The Forever 27 Club Mystery

The Forever 27 Club Mystery by Susan Vega
While driving along I was listening to Sirius radio’s classic vinyl station. The DJ was talking about the mystery of the “ forever 27 club”. Rock stars & celebrities all dying at age 27.

These are only some of the forever 27 club members listed below. Deaths have resulted by varied means, disease and natural causes, drug and alcohol abuse, travel accidents, murder, or suicide.

One of the questions that remains is why have so many musicians died at the age of 27. There’s no shortage of theories. There are theories concerning the number of 27 club members, like they all owned “white lighters”, really white bic lighters? That was debunked because the solid white lighters weren’t produced by Bic till after the death of Hendrix and others.

There are numerologists that feel that 27 is a significant number. The number 27 reduces to number 9 a humanitarian number, It’s a number of mastery and completion.

In the Tarot the Major Arcana card IX is the Hermit. The negative aspect is that this card might express loneliness.

This card may signify a period in your life when you are engaged in personal development, seeking the truth or soul searching, looking for a deeper meaning in your life. This is a lonely quest and the Hermit tarot card signifies a time of solitude and separation. Meditation, introspection, and contemplation.

The other aspect of this card has to do with your desire to turn your attention away from the materialistic goals in life. Search for all the answers inside of you, rather than trying to satisfy the superficial desires of the senses. Some answers can only come from within, in the solitude of your True Self. The Hermit can help you learn to cherish Its wisdom.

The meaning of Angel number 27 is to accept the next chapter in your life. To use your intuition and accept the Angels guidance. 

Many dismiss the 27 death phenomenon as just simply an unexplained coincidence.

One factor that’s widely noted is that many of the members of club 27 have lived lifestyles that have contributed to dying at a young age. Of course, this doesn’t fully explain why not 26 or 28. But part of the mystique of the 27 mythology is the fact that we don’t have clear answers. It’s the unexplained nature that helps ensures the Forever 27 Club a place in rock & roll legend and lore.

Well, while listening to the DJ’s definition of the forever 27 club I knew right away that I could solve this mystery because there was a connection to Saturn. Saturn is also known as Kronos the time keeper.

In astrology, the time of reckoning and re-evaluation is called the Saturn Return. It demands right action.

Whether we’re aware of it or not, each of us experiences a major astrological event between the ages of 27 and 30 known as the Saturn return. While the planet may not reach the exact spot until the person is 29 or 30 years old, the influence of the Saturn return is considered to start in the person’s late twenties, notably the age of 27.

The duration of the transit time depends on the sign it’s in at the time of your birth. Saturn completes its orbit around the sun in approximately 29.5 years and returns to the exact point it was when we were born. As it’s coming up to that culmination point it’s in the balsamic phase and things become murky and cloudy. Just like the vinegar this phase is dense and heavy. It’s reaching a point of no return. A time when there’s a lot in the rear view mirror. Clarity and definition is required. Now is the time to decide what you need to weed out of your life, lose what’s not working for you. It’s decision time, introspective action required.

It’s a heads up time, a point requiring you to have a solid base or foundation to structure the rest of your life upon. Saturn literally rules the skeletal system that holds you upright.

Saturn is the disciplinarian of the solar system. When it’s completing it’s transit, play time’s over and challenging times are on your plate. It’s a time to review the past and take stock of your mistakes. Shape up or ship out in some cases.

It’s the Planet that demands responsibility, hard work, and diligence. Saturn is restrictive and will force you to honor it.

As time goes by if you’ve worked hard for Saturn it provides the structure for a successful life. But Saturn will not be ignored. It can stop you in your tracks. It often figures prominently in death charts.

These are only some of the forever 27 club members listed below . There are many more. Deaths have resulted by varied means, disease and natural causes, drug and alcohol abuse, travel accidents, murder, or suicide.

Some of the famous Rock Musicians Who Died at the Age of 27

• Kurt Cobain
• Amy Winehouse
• Jimi Hendrix
• Janis Joplin
• Jim Morrison
• Robert Johnson
• Brian Jones (The Rolling Stones)
• Ron “Pigpen” McKernan (The Grateful Dead)
• Chris Bell (Big Star)
• D. Boon (The Minutemen)
• Richey Edwards (Manic Street Preachers)

The history of the Forever 27 Club

The 27 death phenomenon started to become prevalent during the years 1969-71. During that period the rock & roll world lost the following musicians due to death: Dickie Pride, Brian Jones, Alan “Blind Owl” Wilson, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Arlester “Dyke” Christian.

