P.F. Sloan - the songwriter behind "Eve Of Destruction" and "Secret Agent Man" - has died aged 70. Sloan signed his first record deal when he was 13 and went on to write songs for artists including the Turtles, Jan & Dean, the Searchers and Herman's Hermits. His biggest hit, though, was Barry ...
P.F. Sloan – the songwriter behind “Eve Of Destruction” and “Secret Agent Man” – has died aged 70.
Sloan signed his first record deal when he was 13 and went on to write songs for artists including the Turtles, Jan & Dean, the Searchers and Herman’s Hermits.
His biggest hit, though, was Barry McGuire’s “Eve Of Destruction“.
A statement issued by his American publicist confirmed the news of Sloan’s death.
“It is with deepest sadness that we are announcing that P.F. Sloan (Phil) passed away on the evening of November 15, 2015, at his home in Los Angeles. Phil had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer several weeks before and was fighting it valiantly. The world has lost one of its great talents.
“Phil was a key element on the music that became the sound of the Sunset Strip. Phil was a true prodigy, signing his first record deal with Aladdin Records when he was thirteen. He recently published his memoirs, What’s Exactly The Matter With Me? with S.E. Feinberg, and his latest album, My Beethoven has recently been released on Foothill Records.
“P.F. Sloan’s ‘Eve Of Destruction‘ was an anthem for a generation. It is as relevant now as it ever has been.”
The statement also quoted from a 1965 interview with Bob Dylan, who said, “If you want to find out anything that’s happening now, you have to listen to the music. I don’t mean the words, although ‘Eve Of Destruction’ will tell you something about it.”
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