Today (Monday, October 12th), Dickie Peterson, founding member of the legendary BLUE CHEER passed away at 5 AM in Germany at the age of 61. According to a posting on the Blue Cheer Message Board, Peterson was being treated for prostate cancer when doctors found liver cancer. He had treatment for the liver cancer. As a result he suffered a gall bladder infection which developed into some sort of sepsis, which Wikipedia says is a serious medical condition characterized by a whole-body inflammatory state (called a systemic inflammatory response syndrome or SIRS) and the presence of a known or suspected infection.

Based in San Francisco, Blue Cheer played in a psychedelic blues-rock style, and are also credited as being pioneers of heavy metal and punk rock.

Blue Cheer began in 1966 as a six piece group, but by 1967, they had become a trio; Leigh Stephens on guitar, Dickie Peterson on bass and vocals, and Paul Whaley on drums. Signed to the Philips record label, Blue Cheer’s first album was titled Vincebus Eruptum, a chaotic masterpiece of raw power. The record gave the group their first and greatest hit, 'Summertime Blues' (EDDIE COCHRANE). Vincebus Eruptum climbed up to 11th position in U.S. charts.

The second album Outside Inside (Philips 1968) was divided in two different sections; the outer part (Outside) having been recorded close to some warehouses in New York and Sacramento harbors, with the inner part (Inside) cut in a regular recording studio. These first two albums set the stage for Blue Cheer’s reputation, and defined several genres of rock music to come later.