The term “Forever 27 Club” was not coined to refer to the list of musicians who died at the age of 27 until after Kurt Cobain’s death on April 5th, 1994. Since the death of Cobain, there has been a greater focus in the media surrounding the 27 death phenomenon. Also, the high-profile death of Amy Winehouse on July 23rd, 2011 once again brought renewed interest concerning the 27 club.

With the June 19, 2016 death of actor Anton Yelchin (Pavel Checkov in the reboot of the Star Trek movie series), the 27 Club once again was starting to make the news. With his death, the media started to include young actors, and other notable artists as part of the 27 Club. Even though their deaths were equally tragic, this article is focusing on musicians that died at that age.

Even though the media began to coin the term the 27 Club after the death of Rolling Stones’ guitarist Brian Jones in 1969, there were other musicians who died at the age of 27 before that. The most prominent is one of the founding fathers of the blues, Robert Johnson.

Kurt Cobain

It was after Kurt Cobain’s death on April 5th, 1994 which really started to generate interest in the 27 Club phenomenon. It was after the death of the Nirvana’s frontman that the term “Forever 27 Club” (also referred to as the 27 Club, Club 27 and the Curse of 27) started to be used.

Like many of the previous members of the 27 Club, Cobain struggled with drug addiction. The official cause of death was suicide via a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but there are those that feel he was murdered. There are also theories that Cobain intentionally timed his death so that he could join his musical idols as a member of the 27 Club.

This theory started when Cobain’s mother was interviewed by a local newspaper after his death, saying that “Now he’s gone and joined that stupid club. I told him not to join that stupid club.” By club, many people thought she was referring to the 27 Club.

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix is widely considered to be the greatest guitarist of all time and is considered to be one of the most influential musicians in the history of rock. One of the remarkable aspects of Hendrix’s recording career is that his rich legacy was primarily established during a three year period from 1966 to 1969. After spending years toiling away in obscurity as a sideman, Hendrix was discovered by Chas Chandler of the Animals, who convinced him to come to England in 1966. While there, the Jimi Hendrix Experience was formed, and the rest is history.

Jimi Hendrix died at the age of 27, on September 18th, 1970. The official cause of death has been cited as asphyxiation caused by an overdose of painkillers, in conjunction with alcohol. Conspiracy theorists have also cited the possibility of suicide and murder. Like many of the great rock & roll casualties, the mysterious circumstances behind his death have added to his legacy.

Jim Morrison

Like Hendrix, Morrison and his band, the Doors, burst onto the music scene in 1967, displaying an innovative blend of blues-rock and psychedelia. Morrison became a counter-culture icon, known for his poetic lyrics and bluesy vocal delivery, but he struggled with substance abuse and alcoholism, leading to the Doors ceasing to perform live. Eventually, Morrison left the country and moved to France where he died at the age of 27 on July 3rd, 1971. Morrison died two years from the day that Brian Jones died.

He allegedly died of a heroin overdose, but because an autopsy was never performed there is still some debate concerning the official cause of death. One conspiracy theory involved Morrison faking his death, to escape the trappings of rock stardom. This was because he was living in Paris at the time and no one knew many of the details surrounding his death.

Jim Morrison was buried in the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris France. His gravesite has become a popular tourist attraction. It has also caused issues with the cemetery due to vandalism.

Jim Morrison’s longtime companion, Pamela Courson, died on April 25th, 1974. She was also 27 years old.

Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse died of alcohol poisoning on July 23rd, 2011 she became the most high-profile member of the 27 Club since the death of Kurt Cobain. Winehouse’s death renewed interest in the curse of 27.

Just like the other more well-known members of the 27 club Winehouse struggled with substance abuse, eventually succumbing to alcohol poisoning.

Her throwback style was considered to be an inspiration to many female artists who would go on to achieve substantial success. Despite her brief career, Winehouse became a critical and commercial success after the release of her highly influential album Back to Black in 2006.

Janis Joplin

“The Queen of Psychedelic Soul” died just 16 days after Jimi Hendrix on October 4, 1970. The official cause of death was cited as a heroin overdose which may have been exasperated by the abuse of alcohol.

