Mick Cocks, guitarist and founding member of that "other" Australian hard rock band, Rose Tattoo, died from liver cancer on Tuesday (December 22).
"We're very sad to announce that Rose Tattoo founding member and guitarist Mick Cocks lost his battle against liver cancer and passed away today, on Dec. 22,'' read an official statement on the band's website. The guitar player had been battling the disease since April of this year.
Cocks, who had perhaps one of the best names ever for a hard rocker, started the band in 1976 with late guitarist Pete Wells, who also died of cancer.
Rose Tattoo have plundered away in relative obscurity throughout the years, considering the household name another little Australian rock outfit called AC/DC became, although many argue the wrong band hit it big.
Rose Tattoo did manage a few hits singles, however, such as "Bad Boy for Love," "We Can't Be Beaten" and "Rock 'n' Roll Outlaw," and have influenced everyone from Guns N' Roses (who covered "Nice Boys" on their 1988 G N' R Lies album) to upstart Aussie rockers Airbourne.
Cocks was the subject of a benefit show last July to help pay his medical bills. The show featured performances by Rose Tattoo, Jimmy Barnes, You Am I and others.
Cocks is the fourth member of the band to die of cancer in the past three years; Wells, bassist Ian Rilen and guitarist Lobby Loyde also passed away from the disease.
"We're very sad to announce that Rose Tattoo founding member and guitarist Mick Cocks lost his battle against liver cancer and passed away today, on Dec. 22,'' read an official statement on the band's website. The guitar player had been battling the disease since April of this year.
Cocks, who had perhaps one of the best names ever for a hard rocker, started the band in 1976 with late guitarist Pete Wells, who also died of cancer.
Rose Tattoo have plundered away in relative obscurity throughout the years, considering the household name another little Australian rock outfit called AC/DC became, although many argue the wrong band hit it big.
Rose Tattoo did manage a few hits singles, however, such as "Bad Boy for Love," "We Can't Be Beaten" and "Rock 'n' Roll Outlaw," and have influenced everyone from Guns N' Roses (who covered "Nice Boys" on their 1988 G N' R Lies album) to upstart Aussie rockers Airbourne.
Cocks was the subject of a benefit show last July to help pay his medical bills. The show featured performances by Rose Tattoo, Jimmy Barnes, You Am I and others.
Cocks is the fourth member of the band to die of cancer in the past three years; Wells, bassist Ian Rilen and guitarist Lobby Loyde also passed away from the disease.
