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It hasn’t been an easy tour for Jeff Loomis, and it just got worse. On April 22nd, as he and his band were set to take the stage in Corpus Christi TX, he found out his father had passed away. As a result, he’s taken some time off from the Soilwork tour, and will rejoin next Monday (29). Here’s his statement, via his web site:
On April 22nd in Corpus Christi, Texas, I got the very sad news of my father’s passing right before we were about to perform. I will be flying home to be with my family tonight and will rejoin the Soilwork tour in Richmond, VA on the 29th. Thank you all for your support and warm thoughts.
My dad meant the world to me and this is a very difficult time for both me and my family…
- Jeff
In addition to the 4/24 Houston show, he’ll also be missing the following shows:
4/26 St. Petersburg FL @ State Theater
4/27 Jacksonville FL @ Freebird Live
4/28 Charlotte NC @ The Casbah
It’s definitely unfortunate to hear about Loomis’ dad, and it’s tough to imagine something more awful happening to someone while they’re on tour. It makes getting robbed seem trivial by comparison. Our thoughts go out to Loomis. You can see the remaining tour dates that he’ll be playing after the jump. Read more »
Last Friday (19) was a sad day for everyone in the Crashdiet family. In Nottingham at club Rock City, the band’s manager, Michael Sunden, apparently tripped down some steps, hit his head on a brick wall, and died. Sunden was only 45. No foul play is suspected. “He is believed to have slipped and hit his head against a brick wall in the basement area,” a spokesperson for the Nottingham Police Department commented. “The medical staff performed CPR and he was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. We are not treating it as suspicious and a file has been prepared for the coroner.”
Crashdiet, who’s most recent album, The Savage Playground was released earlier this year, have continued their tour despite the sad loss of their manager. The band recently issued a statement via their Facebook page:
As some of you probably know by now, our manager Michael Sundén has tragically passed away. We are currently out on the road and are shocked and devastated about this horrible news!
Michael took this band to new heights that wouldn’t be possible without him. He will be missed!
Our hearts go out to his wife and kids.
LONDON, CRUZ, SWEET & YOUNG
[NME, via the Nottingham Post]
When it came out yesterday via TMZ that Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne were no longer living together, it was denied both by his publicist and their son Jack. And while Ozzy denied that they’re getting divorced, in a confessional Facebook post, he admitted that he’s been drinking and taking drugs in a very public way of making amends.
For the last year and a half I have been drinking and taking drugs. I was in a very dark place and was an asshole to the people I love most, my family. However, I am happy to say that I am now 44 days sober. Just to set the record straight, Sharon and I are not divorcing. I’m just trying to be a better person.I would like to apologize to Sharon, my family, my friends and my band mates for my insane behavior during this period………and my fans.God Bless,
Ozzy
Ozzy and Sharon have had their fair share of disagreements over the years. In fact, Sharon has spoke about the time that Ozzy
tried to kill her. I’d think that maybe Sharon might have had a flashback to that drug and alcohol-addled evening when she decided to move out. If Ozzy is sincerely trying to remain sober, it’s obviously best for not only his marriage, but also for Black Sabbath, who are set to release their new album,
13, on June 11. With the band ready to tour behind the album, Ozzy should be in the best health possible, both physically and mentally. Although this public admittance may be a desperate attempt to apologize to his wife, it’s also a bold statement to publicly make, and it goes without saying that we hope he stays sober.
A fan reportedly died after attempting to attend Volbeat’s show in Lubbock, Texas last Monday night (March 11). According to KCBD, At the show, 39 year old Jubal Colvin was denied entry to the show (held at the Lonestar Event Center) because he had appeared intoxicated. Eyewitnesses reports claim that he also had tried to sneak a knife into the show (thought that hasn’t been confirmed). Colvin then climbed over a fence and into the venue where security personnel gave chase after spotting him. The chase eventually lead to rooftops, with Colvin apparently tryinh to jump from one roof to the next. However, he missed one jump and fell 20 feet, hitting his head on concrete in the process. Colvin was given CPR and then taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
It’s always unfortunate when something like this happens. Metal shows get enough of a bad rap as it is and the last thing they need is this. Obviously, Colvin’s death was accidental and not directly caused by him being at the show, but that won’t stop some people from trying to point out the dangers of metal shows anyway.
[picture via KCBD]
Egan, right, and Shadows Fall’s Brian Fair
The New York area has lost a pillar of its metal community, as Relapse Records director of retail sales and marketing Pat Egan has passed away. Egan had been in a hospital for the last several months after suffering complications from pneumonia. He’d been showing signs of improvement as recently as last week, and had been texting friends and sending updates about his condition via social media.
A familiar presence at New York and Long Island metal shows, Egan had been at Relapse for the past decade, helping champion bands including Mastodon, High on Fire, Baroness and Red Fang. Before that, he’d worked at KOCH Records, Energy Records and Pavement Records, among others. His entry into the industry was at Long Island independent record store Looney Tunes, where he rose up the ranks from clerk to metal buyer to store manager before entering the record business. A true metalhead, Egan’s passion for metal was apparent to all he came into contact with. He was also a dedicated father and husband. As the many people he’s mentored, laughed with, and rocked out to will be able to attest, it will be hard to imagine life without him.
