Alex Kirst, former member of seminal LA glam rockers The Nymphs and, later, longtime drummer for Iggy Pop's band, died tragically Jan. 13. According to The Desert Sun, Kirst was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Cathedral City, Riverside County. The Nymphs had their heyday in the late '80s and early '90s and were tipped to be huge stars in the days when you could see both Motley Crüe and Jane's Addiction on the Sunset Strip on the same night. However, the group disbanded after just one album.
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Iggy Pop happened to sing on one of those Nymphs tracks, and he kept up with Kirst over the years. Later, Alex and his brother Whitey joined Pete Marshal to form The Trolls, backing up Pop on his albums Beat 'Em Up and Skull Ring. Sadly, Kirst's death marks the sixth such accident in Coachella Valley in the past few months. Kirst was 47.
In honor of Kirst, check out the Nymphs' near-hit “Imitating Angels”:
