Guitarist Robbin Crosby made his mark as the axe-slinger for Ratt, one of the seminal hard rock outfits of the 1980s. Often thought of as the unofficial glue that held the group together during their early years, his songwriting skills and charismatic playing were some of the major factors in the group's success. He split from the band in 1991, and little was heard from the guitarist for several years. Unfortunately, a terrible heroin habit that he developed while with the band had left him with HIV, which eventually led to full-blown AIDS. He kept relatively quiet until 2001, when he came to the public about the illness. Former bandmates tried to organize benefits and events for him, but Crosby's declining health eventually cost him his life in June of 2002 at the age of 41. ~ Bradley Torreano, Rovi