lead singer of Joker and Influential Figure in Northwest Rock, Paul Passarelli Passes AWay

lead singer of Joker and Influential Figure in Northwest Rock, Paul Passarelli Passes AWay

Paul Passarelli Obituary: Sadly, on May 25, 2023, at the age of 61, Paul Passarelli, the main singer of Joker, the first band Michael Wilton and Chris DeGarmo established, passed away.

After passing away from a heart attack, the gifted singer and musician left behind a legacy that impacted the Northwest rock scene.

Joker was established in 1978 by Passarelli, Wilton, and DeGarmo, who joined in 1979.

Alongside well-known acts like Ridge and Tyrant, the band took part in the Lake Hills Battle of the Bands in 1979.

Jeff Tate, who later rose to stardom as the lead vocalist of Queensryche, was another rising star at the time, which is interesting.

Joker stood out by selling the most tickets despite being ousted in the first round.

As a result of their success, they were asked to return to serve as the opening act for Ridge and Tyrant’s grand finale.

Joker’s performance demonstrated their ability and laid the groundwork for their musical journey, even though Ridge took home the prize.

Passarelli was inspired by Van Halen’s David Lee Roth throughout his formative years.

He frequently attended Van Halen performances in Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver, and he even imitated Roth’s recognizable striped outfit from the band’s debut albums.

Joker eventually split up, and Wilton, DeGarmo, and Geoff Tate started Queensryche.

Queensryche would go on to build a name for themselves in the music industry after being influenced by Iron Maiden and the new wave of British heavy metal.

Passarelli chose a different route and settled with his family in Los Angeles.

Before Motley Crue became well-known, Passarelli saw them performing in clubs and bought their self-released debut album, “Too Fast For Love.”

Upon his return to Seattle, he played a significant role in popularizing Motley Crue and establishing a comparable rock culture there.

With a friend, Passarelli started a group called Lipstick in 1982. They performed in a variety of locations as the opening act for well-known performers like Lita Ford, Randy Hansen, TKO, and RAIL.

The local rock culture publication The Rocket gave Lipstick credit for having a sound that was compared favorably to Motley Crue and KISS.

Several renowned bands, including

Taime Downe’s first band, The Bondage Boys, featured Mike McCready (who would eventually join Pearl Jam), and Shadow featured Taime Downe (later of Faster Pussycat).

Passarelli made the decision to relocate to Los Angeles, where the glam rock scene was thriving, after Arista Records indicated interest in Lipstick.

He changed his course after running into Poison, though. The group changed their name to October and issued an independent album named “Joy & Pain” after taking inspiration from U2.

Unfortunately, their efforts were unsuccessful, and soon after they disbanded.

After working as Wolfmother’s lead singer for a while in San Diego, Passarelli moved back to Seattle and started the cover band 70 Proof, which later changed its name to 80 Proof.

Ex-presidents of the United States were represented in the band.

Passarelli took part in Flight To Mars in 2004, a passion project to support the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America.

The yearly event lasted for 15 years and including a 2012 West Coast tour.

When the book “Rusted Metal,” a collection of Pacific Northwest metal and hard rock, was released in 2021, Passarelli’s contributions were acknowledged.

He went to Portland to meet admirers, sign autographs, and interact with his readers despite being in poor health.

But that was the last I ever saw of Paul. Before saying goodbye, we gave one other a heartfelt embrace and reminisced about our earlier successes.

Paul Passarelli, a gifted singer and musician, passed away after a heart attack.

The journey of Paul Passarelli was marked by passion, commitment, and unwavering love for music.

His contributions to the Northwest rock scene will live on in the hearts of both fans and artists, leaving a lasting impression.

Words fall short of expressing our grief for your loss, as we mourn with family and friends for this great loss. We are truly sorry to hear of the loss of this promising being. Please accept our condolences, and may our prayers help comfort you. Please accept our heartfelt condolences.

Feel free to drop condolence messages and prayers for the family and friends of the deceased, as it will go a very long way at this difficult time of theirs.