Bruce Loose, Vocalist of Hardcore Titans Flipper, Dies at 66

"Bruce Loose, the vocalist and bassist of the influential San Francisco hardcore band Flipper, has died, the band's drummer Stephen DePace confirmed in an email to Pitchfork. Loose had previously suffered a stroke and was recovering at home in Humboldt, California, where he is believed to have died from a heart attack on September 5. He was 66 years old."

"Bruce Richard Calderwood was born in California to beatnik parents who would sometimes take him to local shows. He joined Flipper after the founders-Russell Wilkerson, better known as Will Shatter, and Ted Falconi and DePace-kicked out original singer Ricky Williams for missing shows. At first, Calderwood adopted the name Bruce Lose before eventually adding another "o" to his stage surname."

"Shatter and Falconi had formed Flipper in the late 1970s Bay Area at the dawn of hardcore, the tougher and sterner punk variant that had a stronghold in California. Their sensibility aligned with the scene's-they shared stages with Black Flag, Bad Brains, and the Dead Kennedys-but Flipper liked to groove as well as thrash. They were a band of Grateful Dead enthusiasts who happened to have a penchant for blistering heaviness that bordered the psychedelic."

Bruce Loose, born Bruce Richard Calderwood, died September 5 at age 66, believed to have suffered a heart attack while recovering from a prior stroke at home in Humboldt, California. He grew up with beatnik parents who sometimes took him to local shows. Calderwood joined Flipper after founders Will Shatter, Ted Falconi, and Stephen DePace removed original singer Ricky Williams for missing shows; he initially used the stage name Bruce Lose before adding another "o". Flipper formed in the late 1970s Bay Area and blended hardcore punk aggression with groove and psychedelic-tinged heaviness. The band released the influential debut Album - Generic Flipper in 1981 and earned a devoted following, including Kurt Cobain.

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