Died On This Date (August 8, 2011) Eric Stevenson / Drummer For Only Living Witness
themusicsover Eric Stevenson
DOB Unknown – August 8, 2011
Eric Stevenson was a founding member and drummer for Boston, Massachusetts area metal/hardcore band, Only Living Witness. Formed in 1989, the band self-released a handful of demos before being signed by respected metal label, Century Media who released their acclaimed debut, Prone Mortal Form in 1993. Then band went on to tour the world and the label released a follow-up, but only after the group had already split up in 1995. Only Living Witness reunited for a handful of shows in 2008. Prior to his tenure with the band, Stevenson played in Formicide. In early 2011, Eric Stevenson learned he was suffering from melanoma which ultimately took his life on August 8, 2011. He was 46.
What You Should Own
Mike Reaves was a guitarist in alternative metal band, Full Devil Jacket. Formed as Voodoo Hippies in Jackson, Tennessee, the band changed its name to Full Devil Jacket just before being signed to Island Records during the late ’90s. The band went on to release an EP and their self-titled full length debut which quickly went gold. The band was a popular live draw and toured with the likes of Creed, Stone Temple Pilots, and Type O Negative. Following his departure from Full Devil Jacket, Reaves played with Travisty and collaborated with 3 Legged Dog, Jasmine Cain and Randy Lovelace. During the spring of 2010, Reaves was diagnosed with prostate cancer which ultimately took his life on July 25, 2011. He was 52.
Taiji Sawada was a respected Japanese musician who is perhaps best remembered for his bass work with popular metal bands, X Japan and Loudness. A gifted musician by his early teens, Sawada dropped out of high school to form his first band, Trash in which he played guitar until switching to bass a couple of years later. He went on to play in a handful of other bands until joining X Japan in 1986. One of Japan’s most influential hard rock bands, X Japan released several singles and one full length album before being signed by Sony Music in 1988. Sawada played on the band’s first three album, including Blue Blood, which is arguably one of the best metal releases of the ’80s. After leaving X Japan, Sawada was asked to join Loudness, playing on just one studio and one live album before departing to form his own band. Over the better part of the next 20 years, he played in numerous bands including D.T.R., Cloud Nine, and the Killing Red Addiction, as well as his own projects. Meanwhile, Sawada reportedly suffered from epilepsy and chronic strokes for many years. On July 11, 2011, he was arrested after an alleged altercation with a flight attendant on a plane en route from Japan to Saipan. Sawada faced federal charges in the United States as a result. While in a holding cell, he allegedly tried to commit suicide by hanging himself with a bed sheet only to be discovered by staff and rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced brain-dead and remained on life support for the next several days. On July 17, 2011, Taiji Sawada passed away after being removed from life support at the request of his family. He was 45.
Mario Comesanas was a popular DJ on SiriusXM’s Liquid Metal channel. He launched his radio career at New Jersey’s Seton Hall University legendary college radio station, WSOU where he quickly built a sizable following for his passion for all things metal. He eventually got hired on as a host on Sirius’ Hard Attack channel which was later re-branded as Liquid Metal following the merger with XM. Comesanas also wrote for Revolver magazine and sang for hardcore bands December Aeternalis and Low Road. Mario Comesanas died of an apparent brain hemorrhage on June 13, 2011. He was 30.