In your notes about the Chicago show for King Biscuit you state that Terry Kath's death may have been due to a game of Russian Roulette gone horribly wrong. That statement is horribly wrong. No one ever made such a claim. All those who were interviewed clearly stated that the man, not playing a game with anyone, put the gun to his head claiming it was not loaded and pulled the trigger.  Get your fucken facts straight or don't write anything at all.

dude - you beat me to it...this post upsets me as well

i still want to thank the vault for the concert, but god - you CAN'T write something like that so casually

the russian roulette thing is a lazy, nasty rumour...

Just one more thing here...really want to say 'thanks' for the Chicago shows again

 

we Chicago fans get emotional about the Terry issue. Please take that into consideration. I don't want you to stop adding Chicago cause we got a bit nasty...

 

thanks again...keep the concerts coming, and remember, Terry's death was ruled an accident.

The aforementioned blasphemy has been removed.

Thank you CV!

No hard feelings.

So many people exhibit reckless behavior with firearms around. Terry was just one more unfortunate statistic in this regard. What the hell was going on in his life that compelled such  risk-taking behavior? Was he just fooling around, trying to impress people, trying to be funny or entertaining to his friends, or was it just an utter lack of judgement on his part to being with? A stupid, needless and senseless death , that's what. Why do people tolerate the presence of loaded firearms in otherwise innocuous social situations?

Word is that Terry was very depressed for multiple reasons. The band was going soft while he remained a hard rocker. His marriage was shaky. He envied the recognition Clapton and others got while he was hidden in an inreasingly ballad-driven band. He was worn out by the travel and Chicago was a heavy road band all the way through. CBS had them on a treadmill of at least an album per year. Throw in drugs and alcohol, subtract sleep, add a gun....careless and tragic.

Hour in the shower.

I play somewhat professionally and Terry  moves my hands. The band was seriously emasculated without him.  But that song was a cry fo help.

I think he played some of his best recorded material on III.

But when I heard that song.....

Dave

First, thanks for posting the great Chicago tracks.

re. Terry Kath
I was a freshman in college when Terry died. I remember being stunned by the news. I loved Chicago. Even though I was a trumpet player first and a guitar player as a far distant second, Terry's guitar was the heart of the band for me.

I listened to free form guitar countless times.
VIII gave me 'Oh Thank You Great Spirit' which seemed like a last gasp ripped right out of my soul. It seemed like the cry of someone desperately depressed and contemplating suicide. I distinctly remember wondering if Terry was okay after listening to that song. Yes, I was a fan, so it wasn't like I was a personal friend or something. But that song had all the earmarks of profound depression. As someone who regularly contemplated suicide, I was very familiar with the signs.

Although I survived my own years of depression and anger, it was that song to which I always turned for catharsis.

Even though I connected with a number of other bands through the years, nothing ever matched the synergy I felt with early Chicago. Sometimes I wonder what would have been if Terry had not died in the stupid accident. I knew the band was going to pot. Perhaps it was time for Terry to leave CTA, but I really wish it hadn't been that way.