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Vale: ‘Doc’ Neeson

Defiant frontman for The Angels, Bernard 'Doc' Neeson, has died, aged 67.

2014-06-04_1202Defiant frontman for The Angels, Bernard ‘Doc’ Neeson, has died following an illness with a brain tumour, aged 67.

“It is with deep sadness and regret that the family of Angels singer/songwriter Bernard ‘Doc’ Neeson – loving father, family member and friend to so many – announce he has passed away in his sleep at 7.15am, today, 4th June 2014,” a family statement said.

“He has battled with a brain tumour for the last 17 months and sadly lost his fight this morning.

“He will be deeply missed by his family and partner, Annie Souter, who would all like to thank everyone for their support through this dark time.”

Neeson was a regular on Australian music television shows, notably Countdown, Spicks and Specks, The Marngrook Footy Show and RocKwiz which recently saw him performing in a Vanda & Young special in March.

He was also the subject of an Australian Story profile in April, while SBS has previously screened the doco No Way, Get F*#ked, F*#k Off!

Songs by The Angels have also been used on soundtracks of such shows as Howzat! Kerry Packer’s War and Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo plus films including Red Dog, Rogue, Holy Smoke, The Cup and Hard Knocks.

Neeson also had an acting role in Foxtel’s drama Spirited, with Claudia Karvan.

Source: ABC

10 Responses

  1. The Angels played at our end of year social in 1976. Albert Productions was double booked for bands to come to Canberra that night for school socials and a toss of the coin decided that we got The Angels while Ginninderra High got AC/DC with Bon. We never felt that we got the consolation prize, we knew that The Angels would be the next big Aussie band.

    When I started work in early 1978 I would check the small ad in the Daily Telegraph to see whether The Angels would be playing at the Bondi Lifesaver. I’d get off work early and travel up the highway to see the group perform.

    The Bondi Lifesaver has long gone, replaced by apartments. There isn’t even a plaque there commemorating the fact that some of Australia’s greatest bands played there.

    There mightn’t be a plaque but the music still resonates over the passage of the years. They called it new wave at the time but it…

  2. Very sad. He looked so ill on Aus Story.

    Definitely one of the most iconic, charismatic frontmen in his heyday.

    Saw the Angels a few times back in the late 80s – remember Doc as being very tall and having the most amazing ,( almost luminous), light blue eyes.

  3. Ah, crap. Saw The Angels live a few times. They were a kick-ass (big) pub band. Sadly, AC/DC’s Malcolm Young is also pretty ill.

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