AHC Guitarist Died of Prescription Drug Overdose

Headline News

American Head Charge Guitarist Died of Prescription Drug Overdose

posted Apr 20, 2005 at 11:03 PM by deathbringer. (64 Comments)

Band Photo: American Head Charge (?)

MTV.com is reporting that the cause of AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE guitarist Bryan Ottoson's death has been determined to be the result of a prescription-drug overdose, according to North Charleston, South Carolina police records. The 27-year-old musician's body was discovered Tuesday (April 19) in a sleeping bunk on the band's tour bus in North Charleston, where the group was set to play at the Plex club. Police found a pill bottle containing "numerous amounts of prescription medicine" in Ottoson's bed.

Members of AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE told police they last saw Ottoson alive at around 4 a.m. on the morning of April 18, just as the band was departing Jessup, Maryland, for North Charleston. Ottoson had consumed "a large amount of alcohol at a bar" in Jessup that evening, according to police documents.

Police were called to the scene at around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday evening; by that time, Ottoson was dead. Bassist Chad Hanks (known to fans by his stage name, Mr. H.C. Banks III) and guitarist Karma Cheema told police that Ottoson was a "heavy sleeper, and it was not uncommon for him to sleep late before a concert."

The report also claims police were told that Ottoson had been "consuming unknown prescription medications."

Source: Blabbermouth

What's Next?

Please share this article if you found it interesting.

You can get related band news and info in the sidebar and on the respective band pages.

64 Comments on "AHC Guitarist Died of Prescription Drug Overdose"

Post your comments and discuss the article below! (no login required)

1. xmetaldrummer86x writes:

THIS SUC I HATE HEARING BAND MEMBERS DIE- I f***EN HATE THIS sh** SOME OF AHC sh** WAS HEAVY f***EN a$$ ANYTHING COULD BE- WISH THE BEST FOR BAND AND HOPE TO SEE THEM MAY 3 IN LOS ANGELES RIP OTTOSON \m/ \m/

# Apr 21, 2005 @ 1:46 AM ET | IP Logged

2. parasite_147 writes:

You'll live on with me man...i'm gonna play the new album as loud as ic an for you bryan.

# Apr 21, 2005 @ 7:13 AM ET | IP Logged

3. madcat writes:

why shed a tear for this schmuck ...obviously he was an idiot who couldn't face reality. "BOO HOO, i'm a famous guy, no one understands...." come on man, anyone who kills themselves is a waste of flesh anyway. when you can't deal with your problems, taking drugs is not the answer. it's just like being a kid who doesn't get their way, run away and cry about it. it's better to let the stupid people kill themselves
then to have us pay for it by way of a shooting or keeping them alive on a machine. enough is enough.
they sucked anyway.

move on, or step aside!!

# Apr 21, 2005 @ 8:00 AM ET | IP Logged

Member

4. scoobyredsox writes:

great band, he will be missed.

# Apr 21, 2005 @ 12:29 PM ET | IP Logged

5. someone writes:

who cares? AHC's music was complete crap anyway. I had to sit through a whole hour of their bullsh**, while waiting for another band to come on. Yuck.....

# Apr 21, 2005 @ 12:32 PM ET | IP Logged

6. liquid_pryo9 writes:

shut the f*** up you fa**ot, if you don't like them don't read their news. how could you be such an asswhole about a person dying, he just died and all youcan say is "who cares?" AHC still f***ing rules and they always will. RIP Bryan.

# Apr 21, 2005 @ 12:46 PM ET | IP Logged

7. parasite writes:

f***ing hell!!! i cant beleive it there music kicked arse .... but anyway the WILL HAVE TO GET ANOTHER GUITARIST or .............f***

# Apr 21, 2005 @ 12:47 PM ET | IP Logged

Member

8. MaggotArmy666 writes:

if u f***ers dont like AHC then please dont even talk sh** about them because they were an awesome band and i hope they get threw this and find another guitarist RIP Bryan

# Apr 21, 2005 @ 1:22 PM ET | IP Logged

9. brandedcfh420 writes:

madcat, how do you know it was suicide?! were you there?! did you hear him say this is it?! saw them at ozzfest 2000, and ahc was pretty good..not that i went out and bought ther cd, but live: THEY WERE FUKING BRUTAL!!

