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David O'Brien Obituary

May 23, 1947 - January 13, 2019 David "Frenchy" Francis O'Brien, aged 71, of Silverlake died at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles on Sunday, January 13, 2019. David was born in Worcester, MA, and was the oldest of three children of William and Margaret O'Brien lately of Covina, CA. He graduated from Bishop Amat Memorial High School in 1965. He attended Mt. Sac and Cal-State LA as a music major. David began playing the drums as an early teen, which culminated in his professional career as a drummer for several Los Angeles-based bands. David was a founding member and original drummer for the band, Animotion, which had a top-ten hit, "Obsession" in 1984, for which he and the band received a Canadian Gold Album. He was a long-term, well-loved employee of the Los Angeles Public Library system. David was an avid collector of movie memorabilia, comic books and most importantly…great wine. He is predeceased by his beloved parents. He is survived by his two devoted sisters, Kerry O'Brien Johnson of Aurora, CO, and Maureen O'Brien of Yardley, PA. His graveside service will be held on Tuesday, January 22nd at 3:30 pm at Forest Lawn Covina Hills, reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to the Library Foundation of Los Angeles.

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Published by Los Angeles Times on Jan. 22, 2019.

Memories and Condolences
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6 Entries

Mike

June 18, 2024

I always loved David's drumming on the first 'Animotion' album...means alot to me even to this day...especially on the Animotion song 'Everything's leading to you'..he had a natural flow as a drummer...great fills...wonderful
rhythmic sense...so much drive...Rest in Peace dear David.

Michael F.

May 19, 2024

I just heard "Obsession" by Animotion, and remembered having worked with David at the Robertson Branch Library around that time, and thinking how cool it was to know someone with a hit.
Sorry to discover that he has passed, and way too soon. He helped train me at the library, and was a real nice guy, easy going, and very funny. God rest.

Gary Reams

January 14, 2024

I met Frenchy when he was the drummer for a group named Red Zone led by Jason Ball who was my next door neighbor on Lexington Ave. in Hollywood in the late 70's and early 80's. Before Animotion. Red Zone played at my and my ex's studio in downtown LA. We had a large studio there and Red Zone played there one night with another band for big party we had one night. Hundreds of people there. I started paying drums when I was 9 years old and recognize a good drummer when I saw and heard them and Frency was a damn good drummer. He was also very smart and very cultivated. I had no idea that he was interested in wine as I was also. A fellow oenophile. I was happy to see that Animotion became very famous and successful. Frency went away way too young. A great loss of a great drummer and person. God bless and keep him in that great band in the sky.

Anne Reese

January 16, 2021

Loved you, David. Rest in peace.

Mario

June 17, 2019

I got to know David back in 1967. He was a drummer in fledgling rock groups and part owner in a coffee house called Scorpio '69. We became friends for about 15 years while he lived in Silverlake and around LACC. During those years he joined several LA rock groups while working at the LA Library/main branch the at the library on Robertson in West Los Angeles. He was a fan of Howard Hawks movies and loved watching Fred Astaire movies. I last saw him in 1982 when he was a member of Red Shift. He was a wonderful man. God bless him

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Jan

22

Graveside service

3:30 p.m.

Forest Lawn Covina Hills

CA

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