According to several sources close to musician Frank Navetta, including the lemmingtrail message board, the original member of the pioneering SoCal punk-pop group The Descendents died on Friday (10/31) "after becoming ill over the course of a few days." In 1978 guitarist Navetta formed the Manhattan Beach-based group The Descendents along with Tony Lombardo and Bill Stevenson. Navetta reportedly was the one to give the band their name. Milo Aukerman joined in their second year. Navetta remained a member for six years. After leaving the band, Navetta, who penned the Descendents' fishing themed song "Mr Bass," moved north to Oregon to become a full time fisherman.
Navetta's last recordings with the Descendents were on the album I Don't Want To Grow Up. Navetta's songwriting legacy includes such Descendents classics as "Parents," "My Dad Sucks,""Marriage," and "Statue of Liberty" off Milo Goes To College (you can listen below). Six years ago Navetta rejoined Tony Lombardo and Bill Stevenson for a kind of Descendents reunion at ALL's (ALL being the band that morphed out of the Descendants) Stockage fest in Fort Collins, Colorado, where the group played songs from their pre Milo lineup including "Ride The Wild" and "It's A Hectic World."
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Yes guitarist Ray Cooper, who replaced Navetta in the Descendents, did indeed play on "I Don't Want To Grow Up" but so too did Navetta play guitar on three of the 14 track album's songs: the title track, "Rockstar," and "NO F.B." Rest In Peace Frank Navetta.
Frank wrote those songs on "Grow Up" but didn't play on that album. Those were old songs that were around before their first split in 83.
Frank actually didn't play on I Don't Want To Grow Up. That was Ray Cooper. The guys did record a couple of records over the past few years. Maybe they'll see the light of day eventually.