# Apr 21, 2005 @ 1:42 PM ET | IP Logged

10. xmetaldrummer86x writes:

madcat u f***en idiot if u new anything AHC was everything but famous- do u see them on f***en mtv mainstream?!?!?! no get ur facts straight sh**face ur an idiot or a dumb broad pick ur choice and in the words of AHC - \m/ \m/

Shutdown

the trait that is still
left on the killing floor for you
that smile as he still
itches for killing more of you
the taste as he still
catches me lasting to it
the recoil they still
dream of that lasting spit

# Apr 21, 2005 @ 1:52 PM ET | IP Logged

11. 3rd armswing writes:

actually the have been on mtv and did sounstracks for ufc so if you want to call somebody on tv mainstraem then they indeed were.

# Apr 21, 2005 @ 6:11 PM ET | IP Logged

12. hershmeister writes:

never heard of them. But we must accept he was one of us (a f***in' metalhead) . So have some compassion for the family who lost someone close to them. And we lost another soldier. Long live Metal !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

# Apr 21, 2005 @ 9:06 PM ET | IP Logged

13. dominate writes:

F***. I send my condolences out to American Head Charge. That totally sucks what happened.
R.I.P.

# Apr 21, 2005 @ 10:51 PM ET | IP Logged

14. madcat is a fucking little bitch that i will kill writes:

he didnt commit suicide!!!!! he died of an accidental overdose you dumb f u c k! just because he took "drugs" doesnt make him a bad person. i hope you rot in hell madcat!

# Apr 21, 2005 @ 10:53 PM ET | IP Logged

15. inhatredofme writes:

i saw them at the show in Peoria, IL and they were a hell of alot better live than i thought they would be, it's a shame he died.

# Apr 21, 2005 @ 10:55 PM ET | IP Logged

16. madcat writes:

WIPE THE TEARS FROM YOUR EYES, SEE THE TRUTH. how does one "accidentally " overdose?
If you follow instructions on the bottle, then you should not die. unless you got them on the street and
you dont know contraindications from other medicines...most doctors dont prescribe drugs that would
kill you. he may have been drunk and taken too much of something, but that again, lies solely with being
a dumbass and not taking medications correctly. so it was no accident. whatever. i've heard enough of these stupid stories from "rock stars" why is it just them? stupidity rules. get over this, and you can stave
off the stupidity. just try it.

# Apr 22, 2005 @ 6:27 AM ET | IP Logged

17. Dancing Monkeys writes:

DAMMIT. I was going to see those guys in just one f***ing week with Slipknot. DAMMIT DAMMIT DAMMIT. f*** f*** f***.

okay, i'm fine. sorry about that.

# Apr 22, 2005 @ 9:59 AM ET | IP Logged

18. parasite_147 writes:

Madcat is a prick! If you critisize people for taking drugs your obviously a complete d***..nearly every metal band in history goes on stage completly drugged up and p***ed...most bands experiment with drugs on tour...these guys were on it before they were famous so they obviously had real problems...and he might have needed to get away....and accidental suicide..get real....he needed to escape...

# Apr 22, 2005 @ 12:42 PM ET | IP Logged

19. DevilKoRn writes:

mother f***er!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....why????????...he was a great musician,I like them music.

# Apr 22, 2005 @ 2:32 PM ET | IP Logged

20. dstrbd9161 writes:

I'm with you,Madcat!All you "children need to recognize,this dumb*ss was drinking and taking the sh*t at the same time! Duh!!!!!!!! Warnings are put on the bottle fore a reason,children!.Grow up and educate yourself.Is it a tragedy? Yeah.Is it his fault? Most definately,you ignorant asses!

# Apr 23, 2005 @ 10:18 AM ET | IP Logged

21. Bull3tTh3ory writes:

sadly missed my me and my dad seem em live in machester apollo England,
R.I.P

# Apr 23, 2005 @ 6:32 PM ET | IP Logged

22. YO DSTRBD9161 writes:

i am not a child. i am 30 yrs old. there are lots of people out there that take RX drugs and drink alcohol...and didnt mean to die..whenever someone in the rock world dies, as always, people smack talk in forums such as this..we r all just a bunch of sick fuks!!

