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Razzle
Razzle Hanoi.jpg
Razzle for a magazine in 1984
Background information
Birth name Nicholas Charles Dingley
Born (1960-12-02)2 December 1960
Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England
Died 8 December 1984(1984-12-08) (aged 24)
Redondo Beach, California, U.S.
Genres Rock, glam punk, punk rock, glam rock, hard rock, glam metal
Occupation(s) Musician
Instruments Drums, vocals
Years active 1977–1984
Labels Johanna Records, Lick, Nippon Phonogram, CBS
Associated acts Hanoi Rocks

Nicholas Charles Dingley (born December 2, 1960 – died December 8, 1984) was an English musician. He was best known by his stage name, Razzle. He played the drums for the Finnish glam rock band Hanoi Rocks from 1982 until he passed away.

Early Life and Music

Razzle was born in Royal Leamington Spa, England. He was adopted by Henry and Irene Dingley. He grew up in Coventry and later moved to Binstead, a village on the Isle of Wight.

Before joining Hanoi Rocks, Razzle played in local bands in Binstead. One of these bands was called Thin Red Line. In 1980, he moved to London. There, he played drums for several punk rock bands. He also joined a band called Demon Preacher. With them, he released an EP (a short album) called The Living End Live in 1981.

Joining Hanoi Rocks

Razzle first connected with Hanoi Rocks through a music magazine. After seeing them play live, he really wanted to join the band. He went backstage and asked to be their drummer. The band's drummer at the time, Gyp Casino, left the band. Razzle then became the new drummer for Hanoi Rocks. Even though he was on the cover of their album Self Destruction Blues, he didn't actually play on that record.

Razzle quickly became a very important part of Hanoi Rocks. He was known for his quick wit and great sense of humor. He could always make a joke and help solve problems between band members. His positive attitude helped the band a lot.

In 1984, Razzle and other members of Hanoi Rocks also appeared on the first album by the punk band Fallen Angels.

A Sad Accident

In late 1984, Hanoi Rocks was on their first tour in America. Their singer, Michael Monroe, broke his ankle. This meant the band had to take a break from their concerts. During this break, Vince Neil, the singer for the band Mötley Crüe, invited Hanoi Rocks to his home in Redondo Beach, California.

On December 8, Razzle and other Hanoi Rocks members were spending time at Vince Neil's house. Later that day, Vince Neil and Razzle drove to a nearby store. On their way back, their car was involved in an accident. Razzle was taken to the hospital, but he had passed away from his injuries.

Razzle was buried at Holy Cross Church, Binstead on the Isle of Wight in 1984. Vince Neil later dedicated Theatre of Pain, Mötley Crüe's third album, to Razzle. Razzle's story is also mentioned in Mötley Crüe's 2001 book, The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band. In the 2019 movie based on that book, The Dirt, actor Max Milner played Razzle.

Music Razzle Played On

Razzle played drums on several albums. Here are some of them:

With Hanoi Rocks

Studio Albums

  • Back to Mystery City (1983)
  • Two Steps from the Move (1984)

Live Albums

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

With Fallen Angels

Studio Albums

  • Fallen Angels (1984)
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