Joe Cole (roadie)

Joseph Dennis "Joe" Cole (April 10, 1961 – December 19, 1991) was a roadie for Black Flag and Rollins Band. He was the best friend and roommate of the musician/author/actor Henry Rollins. His memoirs were published posthumously by 2.13.61 publishing, Planet Joe, in which he documented his experiences on the last Black Flag tour and first Rollins Band tour. He was shot and killed in a robbery at their home on December 19, 1991 after the two men attended a Hole concert at the Whiskey A Go Go in Los Angeles. Shortly after returning home from the concert, Cole and Rollins walked to a video store to rent a movie. As they were approaching their house on the way back they were confronted by two armed men who demanded money. Unsatisfied with the small amount of cash the men had in their pockets, the robbers ordered Cole and Rollins to go inside of their house. As Rollins unlocked the door and stepped inside, he heard a commotion behind him followed by gunshots. Rollins fled out the back door of the house and ran blocks away to a phone where he called police, narrowly escaping bullets himself. In 1992, the case was aired on Unsolved Mysteries. The murder remains unsolved. Cole was 30 years old.

Rollins went on to publish a two-part book series, the first book chronicling his time with Cole as his roommate, See a Grown Man Cry, and the second Rollins' non-stop working to near-nervous breakdown in the year following Cole's death, Now Watch Him Die.

Sonic Youth's "JC" was inspired by Cole's murder, and the Sonic Youth song "100%" on their Dirty album was dedicated to him. The music video shows a reenactment of the police finding Cole, played by actor Jason Lee, dead. Prior to his murder, Cole also appeared in Sonic Youth's self-produced music video for the song "My Friend Goo" which is on their Corporate Ghost DVD.

At the time of his death, Cole was in a relationship with Babes in Toyland bassist Michelle Leon. After his death, she was unable to face the rigors of touring and quit the group. Peers of Babes in Toyland, Hole, also dedicated their second studio album, Live Through This, (1994) to Joe Cole. Courtney Love's 2006 memoir, Dirty Blonde, also features a page as tribute to Joe Cole.

Joe Cole can be seen in many scenes of Dave Markey's movie, 1991: The Year Punk Broke as well as in some of Dave Markey's short films.

Cole's father was actor Dennis Cole and his mother is the former Sally Bergeron. Dennis Cole was briefly married during Joe's adolescence to Charlie's Angels actress Jaclyn Smith.

External links

• Joe Cole at Find a Grave