Tuesday, November 10, 2009

R.I.P. Jerry Fuchs




















Sadly, one of my favorite musicians whom I can recall having seen play and had the pleasure of meeting, passed away this last weekend. The same Jerry Fuchs that I wrote about a few months back and then saw play at Club Congress in October with his band, Maserati, was involved in an elevator accident in Brooklyn late Saturday night. He died shortly after being taken to the hospital that morning. Jerry was 34 years old and a veteran of the music industry, perhaps best known as the drummer of !!!, Maserati, the Juan MacLean, and Turing Machine, while also collaborating with Holy Ghost!, LCD Soundsystem, and others.

Death always seems premature, especially when someone has so much going for them. In the three times that I saw Maserati play and a rather vague recollection of seeing a Juan MacLean show prior to those, I can honestly say that Jerry was truly the greatest, if not the most inspiring, drummer I've ever seen perform. Never have I been so infatuated with a band's percussion to the extent as I have when watching a Maserati show. Growing up, we all have heroes, idols, mentors, and favorite players. Jerry was like a favorite player of mine and I have a feeling that I'm not alone in that.

It's not everyday that you meet somebody like Jerry Fuchs. Though our conversation was limited only to a little over half an hour or so when we spoke after Maserati's set in Tucson last month, he immediately struck me as someone who was extremely kind, knowledgeable, passionate, and above all, down-to-earth. Under most circumstances it would be strange to refer to such an acquaintance as a friend of yours but after having the kind of exchange I had with Jerry, I'm not sure if I could appropriately refer to him as anything other than that. He was just that kind of guy. Thanks for the memories, buddy.

Maserati - Live at the Middle East 2 from Scott Wessen on Vimeo.





New York Times article on Fuchs' death
Rolling Stone article on Fuchs' death
Village Voice article on Fuchs published in '07

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