Cheetah Chrome, Dead Boys co-founder and punk legend, dies at 71

Eugene Richard O’Connor, the influential punk rock guitarist known as Cheetah Chrome, has died at the age of 71. His death was confirmed by his bandmates in the Dead Boys via a social media statement on Sunday, September 13.

O’Connor was a foundational figure in the American punk movement. He began his career in 1974 with the Cleveland-based proto-punk band Rocket from the Tombs before co-founding the Dead Boys. The band became a staple of the New York City music scene, particularly at the legendary CBGB club, following a move to Manhattan in 1976.

The Dead Boys released seminal albums including ‘Young, Loud and Snotty’ in 1977 and ‘We Have Come for Your Children’ in 1978. Bandmates described him as an ‘architect of the punk rock movement’ and a ‘one-man hurricane’ known for his energetic guitar riffs.

Based in Nashville, O’Connor was survived by his wife, Anna, and his son, Rogan. No specific cause of death has been disclosed.