Former Weezer Bassist Dies Age 40
Mikey Welsh was found dead in a Chicago hotel room over the weekend...
The musician - who played with the US band between 1998 and 2001 - went on to become a successful artist in his own right.
The news of his death at the Raffaello Hotel in Chicago was posted on weezer.com over the weekend.
"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."
The tribute goes on to say, "No one had quite the stage presence of Mikey, nor have there been many who pulled the types of shenanigans he did at shows. If it rocked, he had to try it - and he always found a way to pull it off."
Earlier this month the musician had tweeted his excitement about seeing his former bandmates:
"...hello hello.. so i'm going on my first vacation in quite a long time.. very stoked.. first i'm off to nashville, to be photographed working on a big painting by a very good friend of mine [we'll get some shots up here eventually] .. and then off to chicago, to see the mighty =w= rock out.. i'm excited to see the boys, hang out and have some fun.. so everyone take care.. i'll be posting some weird random sh*t up here [as usual] over the next 9 days or so..... love--m."
He was due to be seeing Weezer perform at RIOTfest in Chicago yesterday. The band decided to play the show as planned.
"As sad as it is to think about, we know Mikey would never want the rock stopped on his account - quite the contrary in fact. While we wont see him, we know he will be there rocking out with us!"
It is not yet known how he died.
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