Randy Gane, keyboardist of Geoff Tate’s version of Queensryche, reportedly suffered a heart attack this past Wednesday (December 26). At the moment, the keyboardist’s condition is unknown. Gane is 53 years old.
Tate confirmed the unfortunate news via the following Facebook post made late last night:
“Please send your prayers and positive thoughts to my good friend and keyboard player; Randy Gane who is currently recovering from suffering a heart attack last night”
We all know what lead to there being two versions of Queensryche. However, before all the drama took place, Gane had already been touring and recording with Queensryche (having appeared on 2009’s American Soldier and 2011 Dedicated To Chaos) as well as well with Tate’s solo project. Gane also co-founded prog metal band Myth in the 80′s with Tate and current Queensryche guitarist Kelly Gray.
Tate’s version of Queensryche is planning to perform Operation: Mindcrime in its entirety on the road this coming April. However, it is unclear whether Gane will be able to tour in light of his recent health scare (as well as who will replace guitarist Glen Drover).
Music isn’t the only medium that’s been affected by the internet (for better or worse). With it becoming easier to consume news and editorial content on the web, more and more magazines are starting to limit or completely shut down their print publications. Now Spin Magazine has become the latest magazine to pull the plug on the print production.
After 27 years, Spin officially announced that Buzzmedia (who purchased the publication back in July) would stop printing the magazine. Spin issued the following statement on the matter:
“Following the September/October issue, SPIN has halted publication of our print edition to invest more deeply in our digital properties, including SPIN.com, SPIN Play for iPad, and SPIN mobile. SPIN has been a pioneer in music journalism since 1985 and we hope you’ll continue to enjoy our leading editorial, photographic, and multi-media content online. Special arrangements have been made with alternative publishers to fulfill your SPIN print subscription for the remaining term: you will automatically receive your new magazine in the mail, with the option to ask for a full refund. We appreciate your patience during the transition of your subscription.”
Shortly after purchasing the publication, Buzzmedia dropped plans to release issues of Spin in October and December and announced plans to shift the magazine to bimonthly. Now, though, Spin will only live on digitally.
Granted, Spin has mostly catered towards alternative and indie music, although their “top 20 metal albums of 2012” list was pretty good. However, Spin’s move towards digital-only further highlights the threat print publications currently face (and not just music journalism either).
[via Mashable]
Just several days into their co-headlining tour with Veil of Maya, The Acacia Strain have announced that due to a van accident, they’re dropping off of the tour. Thankfully nobody was seriously injured, but it’s still enough to make the band tap out of the tour, which will continue on without them. The other bands still on the tour are Upon a Burning Body, Volumes and Twitching Tongues. The picture to the right is from the Facebook page, which is also where the following statement comes from: Read more »
It’s an unfortunate side effect of anyone’s untimely death, especially when they’re famous – before the body even cools, speculation starts about what the cause of death was. And while the tragedy of Suicide Silence frontman Mitch Lucker’s death is still resonating with the metal community, there’s some conjecture that alcohol may have played a part in it.
There was a candlelight vigil for Lucker last night in Huntington Beach, California, and there are reports from an attendee that his wife Jolie, who was at the vigil, spoke out against drunk driving. If the Tumblr account that this report came from is accurate, it’s all the more heartbreaking, suggesting that Lucker’s wife was in a car with his five year-old daughter, Kenadee, following him after begging him not to drive drunk.
She told how she was screaming at him not to leave the house, he was drunk. she tried to stop him. he left and hopped on his motorcycle. she ran to the car (with Kennedy) and followed him down the street, watching him. He whipped around the corner and she thought ‘where the fuck did he go?’ She pulled around the corner and saw his bloody body, and his motorcycle fifty feet away. Kennedy still in the car, she jumped out and screamed ’is he alive?! is he alive?!’ over and over again..and after 8 hours of surgery, he wasn’t.
If this report from the vigil occurred, it just adds to the sadness. It claims that Lucker’s daughter Kenadee, shown stretching with him above, spoke at the vigil, saying “I’m not going to see daddy anymore, he’s in heaven.” Again, neither of these are officially confirmed, so this is still just conjecture at this point, but regardless, it’s still a sad story that continues to unfold. Lucker loved his bike – he’d just shared a picture of him riding it five days ago, and had finished modifying it one week ago. And one month ago to the day, he tweeted “I’d rather die riding 95 than live a life full of nothing but filthy lies.”
A news report filmed at the vigil can be seen after the jump. Read more »
Suicide Silence have released a statement confirming frontman Mitch Lucker’s death via their Facebook page. We’ve also included a clip from the Warped Tour documentary, No Room for Rockstars, that highlights Mitch and his mom.
From the band:
There’s no easy way to say this. Mitch passed away earlier this morning from injuries sustained during a motorcycle accident. This is completely devastating to all of us and we offer our deepest condolences to his family. He will be forever in our hearts.
R.I.P. Mitchell Adam Lucker – We Love You Brother
It hasn’t been an easy tour for Jeff Loomis, and it just got worse. On April 22nd, as he and his band were set to take the stage in Corpus Christi TX, he found out his father had passed away. As a result, he’s taken some time off from the Soilwork tour, and will rejoin next Monday (29). Here’s his statement, via his web site:
Posted by Bram Teitelman on Thu, Apr 25, 2013 at 11:26 am
Sad News, Touring