Death is part of the circle of life. It is with a heavy heart that I've recently learned of the untimely passing of three musicians: Germany's Andreas Hedjran (aka Hedj), the UK's Phil Vane (lead vocalist for grindcore band Extreme Noise Terror) and USA's Mike Starr (former bassist for Alice In Chains).
Andreas Hedjran | 1984-2011 | RIP
Hedj is one of my favorite Drum & Bass producers, and had released tunes on Trust In Music and Bad Taste. Two of my personal favorites are "disjunction (N Phect remix)" on Trust In Music and "acid fruit" on from 'The Reaction' LP on Fall Out UK Recordings. According to kmag, he was swimming in a river near his home when the strong current pushed him under. Paramedics failed to keep him alive; he was 27 when he passed. Bad Taste will be releasing the final tune that Hedj had been working on, which Blokhe4d have finished up, entitling it "spirit" (backed with a collaboration that he made with fellow German producers Neonlight called "the joker") in the near future. All proceeds from the release will be donated to his family. RIP.
Phil Vane | 1965-2011 | RIP
Phil Vane, of highly influential grindcore band Extreme Noise Terror, passed in his sleep at the age of 46 on February 17, 2011. ENT was formed in Ipswitch, UK in 1985 and have been a major influence in the hardcore, grindcore and crust punk scenes, with their political lyrics and short, brutal songs. The band was a favorite of late BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel (know also for supporting Napalm Death early in their career) and recorded several Peel Sessions with him. My favorite release has to be the split that they recorded with Trap Them for Deathwish, Inc. in 2008. It was a 7" split single featuring ENT on side A with their tune "religion is fear", backed with Trap Them's "day eighteen: enders". Totally brutal. RIP.
Mike Starr | 1966-2011 | RIP
Mike Starr, founding and former member of legendary (in my opinion, anyways) rock band Alice In Chains, has passed away at the age of 44 on March 8th, 2011. Although the cause of death was not immediately know, Starr was known to have battled substance abuse for sometime. He appeared on the VH1 reality show "Celebrity Rehab" last year, battling an addiction to heroin. Former vocalist Layne Staley died from an overdose of cocaine and heroin in 2002. Alice In Chains' second LP, 1992's "Dirt", was the first CD that I ever owned; tracks such as "them bones", "damn that river", "rain when I die", "rooster", "angry chair" and of course the incredible "would?" were pretty much the soundtrack to my freshman and sophomore years in high school. RIP.
Life is too short. Do all that you can in the time that you have. No regrets.
