# Cheetah Chrome, Dead Boys Guitarist, Dies at 71

> The guitarist who gave the Dead Boys their snarl has died, and his bandmates found the words for it.
- Title: Cheetah Chrome, Dead Boys Guitarist, Dies at 71 · Variety
- Summary: The guitarist who gave the Dead Boys their snarl has died, and his bandmates found the words for it. Cheetah Chrome helped build American punk from the…
- Keywords: punk, dead boys, obituary, guitar, music, entertainment, culture, Cheetah, Chrome, Dead, Boys, Guitarist
- Source: Variety — https://variety.com/2026/music/people-news/cheetah-chrome-dead-punk-guitarist-dead-boys-1236860807
- Author: Isabelle Farina
- Published: 2026-09-13T22:33:43+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: punk, dead boys, obituary, guitar, music, entertainment, culture
## A punk original is gone
Eugene Richard O'Connor, known to everyone as Cheetah Chrome, died Sunday at 71. He played guitar for the Dead Boys.
## His band broke the news
The surviving Dead Boys confirmed his death in an Instagram post, signed by Tony, Chris, Mark and the wider band family.

> We are incredibly sad to announce the news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Cheetah Chrome.
## An architect of punk
His bandmates did not call him a participant in punk rock. They called him one of the people who built it.

> Cheetah was a true original, an architect of the punk rock movement.
## Feral riffs, manic energy
The band described his playing as a one-man hurricane, all raw guitar and restless motion rather than polish.

> A one-man hurricane tearing up the musical landscape with his feral guitar riffs and manic energy.
## Sweet guy behind the noise
For all the chaos on stage, the Dead Boys remembered someone warm who simply loved rock and roll.

> Beyond all that Cheetah was also just a really sweet guy that loved rock-roll.
## The music keeps going
The band asked for privacy and closed with a promise: the records will keep finding new players for generations.

> His music lives on and will continue to inspire others for generations to come.
## Key takeaway

Cheetah Chrome helped build American punk from the ground up, and the riffs outlive him.