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Former Weezer Bassist Dead at 40; Paul McCartney Marries Nancy Shevell

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Last Saturday, October 8, was a sad day for the rock band group, Weezer. Their former bassist, Mikey Welsh, 40, died at his hotel room in Chicago.

According to CNN News, “Darryl Baety, a Chicago police spokesman, said that officers responded at 1:45 p.m. Saturday to a call from the Raffaello Hotel regarding a guest who had been scheduled to check out, but had not. After receiving no response from Welsh in his room, hotel staff entered and found him “unresponsive and not breathing.””

The bassist’s cause of death is yet to be determined as police are still investigating the matter and are waiting for autopsy results. It is reported that drugs were found in his room and police assume that overdose may have been the cause.

Welsh was a former band member of Weezer from 1998 to 2001 as Matt Sharp’s replacement. He was involved in the group’s 2001 “Green Album” release that included their hot single, “Hash Pipe.” The hit song peaked at #2 on Billboard’s Alternative Song Charts and was “one of the band’s biggest hits.”

After Welsh suffered a nervous breakdown, he left the group in 2001 to focus more on his career as a visual artist. Scott Shriner replaced Welsh as the band’s new bassist. Welsh recently posted on his Twitter account his excitement in seeing his former band mates perform at the Riotfest on Sunday night in Chicago.

According to MTV News, “The band also posted a tribute to Welsh on the site, describing the bass player as “our beautiful, creative, hilarious and sweet friend,” who was “never one to shy away from the absurd, dangerous or strange.””

Luckily there are still happier times in the music world as news comes around of a wedding between former Beatle Paul McCartney, 69 and his third wife, heiress Nancy Shevell, 51.

According to Rolling Stone News, “McCartney, 69, was previously married to Linda Eastman from 1969 until her death from breast cancer in 1998, and to Heather Mills from 2002 until their bitter divorce in 2008. Shevell, 51, has been married once before, to lawyer and former New York State Republican senatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman.”

On Sunday, the same day that would have been John Lennon’s 71st birthday, the excited couple exchanged their wedding vows in London at the Marylebone Town Hall.  The ceremony was held in front of their 30 close family and friends.

There have been reports that Beatrice, McCartney’s 7-year-old daughter, got to walk down the aisle as the flower girl and Paul’s brother served as his Best Man. For those who are wondering who designed Shevell’s beautiful wedding gown and McCartney’s groom suit, it was none other than McCartney’s daughter, Stella McCartney.

The following reception took place in their home in the St. John’s Wood neighborhood. According to CBS News, almost “100 guests attended the reception, reports say, including Ringo Starr and wife Barbara Bach, Kate Moss, Twiggy, Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, Barbara Walters (who is Shevell’s cousin) and George Harrison’s widow, Olivia. McCartney’s four children – Mary, James, Stella and Beatrice – were also reportedly in attendance.”

The guests were served vegetarian cuisine that included dumplings, goat cheese polenta, tarts, and an arugula and basil salad.  CBS stated Paul “composed a special new” song “for his new wife” for which he performed during their reception. The happy new husband also sang for his wife her favorite Beatles song “Let it Be” and “Let me Roll it.”

Shevell and McCartney hope to plan another wedding ceremony in the future, but this time in New York.

Photos courtesy of Jules Minus via Flickr and ryanwh, The_Admiralty, DMY, and Oli Gill via WikiCommons.

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