Founding Bon Jovi Bassist Alec John Such Dead at 70

Sad news for the rock world today, as Alec John Such, founding bassist for arena rock legends Bon Jovi, has died. He was 70 years old.

The news was confirmed by the band, who issued the following statement:

“We are heartbroken to hear the news of the passing of our dear friend Alec John Such. He was an original. As a founding member of Bon Jovi, Alec was integral to the formation of the band. To be honest, we found our way to each other thru him. He was a childhood friend of Tico [Torres, drums] and brought Richie [Sambora, guitar] to see us perform. Alec was always wild and full of life. Today those special memories bring a smile to my face and a tear to my eye. We’ll miss him dearly.”

Such performed on all of Bon Jovi’s famous ’80s material, including such massive albums as 1986’s massive Slippery When Wet and 1988’s New Jersey. In 1994, Such announced that he was burnt out, and was replaced by Hugh McDonald.

Everyone at MetalSucks sends their heart out to Alec’s family, friends, fans and collaborators during this difficult time.