Metallica paid tribute to one of their fans, Lorne, who tragically died during their concert last week in Edmonton, Canada.

The band shared a post on their social media today (Aug. 28) with a photo of Lorne, whose nickname was apparently “Viking.”

“Friday night, August 23rd, in Edmonton we lost a Metallica family member at the show. He died due to health conditions. Leaving the earthly body and onto the next adventure. Very sad when death happens, but we’re touched that he spent some of his final, hopefully joyful, time with us,” they wrote in the post.

“Our condolences to the family and friends of Lorne ‘Viking.’ With Love and Respect, Metallica.”

A friend of Lorne’s also shared a post about the tragedy in a Metallica fan group on Facebook, explaining that Lorne had been taken out of the Snake Pit on a stretcher by EMS and received “aggressive” CPR.

“He was the kindest soul. We all called him Viking. He will be missed terribly! Please crank up a Metallica song, and raise a glass for the Viking,” they wrote.

 

Facebook – M72 World Tour 2023/2024 (Metallica)

Metallica are still on tour in support of their 2023 album 72 Seasons, playing two shows in each city along the way. Wolfgang Van Halen’s Mammoth WVH and Pantera open the show during the first night every weekend, and Ice Nine Kills and Five Finger Death Punch open the second.

Their next two shows will take place this weekend on Aug. 28 and Sept. 1 in Seattle, Washington.

Rockers We’ve Lost in 2024

We say farewell to some amazingly talented performers and rock movers and shakers.

Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire

magnum, tony clarkin, 2024 deaths

YouTube: Rockpages TV

Tony Clarkin (Magnum)

Founding Magnum guitarist Tony Clarkin died on Jan. 7 at the age of 77.

His passing followed a short illness and came just days before the release of Magnum’s 23rd studio album, Here Comes the Rain. The band had recently canceled an upcoming tour after learning that Clarkin had been diagnosed with a rare spinal condition.

Magnum’s career started with the 1978 studio album, Kingdom of Madness. The group’s biggest successes came in the U.K. where the group scored hit songs with “Days of No Trust,” “Start Talking Love,” “It Must Have Been Love” and “Rockin’ Chair.”

james kottak, scorpions, 2024 deaths

Chung Sung-Jun, Getty Images

James Kottak (Ex-Scorpions, Kingdom Come)

James Kottak, best known for his time playing drums for Scorpions, died on Jan. 9 at the age of 61. An official cause of death was not given.

Kottak played with several name bands throughout the years, including Montrose, Kingdom Come, the McAuley Schenker Group, Warrant and Ashba.

He was a member of Scorpions starting with their 1999 album, Eye II Eye, all the way through to 2015’s Return to Forever. But the drummer’s troubles with alcoholism eventually led to his dismissal from the band.

wayne kramer, mc5, 2024 deaths

Photo by Jim Newberry

Wayne Kramer (MC5)

Legendary MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer died on Feb. 2 at the age of 75.

The news was confirmed by Kramer’s various social platforms, soon followed by a second posting that revealed that the musician had died after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

The MC5’s tenure was brief, with the band recording only two major label studio albums and a live album. They included 1969’s Kick Out the Jams, featuring the high energy title track that would become their signature song, as well as 1971’s Back in the USA and 1972’s High Time.

Due to their vocal political beliefs, the group faced governmental harassment and radio backlash over the course of their career. As a result, they would eventually split by 1972.

After MC5 split, Kramer ran into legal trouble when he sold drugs to undercover federal agents. As a result, he was sentenced to four years in prison.

Following his release from jail in 1979, Kramer returned to music, playing with Was (Not Was), and Gang War, among others. He also found work as a session guitarist and worked as a producer for other acts. Throughout the ’80s and ’90s, he also had a side career in woodworking.

In the ’90s, he started up a solo career, one that yielded five studio albums.

In 2018, Kramer returned to the road with an all-star lineup of musicians to celebrate 50 years of “Kick Out the Jams,” playing with Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil and Matt Cameron, Fugazi’s Brendan Canty, Zen Guerrilla’s Marcus Durant, King’s X’s Dug Pinnick and Faith No More’s Billy Gould.

In 2022, Kramer spoke of plans to record a new MC5 album. He even went so far as teasing a new song called “Heavy Lifting” that featured a guest turn from Tom Morello.

Though nominated multiple times, the MC5 have yet to make the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But their influence has remained strong over a generation of musicians.

mojo nixon, 2024 deaths

YouTube: Radial by the Orchard

Mojo Nixon

Mojo Nixon, the iconic alt-rock musician who reached his greatest heights in the ’80s, died on Feb. 7 at the age of 66.

