DragonKing Dark: The Eagles of Death Metal Paris concert tragedy

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On the latest DragonKing Dark and this latest installment of the top 100 darkest moments in pop culture history, we look at the November 2015 Paris attacks.

On that Friday night in Paris, the city was hit by a coordinated terrorist attack involving multiple gunmen and bombs.

The heart of the killings came at a concert at the Bataclan theater where concertgoers were taken hostage and 90 people were killed inside at an Eagles of Death Metal concert. The band themselves barely escaped as three gunmen with bombs opened fire that night.

This week, we go back to 2015 and try to make sense of what happened then and since then.

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DragonKing Dark: The Who’s 1979 Cincinnati concert tragedy

We continue our 100 darkest moments in pop culture history with a look back at another concert disaster.

This one happened before a concert by The Who in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1979 where eleven fans were crushed to death when the doors to the arena failed to open in time. Like several of the tragedies we’ve looked at so far, this one is compounded by the young age of the victims.

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DragonKing Dark: The murder of Tupac Shakur

The 100 darkest moments in pop culture history continues on DragonKing Dark with a look at the shooting death of 25-year-old rapper Tupac Shakur.

To say that 2Pac was controversial would be a huge understatement. But, he was also talented and had a giant impact on pop culture. He was also legit when it came to the violent music he made. This was not the first time he was shot and was caught up in a violent battle between two music companies that didn’t shy away from gunplay.

So, who killed 2Pac? You’ll find out who and why on this week’s DKD.

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DragonKing Dark: The bizarre twists in the death of Elvis

We continue our look at 100 of the darkest moments in pop culture history with taking a look at one of the biggest: the death of the king of rock and roll, Elvis Presley.

Let’s be honest: you probably know everything you want to know about the death of Elvis…or do you? On this episode, I talk about the twists and turns of his death including a speeding car slamming into mourners at the funeral killing one person, and the attempt to steal his body of days later.

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DragonKing Dark: The death of Brandon Lee

The next installment in our 100 darkest moments in pop culture history goes back to March 1993 when Brandon Lee, actor and son of legendary pop culture icon Bruce Lee, was killed on the set of the dark gothic comic book inspired movie The Crow — the inspiration for Sting’s dark character in WCW.

Gunned down in a completely avoidable accident, Lee was about to break through even bigger than where he was — eerily mirroring the death of his father.

I discuss the accident and the aftermath of the untimely and unnecessary death of Lee on this week’s DragonKing Dark.

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DragonKing Dark: The murder of Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell

Pantera was a band with a lot of issues. So many, in fact, that it wasn’t even a band any longer.

An incendiary interview in a magazine and a massive failure on the part of mental health services led to one of the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history when a disturbed fan entered an Ohio nightclub, shooting and killing guitarist Dimebag Darrell and several others before a hero made the save.

Unfortunately, that hero has a story too.

Hear the whole story on this week’s DragonKing Dark.

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DragonKing Dark: The Chris Benoit double murder/suicide

As we approach the 14th anniversary of the killing of Nancy and Daniel Benoit by Chris Benoit, who then killed himself, we take a look back at this tragedy as one of the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history.

This episode, I present an interview I did with Chris & Nancy: The True Story of the Benoit Murder-Suicide and Pro Wrestling’s Cocktail of Death author Irv Muchnick following the killings.

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DragonKing Dark: The day the music died

It was shocking, tragic, and immortalized in song.

Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper (and nearly Waylon Jennings) were killed in a plane crash during a concert tour. Cut down before their prime years began, the shocking truth is that this was even a bigger tragedy than it seemed due to the potential these young men had.

On this week’s DragonKing Dark and as part of my 100 darkest moments in pop culture, I look at the day the music died.

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DragonKing Dark: The Altamont Free Concert disaster

We continue with the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history with a look back at what some have described as Woodstock gone wrong.

In 1969, promoters wanted to hold a Woodstock for the west coast headlined by the Rolling Stones, the Grateful Dead, Cosby, Stills & Nash, and others. After moving the location several times, it finally ended up at the Altamont Motor Speedway with around 300,000 people on hand.

The security force was led by the Hell’s Angels motorcycle club and things quickly turned deadly with four deaths, lots of injuries, stolen cars, and more.

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DragonKing Dark: A look at the ‘Assault in the Ring’

Two people were charged with assault for being in a professionally sanctioned boxing match, but how?

On this week’s DragonKing Dark, I discuss the seedy story of Luis Resto and Billy Collins, Jr. Resto and his manager conspired not only to remove padding from his gloves, but also to wear casts underneath.

Collins never fought again and ended up dead less than a year later and Resto’s life was destroyed. But, what about the manager who helped him?

As part of my look at the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history, this is their story which was documented in the award-winning 2008 documentary Assault in the Ring from HBO Sports.

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DragonKing Dark: The Lynyrd Skynyrd 1977 plane crash

On this week’s DragonKing Dark, I continue our look at 100 of the darkest moments in pop culture history.

In 1977 and at the height of their popularity, a plane carrying legendary rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd was struck down in Louisiana. Overshadowed in history by the death of Elvis two months earlier, the death of nearly the entire band and management made a bigger impact on music than most realize.

And that wasn’t the end of it. Two of the members killed in the crash, including lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, couldn’t even rest in peace.

We get into that story and more on this week’s DragonKing Dark.

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DragonKing Dark: Kurt Cobain’s final farewell

Our continuing look at the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history continues with the tragic self-inflicted death of then 27-year-old Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain.

Cobain was several things: talented, influential, likable and troubled. Some have suggested more sinister motives behind his death to the degree there have been documentary films made on the subject. In the end, it was a sad ending for a creative musician.

On the latest DragonKingDark, we examine the life and end times of a music icon.

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DragonKing Dark: The fatal Dale Earnhardt crash

On a new DragonKing Dark, I continue our weekly look into the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history.

This time, I explore the fatal accident of Dale Earnhardt in Daytona Beach, FL, at 2001’s NASCAR Daytona 500 when 17 million people witnessed the death of the most popular driver in the sport.

Some say this crash changed NASCAR forever as it became much safer although the popularity plummeted. Join me as I look at one of the darkest moments for auto racing with the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr.

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DragonKing Dark: The 1955 Le Mans racing disaster

We begin a new series this week on DragonKing Dark: The 100 darkest moments in pop culture history.

These aren’t ranked in any particular order because, how could you, but when this series is completed, it will comprise a new “The 100” list at WhenItWasCool.com.

The 1955 Le Mans race in France stands as the most deadly crash in auto racing history, killing 84, decapitating 14, and ending Mercedes-Benz’s involvement in motor racing for decade — our first of this series.

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