Chuck E. Weiss

Born in Denver, Colorado, on March 18, 1945, Chuck E. Weiss initially toured the country as a drummer for blues icons like Lightnin' Hopkins, Muddy Waters, and Willie Dixon before moving to Los Angeles, where he became a celebrated member of the city's music scene. Having already co-written several songs with Tom Waits, including "Spare Parts," he launched his solo career with 1981's The Other Side of Town, then spent a decade playing a weekly residency in Southern California with his band The Goddamn Liars. Continuing to play an active role in L.A.'s artistic community, he teamed up with actor Johnny Depp to open the Viper Room, one of the city's iconic nightclubs, and also played drums on the self-titled 1995 debut album by Depp's short-lived band, P. He returned to his solo career with 1999's Extremely Cool, followed by the Delta blues record Old Souls & Wolf Tickets in 2001. Chuck E. Weiss continued releasing music during the first two decades of the 21st century, with highlights including 2006's 23rd & Stout, his contribution to the 2013 compilation Son of Rogues Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanteys, and 2014's Red Beans and Weiss, the latter of which was executive produced by Johnny Depp and Tom Waits. He died in Los Angeles on July 19, 2021, succumbing to cancer at 76 years old.

Please enable Javascript to view this page competely.