# Apr 23, 2005 @ 6:49 PM ET | IP Logged

23. summertime writes:

im with madkat here. Frankly i don't give a f*** about this guy dead or alive, but i can't believe people talk about this like its not his fault.
Taking prescription drugs after heavy drinking is DANGEROUS. If the guy did it while not meaning to die, that is fukn STUPID.
A 30y.o dude attempting to explain this dumass's actions by saying lots of people do it, is insanely stupid.

# Apr 23, 2005 @ 9:10 PM ET | IP Logged

24. Brian writes:

i agree with madkat as well. Very well said!

# Apr 23, 2005 @ 10:26 PM ET | IP Logged

Member

25. Nuclear6assault writes:

well ahem.. im jst 1 f***ing old school thrash head! i couldnt care less.. in the name of... Kreator! Death! Exodus, TESTAMENT! NUCLEAR ASSAULT! yea those r brutal bands..!

# Apr 24, 2005 @ 9:12 AM ET | IP Logged

26. all of you are fucking cockless bitches that i will kill writes:

you know what, when someone post your obituary talking about your sh**ty worthless lives then i'm gonna post about how you were a dumb b**** and i'm glad you're dead. you guys didnt know him so shut the f*** up and burn in hell fag f u c k s.

# Apr 24, 2005 @ 12:40 PM ET | IP Logged

27. Ana writes:

**** u guys***s joking
if u nedd nething email me anahit20yandex.ru

later******

# Apr 24, 2005 @ 12:47 PM ET | IP Logged

28. STILL DUMB AS SHIT FUCKING WORTHLESS COCKSUCKERS writes:

just cuz he OD'd doesnt mean he wasnt a great musician and person, sh** happens. a lot of us take drugs and at some point some of us take too much and die. f u c k all you who said you didnt care that he died

# Apr 24, 2005 @ 1:51 PM ET | IP Logged

Member

29. johnisgod writes:

yeah f*** you all. i use to look at over doseing and suicide as a sign of weakness but after losing a close freind to o.d.ing and another to suicide my eyes are very open. life is a gift that should be embraced and not abused. ahc was a great band and anyones death is tragic it affects more when your a talented musican with fans .to the people who don't really give a f*** think about a band you like then a member dieing.you'll understand

# Apr 25, 2005 @ 12:47 AM ET | IP Logged

Member

30. soakINsorrow writes:

Bryan Ottoson as well as the rest of AHC are wonderful musicians. I am so heart broken by his death...They are going back a day before they came here for tour with Mudvayne...I got into their music only a few months ago and as soon as I heard it I was hooked. Couldnt wait to go to that f***ing concert! They make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside whenever I hear any of their music...Bryan will be missed immensely, he was an awesome guitar player and was a perfect fit in American Headcharge...RIP... and to all you little bastards who are commenting only to talk sh** about him and the way he died! f*** all you little c*** suckers! Life is f***ing hard and sometimes you just cant f***ing go on...maybe he felt he couldnt m,ake it anymore... whether he killed himself intentionally or not you have no right to come on here saying all kinds of sh**...keep your mindless pathetic comments to yourself.

# Apr 25, 2005 @ 4:47 PM ET | IP Logged

31. Bull3tTh3ory writes:

F u c k i n g well said SoakINsorrow

# Apr 25, 2005 @ 4:54 PM ET | IP Logged

Member

32. DEADMETAL writes:

anybody that said they were glad he died because of a drug overdose is a worthless piece of s h i t little b i t ch.

# Apr 25, 2005 @ 6:00 PM ET | IP Logged

33. madcat writes:

im gay

# Apr 25, 2005 @ 6:29 PM ET | IP Logged

34. XXMETALXX writes:

yes madcat.....you are f u c k i n g gay you stupid worthless peice of s h i t ......AHC kicks a s s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

# Apr 25, 2005 @ 7:11 PM ET | IP Logged

35. nuthagel writes:

PANTERA RULE fu*&^%$ hhehehe, ur AHC sucks dude!

# Apr 25, 2005 @ 8:58 PM ET | IP Logged

36. weiner writes:

nuthagel i will rip your f***ing throat out and make you take that back
dumbass

Bitter Beucolic

# Apr 26, 2005 @ 9:25 AM ET | IP Logged

37. Canadian Head Charge writes:

AHC rulz, RIP Bryan, NUFF SAID!

