Dave Lepard

Dave Lepard
Background information
Birth name	David Roberto Hellman
Also known as	Dave Lepard
Born	(1980-05-28)28 May 1980 Stockholm, Sweden
Origin	Uppsala, Sweden
Died	20 January 2006(2006-01-20) (aged 25)
Genres	Glam metal, hard rock
Occupations	Musician, Songwriter, Vocalist, Guitarist
Instruments	Vocals, Guitar, Charango
Years active	1990s–2006
Labels	Universal Music
Associated acts	Crashdïet
Website	Official Crashdïet website

Dave Lepard (born David Roberto Hellman, 28 May 1980 - 20 January 2006, Uppsala, Sweden) was the lead singer and guitarist in the Swedish Glam metal band Crashdïet.

Career

In the mid-1990s, he was the lead singer of an old school Death metal band called Warpath and used to play the charango. He formed the band Crashdïet in 2000 but in 2002, the band split up, and he continued with a new lineup. Their music was based on 1980s sleaze bands, such as Mötley Crüe and Twisted Sister, and the band gained a cult following, especially in Sweden.

Crashdïet released four singles from their debut album Rest in Sleaze which were hits in Sweden; "Riot in Everyone", "Breakin' the Chainz", "Knokk 'Em Down" and "It's A Miracle".

Death

On 20 January 2006, 25-year-old Dave Lepard committed suicide by hanging himself^[1] in his apartment after a bout of depression. His three surviving bandmates performed a final tribute show the following February. They subsequently decided to remain together and by October 2007 the trio announced they would continue under the name Crashdïet after all, with the approval of Lepard's family, in tribute to Lepard. They eventually hired a new singer, H. Olliver Twisted.^[2]

References