Joplin had fronted the San Francisco band Big Brother and the Holding Company before embarking on a solo career of her own. Her trademark bluesy singing style made her into one of the most iconic singers of the era. She also is widely considered one of the most influential female vocalists of all time.

Like many of the members of the 27 Club, she was a deeply troubled artist who lived a hard life. Joplin struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction, with both worsening as her career began to take off.

Robert Johnson

Because there has been so little that has been properly documented about the influential blues artist Robert Johnson, he has developed an almost mythic legend around him. His death at the young age of 27 also added to his mythology. He died on August 16th, 1938. At the time his death was attributed to strychnine poisoning, but this is also widely disputed. The mystery surrounding his death also contributes to his significant legacy. Even though his recordings consisted of a scant 29 songs that were recorded during 1936-37 his music was an essential part of the fabric of rock & roll. While he was initially underappreciated at the time of his death, many famous blues guitarists such as Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, and Keith Richards discovered his music and were influenced by his playing style.

It was said that Johnson went down to the crossroads in rural Mississippi one night and met a large black figure, the devil, exchanging his eternal soul to become a great guitar player.

This myth began because when Johnson had started playing around the deep south and was not known as a good guitar player. One day he suddenly showed up as an expert player, with technical skills that no one else could match. Many people thought that his rapid development was due to some supernatural influence and thus the crossroads myth was born.

Robert Johnson – Me and the Devil Blues.

Brian Jones

Brian Jones was a founding member and guitarist for the Rolling Stones. Due to developing a serious drug addiction, he was kicked out of the Rolling Stones in 1969, being replaced by Mick Taylor. Less than a month later he died on July 3rd, 1969 due to a tragic drowning accident which took place at his swimming pool. While Jones had played a prominent role in founding the band, eventually Mick Jagger and Keith Richards became the dominant musical forces in the Rolling Stones, relegating Jones to a lessened position in the group. Coupled with a bad drug addiction, this made it impossible for Jones to remain in the band.

When people refer the 27 Club, Jones is quite often referred to as the start of that movement. His death was the beginning of a two year period which also marked the deaths of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison at the age of 27.

Ron “Pigpen” McKernan

Ron “Pigpen” McKernan was a founding member of the Grateful Dead. On March 3rd, 1973 he was found dead of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage which was complicated by alcohol abuse.

Much like Brian Jones, McKernan was one of the early leaders of the band, steering them in a more R&B direction early on. Eventually, guitarists Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir decided to take the band in an improvisational and psychedelic direction, a style that the group became known for. This caused McKernan to take a back seat at concerts, and his role continued to diminish until he was forced to step down from the Grateful Dead due to his worsening health.

McKernan also had a brief relationship with fellow 27 Club member Janis Joplin. On a couple of occasions, the two dueted together on the Dead’s live standard “Turn on Your Lovelight.”

Chris Bell

Chris Bell was a lead guitarist, and along with Alex Chilton, he was the primary songwriter for Big Star. Bell left the band after their influential but commercially overlooked power pop gem #1 Record. He went on to release two songs in 1978, “I Am the Cosmos” and “You and Your Sister.” These two songs were also included in his posthumous debut solo, I Am the Cosmos, which wasn’t released until 1992.

Bell died on December 27th, 1978 when he lost control of his Triumph TR7 sports car.

D. Boon

D. Boon was the guitarist, lead vocalist and one of the primary songwriters (along with Mike Watt) for the influential hardcore punk band the Minutemen. D. Boon was listed as #89 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. His guitar style, which had a heavy funk and blues feel, helped make the Minutemen more diverse than the average band from the ’80s hardcore scene.

Boon died on December 22nd, 1985 due to a Van accident. Because he had a fever, he was laying in the back recuperating when the van crashed, sending him flying through the back of the van.

Richey Edwards

The rhythm guitarist and main lyricist of UK alternative band Manic Street Preachers is one of the more mysterious additions to the list. Edwards went missing on February 1st, 1995 and he was presumed dead on November 23rd, 2008. Because his car was found abandoned on February 17th, 1995 in proximity to Severn Bridge, it is widely believed that he committed suicide.

Before these events, Edwards was known to be deeply disturbed. One of the more obvious signs was when he took a photo of himself with the words “4 Real” carved into his arm. The mysterious circumstances surrounding his disappearance have helped cement his cult status within the UK.

By Susan Vega, Astrologer
Miami Florida
Source : Writer CJ Baker
Biographical information.