Hunter S. Thompson

Born: 18 July 1937 in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Died: 20 February 2005 in Woody Creek, near Aspen, Colorado, USA (aged 67). American journalist & author. A proverbial loose cannon in the world of writers, imbuing his work with manic first-person subjectivity, that would come to tag him the master of Gonzo journalism. He wrote one Dr. Gonzo into his most-known novel "Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas", a trip to LA in every sense of the word. His world was one of uppers, downers, speed & guns - an attitude that stood him well when reporting the fall of Saigon. In "Kingdom Of Fear" he describes how the police found a drug hoard and dynamite in a raid on Owl Farm, his 'fortified' home in Woody Creek. Thompson shot himself in the head at his home. His funeral was organized by friend Johnny Depp. His ashes were fired from a cannon, mounted upon a 153ft tower of Thompson's own design that was shaped like a 2-thumbed fist holding a peyote mushroom (a symbol now used for Gonzo work). The ceremony took place to Norman Greenbaum "Spirit In The Sky" and Bob Dylan "Mr. Tambourine Man" and the launching of red, white, blue & green fireworks - all as part of his last wishes.