Razzle

Nicholas Charles Dingley (2 December 1960 – 8 December 1984), better known by his stage name Razzle, was the English drummer of Finnish glam rock band Hanoi Rocks from 1982 until his death.

Biography

Born in Royal Leamington Spa, England, for a young single mother Patricia Ingram, who decided to give her child for adoption. He was adopted by Henry and Irene Dingley. Being the family's only child, he grew up in Coventry Midlands and then the family moved to the village Binstead, Isle of Wight.

Prior to joining Hanoi Rocks, Razzle started playing in local Binstead small ensembles, one of which was called Thin Red Line. In 1980 he moved to London, where he played in several punk rock bands. Also he joined to Demon Preacher (featuring Nik Wade, later of Alien Sex Fiend), The Fuck Pigs and The Dark, with whom he released one EP 'The living End live' in 1981, which was recorded at the band's last gig in London's 100 Club, which in his own words, was the heavy punk, almost heavy metal.

Hanoi Rocks

Razzle colluded with Hanoi Rocks for the first time on Sounds magazine pages. After seeng the band performing at Zig-Zag Club, Razzle was convinced that this is a band in which he would definitely join. He came backstage and asked to be the band’s drummer. Gyp Casino, who was the band’s current drummer, was fired for his addiction, depression, and suicidal thoughts, and Razzle was hired. Although Razzle has already appeared on the Self Destruction Blues album cover, he didn’t record anything on the record.

He became an important element of Hanoi Rocks due to his repartee and an ability to find a way out from any difficult times and problems between members. Having a perpetual sense of humour, charismatic Razzle was able to throw the joke in any situation.

In 1983 Sami Yaffa disclosed that he and Razzle were planning to leave the band citing Andy McCoy's insufferable behaviour as the main factor.

Death

In late 1984, Hanoi Rocks was on their first American tour. Frontman Michael Monroe fractured his ankle, so the band had to skip a few gigs and take a break. During that break, Mötley Crüe's singer Vince Neil invited the band to visit his home, in Redondo Beach, California.

On December 8, Hanoi Rocks band members were partying with their friends, the members of the band Mötley Crüe, at lead singer Vince Neil's house. The party stopped when everybody noticed they were out of beer. Neil and Razzle, both drunk, went to a nearby liquor store in Neil's De Tomaso Pantera, with Neil driving. On the way back, they crashed into another car. Razzle was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead at 7:12 p.m.; he had died instantly in the collision.

Both occupants of the other car were seriously injured, sustaining brain damage as a result of the crash.

Andy McCoy and Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee went looking for Neil and Razzle. They drove by the crash site and saw Neil handcuffed and put into a police car. They were informed that Razzle had been taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. McCoy informed the band's manager Seppo Vesterinen, who then told the rest of the band.

He was buried at Holy Cross Church in Binstead, on the Isle of Wight in 1984.

Neil dedicated Theatre of Pain, Mötley Crüe's third studio album, to Razzle. In 2015 Neil admitted to Ultimate Classic Rock that he wrote a check for $2.5 million to the courts, so he only ever served 19 days of a 30-day sentence for the reckless death.

Neil's account of this event, while contradictory to witnesses accounts, is documented in Mötley Crüe's 2001 autobiography The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band. Max Milner portrayed Razzle in the 2019 film adaptation.

Discography

With Hanoi Rocks

Studio albums

• Self Destruction Blues (1982)
• Back to Mystery City (1983)
• Two Steps from the Move (1984)

Live albums

• All Those Wasted Years (1984)
• The Nottingham Tapes (2008)

Compilation albums

• The Best of Hanoi Rocks (1985)
• This One's for Rock'n'roll – The Best of Hanoi Rocks 1980–2008 (2008)