COVID-19 Takes the Lives of Local Musicians

Alan Merrill at the Parkside Lounge
March 14, 2020

Fixtures of the Manhattan rock circuit died this past week of complications from COVID-19.

Alan Merrill thought he had a cold until he wound up so sick that he had to take an ambulance to Mount Sinai Hospital. After 14 hours in the emergency room, where he was sedated and put on a respirator, he was admitted to the intensive care unit. His daughter was given a couple of moments to say goodbye, and he died on March 29. He was 69 years old.

Merrill regularly performed local clubs either solo with a six-string and 12-string acoustic guitar or with the Alan Merrill Trio and the Alan Merrill Extravaganza. He was best known as the co-author of a song he wrote in 1975 when he was in the Arrows, "I Love Rock 'N Roll." The song became a number one hit for Joan Jett & the Blackhearts in 1982. Merrill performed as recently as March 14, when the Alan Merrill Extravaganza performed at Steve Krebs' Endless Party series at the Parkside Lounge. By all accounts, including this reporter, Merrill seemed fine at that gig, only two weeks before his death.

Pepo Gonlet at the Map Room
January 10, 2020

Pepo Gonlet (born Jose Gonzalez-Aulet) died on March 24 at New York Community Hospital, reportedly of pneumonia due to COVID-19, although he also struggled with cancer in recent years. He was 68 years old. Gonlet was the vocalist and guitarist of One Eyed Cat, which was scheduled to perform at Desmond's Tavern on March 30. One Eyed Cat most recently performed at Zoe Stark's Rock 'N Roll Party series at the Map Room of the Bowery Electric on January 10.

Stephen Antonakos, better known as Homeboy Steve, died of heart failure on March 27. Early reports linked his death to COVID-19, but his wife later clarified that he exhibited flu symptoms but never tested for COVID-19. Antonokos frequently performed solo and was a guitarist in the Dirty Water Dogs, the Blue Chieftains, Five Chinese Brothers, and other bands.

Due to the current state of affairs, friends and family are unable to celebrate the lives of these musicians with funerals or memorials.