Dead Boys guitarist Cheetah Chrome dead at 71

The punk world is mourning Eugene Richard O’Connor, better known as Cheetah Chrome, the Cleveland-born guitarist who helped shape early American punk with Rocket From the Tombs and Dead Boys. The band announced his death on social media. No cause of death has been released.

Dead Boys wrote: “We are incredibly sad to announce the news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Cheetah Chrome. Cheetah was a true original, an architect of the punk rock movement. A one-man hurricane tearing up the musical landscape with his feral guitar riffs and manic energy.”
The tribute continued: “Beyond all that, Cheetah was also just a really sweet guy who loved rock ’n’ roll. We extend our deepest condolences to Cheetah’s family, friends and fans around the world. His music lives on and will continue to inspire others for generations to come.” The band asked for privacy and signed the message, “Godspeed Cheetah.”

Chrome was born on February 18, 1955, in Cleveland. In 1974 he joined the short-lived proto-punk band Rocket From the Tombs. A year later he formed Dead Boys with singer Stiv Bators, guitarist Jimmy Zero, bassist Jeff Magnum, and drummer Johnny Blitz. Encouraged by members of the Ramones, the group moved to New York in 1976 and became a fixture of the CBGB scene.

Their 1977 debut, Young, Loud and Snotty, was not a major commercial hit at the time, but it became one of punk’s foundational records. The band followed it with We Have Come for Your Children in 1978. Songs such as “Sonic Reducer” and “Ain’t It Fun” outlived the group’s first run. Guns N’ Roses later covered “Ain’t It Fun,” introducing Chrome’s writing to a new generation of rock fans.
Dead Boys broke up in 1979 and reunited in various lineups over the years. Chrome remained the last original member still tied to the band. Plans for a 50th-anniversary tour of the debut album had been discussed for 2027. Those plans now sit in question.

After the original split, Chrome played with other artists, including Ronnie Spector, and released solo work. He later lived in Nashville with his wife, Anna O’Connor, and their son Rogan.
Chrome was 71. A cause of death has not been announced.