Crazy Town frontman Shifty Shellshock dies aged 49
The County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner confirms the news
Last updated 25th Jun 2024
Shifty Shellshock, the frontman of American rap-rock group Crazy Town who scored a blockbuster hit with ‘Butterfly’, has died aged 49.
According to an official report on the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner website, Shifty Shellshock – real name Seth Brooks Binzer – was found dead at his home on Monday (24th June).
No cause of death has been revealed.
Shifty Shellshock co-founded Crazy Town in Los Angeles in 1995 alongside fellow vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Bret ‘Epic’ Mazur.
In 2000, the band scored an international mega-hit with their ‘Butterfly’, which sampled Red Hot Chili Peppers’ 1989 instrumental track ‘Pretty Little Ditty.’
‘Butterfly’ sold over 6 million copies worldwide and stormed to Number 1 in numerous countries including Crazy Town’s native US.
The band’s debut album ‘The Gift of Game’ was a modest success achieving Platinum status in the US, while the single ‘Revolving Door’ peaked at No.23 in the UK.
However, Crazy Town were unable to match the massive global success of ‘Butterfly.’
Shellshock struggled with drug addiction throughout his life, and in recent years he appeared in the reality television series Celebrity Rehab 1 and 2 and Sober House 1 and 2.
Rock stars who have sadly died in 2024:
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Dennis Thompson
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David Sanborn
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Shifty Shellshock
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John Mayall
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Jack Russell
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Richard Macphail
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Herbie Flowers
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JD Souther
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Juan Brujo
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Paul Di'Anno
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Phil Lesh
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