Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Do you all remember Unsolved Mysteries? Well, today is a rock and roll unsolved mysteries episode. Today we're diving into five legendary stories of musicians who left us under circumstances that just don't add up. I’m talking about bizarre and suspicious circumstances… And we’ve got more questions than answers here. But all of them are great stories. From deathbed murder confessions to stolen bodies to disputed burial sites, these are stories that will leave you wondering what really happened. We've got the tale of Brian Jones one of the Rolling Stones, who was discovered drowned in his pool… But all these years later new details suggest it was something more eerie! Then there's the enigma of an indie singer-songwriter Elliott Smith whose death was officially ruled "undetermined" after a serrated blade was pulled straight out of his chest. Fans and investigators have been split over whether he took his own life or it was foul play. And don’t forget the bassist turned rocket scientist, Phillip Kramer, who claimed to unlock the secrets of the universe before making a chilling 911 call and vanishing off the face of the earth. Let’s get get into it.
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Executive Producer
Brandon Fugal
Honorary Producers
Robert Taylor, Missy D, Stan Summay, MG, David Fritz
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Subscribe to the Professor of Rock Podcast
Apple: apple.co/445fVov
Spotify: spoti.fi/42JpfvU
Amazon: amzn.to/44b5D6m
iHeartRadio: bit.ly/444h8MO
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Patreon: bit.ly/ProfessorofRockVIPFan
Merch Store: professor-of-rock-lsn-shop.fourthwall.com
Instagram: bit.ly/Instagram_Professor_of_Rock
#classicrock #70smusic #vinylstory #70srock
Hey Music Junkies, it's time for a true crime professor of rock episode…Make sure to subscribe, like, share, and comment. I really need your help to keep this channel alive. Ok, coming in at #5, it's the story of the passing of Rolling Stones founding member Brian Jones… the original heartbeat of the band. He wasn't just a guitarist. He was a genuine multi-instrumentalist who could pick up virtually anything and make it sing. He introduced the slide guitar to British rock, and that alone would have been enough to secure his legacy. But Brian didn't stop there. His sitar work on "Paint It Black”…and his marimba on "Under My Thumb"… were pivotal moments that fundamentally changed the sound of rock music. Jones was also the creative driving force behind some of the Stones' most adventurous albums. Aftermath and Their Satanic Majesties Request were bold, experimental records that along with the Beatles pushed rock into uncharted territory.
And his contributions on Beggars Banquet and tracks like "Ruby Tuesday" have made him one of the most important musicians of his generation. But by the late 60s, things were unraveling fast. His relationship with Jagger and Richards had soured. Drug arrests, personal chaos, and mounting tension within the band took a serious toll. And in June of 1969, Jones left the group he founded. He was replaced by Mick Taylor. Brian, for his part, told friends he was ready for a fresh start, and he seemed to have reasons to look forward. But he would never get the chance. On the night of July 3, 1969, Brian Jones had drowned in the swimming pool at Cotchford Farm… his country estate in East Sussex. Brian was just 27 years old. An early casualty of the so-called 27 Club, along with Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison. All died within the span of exactly two years… with Jones and Morrison bookending that span on July 3, 1969 and July 3, 1971. The official ruling for Brian’s demise came back as "death by misadventure”… with his history of asthma and substance use cited as contributing factors.
