this just in .... too bad... I always liked his early stuff

I just heard. Too bad.

Holy smokes.. I can't believe he passed away so quickly. I remember the days when "Simply Irresistable" came out. Makes you wonder how time flies and how old you're getting now.

I was just listening to Addicted To Love in my car in the past couple of days. I really liked Power Station as well. Too bad indeed.

Another shockingly young (relatively speaking) death. I really loved the "Addicted To Love" cassette I used to have, great stuff.

Robert Palmer was the first rock artist I saw in concert (on the "Riptide" tour). I have fond memories of his mid-to-late '80s heyday (and grew to like his earlier stuff).

RIP

Poor Robert.

He didn't mean to turn you on.

man...that sucks....

wow...sad indeed.

Unbelieveable.

I heard Addicted to Love on the radio at about five last night, then again on the same station at 8:30 this morning. I was wondering why they would play it again so soon, but then they came on and announced he had died.

Rock Singer Robert Palmer Dies at Age 54

By PAMELA SAMPSON



Singer Robert Palmer poses for a photo in New York's Central Park, Sept. 1, 1999. Palmer, known for his sharp suits and hits including Addicted to Love, died Friday, Sept. 26, 2003 in Paris of a heart attack, his manager said. He was 54. Palmer was on a two-day break in Paris following a television recording session in Britain, his manager Mick Carter said from the French capital. AP Photo/Jim Cooper)


PARIS (AP) - British rock star Robert Palmer, who struck a hit MTV image in the 1980s with his sharp suits and a backup band of mini-skirted, glossy-lipped models on songs like "Addicted to Love," died Friday in Paris of a heart attack.

Palmer died suddenly at the luxury Warwick Hotel near the Champs-Elysees after a calm night of dinner and a movie, his manager, Mick Cater, said. The singer had received a clean bill of health from doctors in Switzerland just a few weeks ago.

Palmer, who has lived in Switzerland for the last 16 years, was on a two-day break in Paris with his partner of 20 years, Mary Ambrose, following a television recording session in Britain, Cater said.

The impeccably dressed rocker scored big in the 1980s with hits including "Addicted to Love." He won a Grammy for that single in 1987 as best male rock vocal performance and another two years later for "Simply Irresistible."


The "Addicted to Love" video, where Palmer sings in front of a band of sleek, lookalike models playing guitars, keyboard and drums, became one of MTV's most-played clips, and sparked protests from some feminists.

"I'm not going to attach inappropriate significance to it because at the time it meant nothing. It's just happened to become an iconic look," Palmer once said of the video.

It was a look he used in videos for several more of his hits. His GQ sense of style also won Palmer the title of best-dressed male artist from Rolling Stone in 1990.

A side project, Power Station, formed in 1985 with John Taylor and Andy Taylor of '80s supergroup Duran Duran, scored U.S. Top 10 singles with "Some Like It Hot" and a cover of the T. Rex hit "Get it On."

The son of a British naval officer, Palmer was born in Yorkshire, England on Jan. 19, 1949, and spent his childhood in Malta. He began developing his soul-rock style as early as 15, when he joined his first band, the Mandrakes. He had his first hit album and single, "Sneakin' Sally through the Alley," in 1974.

In his 20s, Palmer worked with a number of small-time bands including Dada, which later became Vinegar Joe, and the Alan Bown Band, occasionally appearing in opening acts for big draws including The Who and Jimi Hendrix.

Palmer once confessed that he was not attracted to some aspects of stardom.

"I loved the music, but the excesses of rock 'n' roll never really appealed to me at all," he said. "I couldn't see the point of getting up in front of a lot of people when you weren't in control of your wits."

Palmer was noted for being somewhat restrained.

"I don't want to be heavy," he said in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine.

"I can't think of another attitude to have toward an audience than a hopeful and a positive one. And if that includes such unfashionable things as sentimentality, well, I can afford it," he said.

Palmer is survived by Ambrose and two children - James, a musician who joined him on his last record, 2003's Drive, and Jane. A private ceremony will be held next week in Switzerland, said his publicist, Elizabeth Freund


Another heart related death at 54.

RIP Robert.

I must've watched the video for "Simply Irresistible" a million times.

I'll bet his pallbearers will be hot...

They're dropping like flies now. And young, too.

Robert Palmer was the height of cool in the late 80s. I remember being totally mesmirized by his videos because I couldn't believe all those women were real.

Forget ZZ Top, Palmer was The Sharp Dressed Man.

As I said in the thread in Other, I'm a big fan. I've got most of his CDs and I saw him in concert twice. His music, as a whole, was better than his two or three big songs. The news is just terrible.

That sucks. I'll never forget singing "Simply Irresistable" in the car as a kid.

Damn, been a fan since Bad Case of Loving You.

I have his Vhs video taped off of MTV and he is singing "Addicted to Love" with the women and heard in the movie "The Wraith" with Charlie Sheene and Sherilyn Fenn 1986 R4 is the better of "The Wraith.

wow.

Riptide & Heavy Nova both have a permanent place in my CD collection.

was listening to Power Station on the way home. GREAT album. Get It On [Bang A Gong] rocks hard and demands to be played at 11.

and...the word "icon" is thrown around so casually and is so overused, but Palmer was definitely one of the early video artist icons..often imitated..never duplicated..

feel sorry for his fans..