Former SCORPIONS And KINGDOM COME Drummer JAMES KOTTAK Dead At 61
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According to Metal Sludge, veteran rock drummer James Kottak, who is best known for his work with SCORPIONS and KINGDOM COME, has died. He was 61 years old.
In addition to SCORPIONS and KINGDOM COME, Kottak had toured with such bands as WARRANT and even DIO for a short run. James was also involved in various other projects, including the 1990s band KRUNK in which he sang lead vocals and played guitar.
POISON drummer Rikki Rockett reacted to his friend's death, tweeting simply: "RIP … James Kottak".
Another one of Kottak's friends, drummer Troy Patrick Farrell (WHITE LION, TANTRIC, GILBY CLARKE),who previously interviewed James for his "This That & The Other With Troy Patrick Farrell" radio show, also confirmed Kottak's death, writing on social media: "Sad News to report, Alumni Guest of #TTTO and drum bud @JKottak James Kottak has passed. Sad News no doubt".
Fellow drummer Simon Wright (AC/DC, DIO) wrote: "Rest in Peace . James Kottak . Shocking news , a very sad day ."
Kottak's "good friend" Jeffrey Jarboe took to social media to write: "James Kottak. Incredible drummer and good friend. You achieved the 'dream' most never get! R.I.P. brother!"
Kottak spoke about his alcohol issues in an April 2023 interview with Tulsa Music Stream. He said in part: "I've had a few bouts with booze over the years. But what people don't know is all the years that I was sober. 2008 to 2011. And here a year, and there a year. And when our kids [with his ex-wife Athena Lee, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee's sister and acclaimed drummer in her own right], were in the oven. I spent a lot of time not drinking. And then I had my moments when I did drink. And that doesn't mean I'm falling down drunk, walking around with a bottle around the house."
James, who said in a separate interview that he had been sober since October 2022, added that he hadn't been able to completely give up drinking. "Well, I'm not gonna say I haven't drank anything," he said. "When I go out [and] I see some guys playing, I'm standing there and everybody wants to buy me a drink. And I go, 'No, no,' and finally I take it and I have a couple of glasses of white wine. And then I'm pissed at myself. And so there you go."
He added: "I wish I could say, 'Oh, yeah, I've been sober for six years.' It hasn't worked like that for me. I've been in and out and in and out and in and out — and mostly 'in', meaning not drinking. But I've had my moments. And it's an ongoing process. It's progress, not perfection, as we say."
The musician, who missed some of KINGDOM COME's recent shows because he had been dealing with "health issues", told Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live! that he "fell out of bed" in his sleep in July 2022 and "cracked, like, three or four ribs". He also said that he "cracked" his hip in the fall of 2022 after when he "tripped and fell on the pavement" in a completely separate incident.
(Source: www.blabbermouth.net)
