| Razzle | |
|---|---|
Razzle during his time with Hanoi Rocks. |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Nicholas Dingley |
| Born | 2 December 1960 Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England |
| Died | December 9, 1984 (aged 24) Redondo Beach, California |
| Genres | Rock, glam punk, punk |
| Occupations | Musician |
| Instruments | Drums |
| Years active | 1977–1984 |
| Associated acts | Hanoi Rocks |
Nicholas Dingley, alias Razzle (2 December 1960 – 9 December 1984), was the drummer of Hanoi Rocks from 1982 until his death.
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Born in Royal Leamington Spa, England, he was adopted by Henry and Irene Dingley, growing up in Coventry and then in Binstead near Ryde on the Isle of Wight.
Prior to joining Hanoi Rocks, Razzle had played in UK-based bands Marionette, The Fuck Pigs, Demon Preacher (Featurning Nik Fiend of later Alien Sex Fiend fame), and The Dark.
Dingley was notable for having 'Razzle' printed on his drum kit and not the name of the band he was in, unlike most drummers of the time. When asked about this, he said that he could not see that he would stay with Hanoi Rocks forever, instead setting his long term sights on playing for a stadium rock band such as Heart.
In late 1984 Hanoi Rocks was on their first American tour. Frontman Michael Monroe fractured his ankle, so the band had to skip a few gigs and take a break. During that break, Mötley Crüe's singer Vince Neil invited the band to visit his home, in California.
On December 9, Razzle visited Neil's home and spent the day in Redondo Beach. The two decided to take a trip to a local liquor store in Neil's De Tomaso Pantera. While speeding and driving drunk, Neil lost control of the car and hit an opposing vehicle. The two occupants of the other car were seriously injured.[1] Razzle was taken to South Bay ER but was declared dead on arrival at 19:12 local time. He was buried at Holy Cross Church in Binstead, Isle of Wight in 1984. Neil dedicated Theater of Pain, Mötley Crüe's third studio album, to Razzle.[2]
Neil's account of this event is documented in Mötley Crüe's 2001 autobiography The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band.
Razzle had a cross tattoo with the text "Too fast to live, too young to die".
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