Cheetah.

65h ago
Rockin Hellbilly
@rhellbilly.bsky.social

Fvck. Damnit to hell. R.I.P Cheetah Chrome. Glad I got to share the stage with you once. Forever young loud and snotty. youtu.be/g2rSh8ADzvE?...

45h ago
Jack Eason
@jackeason.bsky.social

RIP Cheetah Chrome. Not quite a household name but if you dig into punk at all, he's everywhere.

34h ago
Action Rock Corner
@actionrockcorner.bsky.social

Dead Boys founding lead guitarist Cheetah Chrome has died at the age of 71 years old. He was also a founding member of Rocket From The Tomb, a band whose split led to the formation of the Dead Boys and Pere Ubu. Rest In Power, Cheetah Chrome. youtu.be/toCcYNTjPRU?...

36h ago
Jeff Vengeance
@childovrarn.bsky.social

Here's a longer video also with Ralph Carney on sax who passed away in 2017. Cheetah gets up there later on in this clip. Fun show. Bruce Duff from 45 Grave on bass. #CheetahChrome #Punk #liveMusic youtu.be/M-k9ZwGOoLg

23h ago
Jason Cohen
@cohenesque.bsky.social

Just reading "Cheetah Chrome" immediately puts this in my head. www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqKt...

25h ago
3 sources
variety.comDead Boys Guitarist Cheetah Chrome Dies at 71consequence.netCheetah Chrome, Dead Boys Co-Founder and Guitarist, Dead at 71usahousinginformation.comCheetah Chrome Cause of Death: What Is Known About the Dead Boys Guitarist’s Passing

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