Mikey Welsh: 1971-2011
Ex-Weezer bassist, dies in Chicago
Former Weezer bassist Mikey Welsh passed away this last Saturday on the eve of Weezer’s headlining gig at this years Riot Fest. According to his Facebook page (which I follow), Welsh posted on Oct. 1st (below) that he was going on vacation and that he was looking forward to seeing the mighty =w= rock out.
Mikey replaced Matt Sharp as the bassist for the band between 1998-2001 and recorded with them on their mainstream comeback The Green Album. After some time with the band, Welsh quit due to what he said in a 2007 interview with Rock Salt Plum as a lifetime of doing drugs and being undiagnosed as having bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and borderline personality disorder finally caught up with me when I was 30 yrs old. After he left Weezer, Welsh quit music and dedicated himself to painting and fine art, selling paintings through his Facebook page and website as well as commissions for tattoos and Skateboard companies. He had said many times that his art was his therapy and helped him deal with his own personal issues.
Long time Weezer web master Karl Koch had this to say about Welsh in a blog post on Sunday via the Weezer website:
Dear friends and fans,
It saddens me and the guys in Weezer so much to say that our beautiful, creative, hilarious and sweet friend Mikey Welsh has passed away at the very young age of 40. A unique talent, a deeply loving friend and father, and a great artist is gone, but we will never forget him. His chapter in the weezer story (’98 – ’01) was vital, essential, wild, and amazing.
While the cause of death is unknown at the moment, it is suspected to be drug related. It really sucks because having followed him for a few months now, he came off as someone who really enjoyed life in spite of his troubles and was a gracious artist who really gave back to his fans. He seemed to be truly appreciative of his online fans and followers, even reaching out to those online in his times of need for encouragement and support. I like to think he knew how much his fans loved and appreciated his humor, spirit and talent. I know I did.
Thanks Mikey.
About the Author
Chip Copeland Chip is co-host of the Sock Monkey Sound podcast. Current listens include Local Natives - Hummingbird, My Bloody Valentine, Toro Y Moi, New Terminus, Geronimo!.
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