# Apr 26, 2005 @ 1:21 PM ET | IP Logged

38. my band = parasite writes:

f***ing hell thts all i have to say

# Apr 27, 2005 @ 3:25 PM ET | IP Logged

Member

39. Nslaved@birth writes:

How many of you f***s actually knew him? Dont talk SHlT unless you actually knew him. I only met him once or twice, but i can tell you all that Brian was one of the most laid back people I ever met. AHC was, still is and always will be something. I am not a big fan of new school metal, but i have respect for what they did for their fans. Brian was one of the ring leaders in keeping in touch with the locals that were with them all the way.

# May 1, 2005 @ 7:50 PM ET | IP Logged

40. the REAL madcat writes:

well, I see the idiots came out swinging. thanks for the others for sharing the intelligent view.
to state that "all other metal bands took drugs when they took the stage" is just plain stupid.
Sure, the retarded bands, who no longer exist. You can't stay on top with drugs writing the music.
after a while, the drugs burn YOU out, and then what's left? Surely nobody who is rich, or successful.
people measure their own successes, rather than validation from others. If your not able to handle
your life, no matter how good or bad, finding out WHY you can't handle it is paramount, rather than
getting wasted and forgeting it. What kind of musical genius places their craft at risk? Nobody cared
about this gut enough to see what he was doing to himself. If he did it without knowing he was going to die eventually, he truely was a fool. Ignorance is unacceptable in todays age if information!

# May 3, 2005 @ 6:46 AM ET | IP Logged

41. the REAL madcat writes:

I love Michael Jackson!! that exsplaines why im gay!!!!

# May 4, 2005 @ 8:07 AM ET | IP Logged

42. dorkhole writes:

i agree wih madcat, but i don't think even HE likes michael jackson. he sounds older than 10.

# May 4, 2005 @ 8:35 AM ET | IP Logged

43. ozzyrulez writes:

Madcat, I hope you are joking.......

# May 4, 2005 @ 9:06 AM ET | IP Logged

44. ozzyrulez writes:

Or maybe it is some dumb f*** impersonating you. Dumda$$es

# May 4, 2005 @ 9:08 AM ET | IP Logged

45. Mutt writes:

mad cat needs to get a life. If you didn't like them then shut the F**k up. no one wants to hear your sh*t. And you can accidently od, so shut the f**k up b**ch.

# May 4, 2005 @ 10:33 AM ET | IP Logged

46. ozzyrulez writes:

Mutt, you dumbf***, was I talking to you, I dont think so. No one wants to hear your sh** either!!! I do agree with some things he said, but I am a fan of AHC too. a$$hole.

# May 4, 2005 @ 10:58 AM ET | IP Logged

Member

47. Mutt writes:

1 i wasn't talking to you, i was talking to madcatt
2 don't tell me to shut the f*ck up unless i talk to you first
3 don't f*ck with me
4 AHC still kicks a$$

# May 4, 2005 @ 11:07 AM ET | IP Logged

Member

48. Mutt writes:

i'm not saying drugs are good, cause there not, so don't mix messages.
but seriously if you don't like the band why bother posting? you know it's going to make ppl upset. you come in here saying ppl are dumba$$es, then get all emo on us.
madcat, please, please, please think first
and ozzyrulez, shut up before i kill you b*tch

# May 4, 2005 @ 11:10 AM ET | IP Logged

49. ozzyrulez writes:

Well mutt, first of all, I apoligize for thinking you were talking to me, second, dont tell me you will kill me because you cant, and, who the f*** died and made you king of this f***ing site!!! I will sazy what I want. AHC kicks ass, enough said.

# May 4, 2005 @ 11:19 AM ET | IP Logged

Member

50. DEADMETAL writes:

..... and she sazy's a lot of dumb sh** .....

# May 4, 2005 @ 1:38 PM ET | IP Logged

Member

51. DEADMETAL writes:

anyway .... madcat you are seriously retarded ... not everyone does drugs to "forget" something .... some people just like to get real f***in high just for fun ..... everyone has a vice ....

# May 4, 2005 @ 1:40 PM ET | IP Logged

52. ozzyrulez writes:

actually, hes really not that retarded, he does not go around and insult people when they did not do anything to him like an immature little kid like say.........YOU!!!

