Keith Alexander (guitarist)

Keith Alexander (born Keith Alexander Bonanno; November 23, 1963[1] – July 11, 2005) was an American guitarist.

Keith Alexander
Birth nameKeith Alexander Bonanno
BornNovember 23, 1963
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
DiedJuly 11, 2005(2005-07-11) (aged 41)
GenresCrossover thrash, thrash metal
OccupationMusician
InstrumentGuitar
Years active1982–2005
Formerly ofCarnivore, Primal Scream, Dee Snider

Career

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Alexander was the guitarist for the thrash metal band Carnivore, on whose first album he played. He then joined Brooklyn-based band Primal Scream co-writing and recording their 1987 album Volume One.[2]

During the late 1990s he was a member of Dee Snider's SMFs and part of the lineup that recorded the 1997 Twisted Forever – SMFs Live album. Alexander also worked as a talent finder, though he was technically credited as "piercing consultant"[3] on Snider's movie 1998 movie Strangeland.[4] To save money on special effects and for a sense of reality in appearance, Alexander looked in the body modification community for extras, who were modded for some roles.

In the 2000s, he became a somewhat well known blogger, being associated with blogs such as BrooklynVegan and Boing Boing.[5]

Death

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Alexander died in a cycling accident on July 11, 2005. He lost control of his bike while passing a child and crashed into a fence on Shore Road, in Bay Ridge Brooklyn. It was reported that had he been wearing a helmet he would likely have survived.[6][7] Alexander's website, nootrope.net, still exists at archive.org.[8] Regarding his death, he states:

I look at this place as a scrapbook / journal. A digital version of the paper ones I've kept my entire life. Nothing more, nothing less. Don't read any more into it than necessary. And in a morbid way, a record of my predilections that will hopefully live on after I die, on some server, somewhere. Grandiose? Maybe. Maybe I just have the balls to admit it. Maybe one day, in the year 2201, a relation of mine will see these zeros and ones, and say, "Damn, he had fun." That is, if we don't annihilate one and other. [sic][8]

Discography

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  • CarnivoreCarnivore (Roadrunner, 1985)
  • Primal Scream – Volume One (Mercenary, 1987)
  • Dee Snider's S.M.F. – Twisted Forever – SMFs Live (Coallier Ent., 1997)

References

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  1. ^ "Former CARNIVORE And PRIMAL SCREAM Guitarist Keith Alexander Dies Aged 41". Metal Forces Magazine. July 11, 2005. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  2. ^ "Keith Alexander RIP | Nootrope". brooklynvegan.com. July 13, 2005. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  3. ^ "Strangeland (1998) – Full Cast & Crew – IMDb". imdb.com. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  4. ^ "RTFM: Keith Alexander | BME: Tattoo, Piercing and Body Modification News". news.bme.com. January 10, 2005. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  5. ^ "In memoriam: Keith Alexander / Boing Boing". boingboing.net. July 12, 2005. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  6. ^ "Court date and Cyclist Killed. « Bike Blog NYC". bikeblognyc.com. Archived from the original on March 10, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  7. ^ "BikeBlog: Court date and Cyclist Killed". bikeblog.blogspot.com. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  8. ^ a b "keith alexander || why || www.nootrope.net". Archived from the original on October 13, 2008. Retrieved June 20, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)