Case closed, right? Well, maybe not. Here's where things get murky. Living on the property at the time was Frank Thorogood, a builder overseeing renovations at the farm. According to official police records, Frank was among three people present at the house that night. Brian’s girlfriend Anna Wohlin and Janet Lawson were the others. But neighbors and responding officers later suggested the real number was closer to a dozen — including what some described as high-level "fixers" who swept the scene clean of drug paraphernalia before an ambulance was called. But it gets worse. As Jones's body was being removed from the property, a massive bonfire was apparently lit in the yard. His personal belongings were burned. His prized instruments vanished. And a collection of unreleased demo tapes disappeared without a trace. Janet Lawson, who discovered Brian's body, recalled that Thorogood was
Do you all remember Unsolved Mysteries? Well, today is a rock and roll unsolved mysteries episode. Today we're diving into five legendary stories of musicians who left us under circumstances that just don't add up. I’m talking about bizarre and suspicious circumstances… And we’ve got more questions than answers here. But all of them are great stories. From deathbed murder confessions to stolen bodies to disputed burial sites, these are stories that will leave you wondering what really happened. We've got the tale of Brian Jones one of the Rolling Stones, who was discovered drowned in his pool… But all these years later new details suggest it was something more eerie! Then there's the enigma of an indie singer-songwriter Elliott Smith whose death was officially ruled "undetermined" after a serrated blade was pulled straight out of his chest. Fans and investigators have been split over whether he took his own life or it was foul play. And don’t forget the bassist turned rocket scientist, Phillip Kramer, who claimed to unlock the secrets of the universe before making a chilling 911 call and vanishing off the face of the earth. Let’s get get into it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Executive Producer
Brandon Fugal
Honorary Producers
Robert Taylor, Missy D, Stan Summay, MG, David Fritz
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subscribe to the Professor of Rock Podcast
Apple: apple.co/445fVov
Spotify: spoti.fi/42JpfvU
Amazon: amzn.to/44b5D6m
iHeartRadio: bit.ly/444h8MO
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Patreon: bit.ly/ProfessorofRockVIPFan
Merch Store: professor-of-rock-lsn-shop.fourthwall.com
Instagram: bit.ly/Instagram_Professor_of_Rock
#classicrock #70smusic #vinylstory #70srock
Hey Music Junkies, it's time for a true crime professor of rock episode…Make sure to subscribe, like, share, and comment. I really need your help to keep this channel alive. Ok, coming in at #5, it's the story of the passing of Rolling Stones founding member Brian Jones… the original heartbeat of the band. He wasn't just a guitarist. He was a genuine multi-instrumentalist who could pick up virtually anything and make it sing. He introduced the slide guitar to British rock, and that alone would have been enough to secure his legacy. But Brian didn't stop there. His sitar work on "Paint It Black”…and his marimba on "Under My Thumb"… were pivotal moments that fundamentally changed the sound of rock music. Jones was also the creative driving force behind some of the Stones' most adventurous albums. Aftermath and Their Satanic Majesties Request were bold, experimental records that along with the Beatles pushed rock into uncharted territory.
And his contributions on Beggars Banquet and tracks like "Ruby Tuesday" have made him one of the most important musicians of his generation. But by the late 60s, things were unraveling fast. His relationship with Jagger and Richards had soured. Drug arrests, personal chaos, and mounting tension within the band took a serious toll. And in June of 1969, Jones left the group he founded. He was replaced by Mick Taylor. Brian, for his part, told friends he was ready for a fresh start, and he seemed to have reasons to look forward. But he would never get the chance. On the night of July 3, 1969, Brian Jones had drowned in the swimming pool at Cotchford Farm… his country estate in East Sussex. Brian was just 27 years old. An early casualty of the so-called 27 Club, along with Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison. All died within the span of exactly two years… with Jones and Morrison bookending that span on July 3, 1969 and July 3, 1971. The official ruling for Brian’s demise came back as "death by misadventure”… with his history of asthma and substance use cited as contributing factors.
Case closed, right? Well, maybe not. Here's where things get murky. Living on the property at the time was Frank Thorogood, a builder overseeing renovations at the farm. According to official police records, Frank was among three people present at the house that night. Brian’s girlfriend Anna Wohlin and Janet Lawson were the others. But neighbors and responding officers later suggested the real number was closer to a dozen — including what some described as high-level "fixers" who swept the scene clean of drug paraphernalia before an ambulance was called. But it gets worse. As Jones's body was being removed from the property, a massive bonfire was apparently lit in the yard. His personal belongings were burned. His prized instruments vanished. And a collection of unreleased demo tapes disappeared without a trace. Janet Lawson, who discovered Brian's body, recalled that Thorogood was