# May 5, 2005 @ 7:55 AM ET | IP Logged

53. ozzyrulez writes:

and big f***ing deal, I misspelled say because I hit the wrong key. who f***ing cares!!! it happens. I did not come here to start a fight with you, In fact, I do agree with some of the things you said in post 51. You are right, Ozzy did it just to get f***ed up, not to forget something.

# May 5, 2005 @ 8:05 AM ET | IP Logged

54. ozzyrulez writes:

Plenty of other Rock stars did too.

# May 5, 2005 @ 8:07 AM ET | IP Logged

55. summertime writes:

i like to piss people off, 'cos I don't give a fuk.

this fukn band sux. Their pill-poppin guitarist was a p***y and their devotees r abunchof softs

If this is an open forum then any1 can post,
so I'll post
so u dipsh**s can read my sh**.

eat a d***

# May 5, 2005 @ 9:01 AM ET | IP Logged

56. summertime writes:

if it wasn't for the mutt faggit, I wouldn't have posted^^

# May 5, 2005 @ 9:01 AM ET | IP Logged

57. Savage writes:

I commented on this before, but these posts make me want to chime in again. I knew Bryan, fairly well in fact. He was a cool guy, and pretty laid back. He wasn't as awesome as some of you make him out to be, but he didn't deserve this. I wouldn't say his death was intentional: He had some major sh** going on when I saw him regularly and he was handling it pretty well. sh** much more major then being famous and not being understood. I'm not a huge fan of the band, not as much as some of you, but I am a proponent of human f***ing life. He had a mother. He had a family. If you still don't care, then you should have been the one with the cold, dead body to match your f***ing insides.

And to the guy who doesn't give a f*** and likes pissing people off: Get a life, homey. Turn off the computer and go remember what it's like to be outside you f***ing piece of sh**.

# May 6, 2005 @ 3:17 PM ET | IP Logged

Member

58. DEADMETAL writes:

ozzyrulez don't defend that fag fuc k madcat it just makes you look even more stupid .... people make mistakes and his happened to end his life ... so f ucking what? doesn't make him a bad person.

# May 6, 2005 @ 3:33 PM ET | IP Logged

59. writes:

AHC kicked a$$ and to all you fags that say negative about them then go screw a horse. he will be missed and you all suck

# May 8, 2005 @ 5:41 PM ET | IP Logged

60. Shadowbitch writes:

Hmm... let's see... madcat, if you don't like the band, get lost, don't post trash about them that no one wnats to read.
A dead guitarist is a pretty bad thing... may he Rest In Peace.
I don't know the band, but losing someone is always hard, my condolenses to them.
It's pretty bad that people do drugs... and whoever said most metal bands use drugs to keep palying onstage, well, you're wrong dude. I used to be in a band and we used to play live for hours at some clubs and bars, and none of us got stoned ever. Hell, if you're a Pantera fan you probably know only the singer (Philip Anselmo) did drugs, and they still played pretty damn good live, and they played for a long while too.
Either way, it's a damn shame that the fans, friends and family lost this guy... R.I.P.

# May 10, 2005 @ 5:13 AM ET | IP Logged

61. ozzyrulez writes:

I was not sayi ng that it made him a bad person, and I totally agree with you, as far as madcat goe s, I could f***ing care less about him, I said with SOME things he said and that means very little. He said more retarded things than good things.

# May 10, 2005 @ 8:01 AM ET | IP Logged

62. die4dimebag.com writes:

PANTERA f***in rite saw dime last time in briton b 4 he passed away thats 777777777777 times worse than this sory and everything but f***IN DIMEBAG

# May 10, 2005 @ 12:17 PM ET | IP Logged

63. seth writes:

yeah he might of been an idiot for waht he did and yes i mean doing that is truely idiotic but the fact is a great guitarist has been lost but life has its ups and downs and knowing american head charge they should be able to get back on there feet in no time even wit hthis great loss he can never be replaced in the AHC fans hearts though so as long as real fans have that he will never be replaced .

# May 10, 2005 @ 2:34 PM ET | IP Logged

64. yonieK writes:

so they are .. sex , drug and money!

# May 11, 2005 @ 10:20 PM ET | IP Logged

To minimize comment spam/abuse, you cannot post comments on articles over a month old. Please check the sidebar to the right or the related band pages for recent related news articles.