Nixon had been on board the annual Outlaw Country Cruise where he experienced a “cardiac event” at the time of his death. In his latter years, Nixon had become a DJ and was actually a co-host on the cruise.

“August 2, 1957 — February 7, 2024 Mojo Nixon. How you live is how you should die. Mojo Nixon was full-tilt, wide-open rock hard, root hog, corner on two wheels + on fire,” stated Nixon’s family on Facebook, adding, “Passing after a blazing show, a raging night, closing the bar, taking no prisoners + a good breakfast with bandmates and friends. A cardiac event on the Outlaw Country Cruise is about right… & that’s just how he did it.
Mojo has left the building.”

Nixon was best known for his ’80s singles “Elvis Is Everywhere,” “Don Henley Must Die” and “Debbie Gibson Is Pregnant With My Two-Headed Love Child.”

He also scored acting roles in the Jerry Lee Lewis biopic, Great Balls of Fire, Super Mario Bros. and Car 54, Where Are You?.

greg fritz hinz, helix, 2024 deaths

YouTube: Vince Distefano’s Hard Rock & Heavy Metal Vault

Greg ‘Fritz’ Hinz (Ex-Helix)

Longtime Helix drummer Greg “Fritz” Hinz died Feb. 16 at the age of 68.

It was reported that the musician died after a nearly year-long battle with cancer.

Hinz joined the group in 1982, remaining behind the kit through 1996. He later returned to the band in 2009.

Singer Brian Vollmer said of the musician, “Fritz was the consummate rock drummer. It was his craft. He prided himself in his playing, and well he should have … The world has lost one of its great rock drummers …. Fritz… loved his drums and he loved drumming and performing. He took great pride in everything he did. I’m going to miss him so much.”

Hinz played on many of the band’s biggest hits, including, “Gimme Gimme Good Lovin,” “Rock You,” “Good to the Last Drop” and “Deep Cuts the Knife.”

bobby tench, jeff beck group, 2024 deaths

YouTube: tamagoya429

Bobby Tench (ex-Jeff Beck Group)

Bobby Tench, the singer-guitarist who was best known for his time in the Jeff Beck Group, died on Feb. 19 at the age of 79.

The musician started his career with the band The Gass, but his big break came when he was invited by Jeff Beck to replace Rod Stewart in The Jeff Beck Group. He appeared on Rough and Ready and 1972’s The Jeff Beck Group album.

That opened doors for a lot of opportunities, with Tench eventually playing with Ginger Baker, Van Morrison, Freddie King, Humble Pie and Topper Headon among others.

vitalij kuprij, trans-siberian orchestra, 2024 deaths

Jeremy Drey, MediaNews Group, Reading Eagle / Getty Images

Vitalij Kuprij (Trans-Siberian Orchestra)

Vitalij Kuprij, a member of Trans-Siberian Orchestra and a highly regarded Ukrainian-American pianist and keyboardist, died on Feb. 20 at 49, according to his friend and musical colleague Lars Eric Mattsson, a Finnish guitarist and producer.

Kuprij performed with Trans-Siberian Orchestra on their latest seasonal tour throughout November and December 2023. And before rejoining the symphonic heavy metal band in 2021, he was also included in their lineup from 2009 to 2019.

In total, the keyboardist was part of the group for 17 winter tours, where Trans-Siberian Orchestra are known for their holiday-driven stage show based on their several Christmas albums.

Outside of TSO, he joined the neoclassical metal band Artension in the late 1990s and he also worked with also worked with the Mark Boals-fronted Ring of Fire as well as the Vivaldi Metal Project.

bob heil, bob heil talk box, 2024 deaths

Belleville News-Democrat, Getty Images

Bob Heil (Bob Heil Talk Box Creator)

Bob Heil, best known for creating the Bob Heil Talk Box effect unit, died on Feb. 28 at the age of 83 after a battle with cancer.

Peter Frampton – whose use of the Heil Talk Box on 1976 release Frampton Comes Alive! made the device’s reputation – said: “I am so sorry to hear of the loss of my friend for so many years, Bob Heil. A musician, inventor… Heil Sound and microphones.”

Describing the Talk Box as “a very important present” which he’d received for Christmas in 1974, Frampton added: “Can never thank Bob enough. Rest in power my friend.”

Joe Walsh – for whom Heil’s Talk Box was developed in 1973 – recalled Heil’s motto, “So waddya got that doesn’t work?” and commented: “[A] tireless problem solver, a mentor to me and guide on my guitar journey, Bob was our wizard in the Midwest. He was also my friend for more than 50 years.

“’So waddya got that doesn’t work?’ Well, I don’t think my phone is working because you’re not picking up. RIP, man. I love you and miss you already. Sending love to… the world of audioheads you leave behind.”

jim beard, steely dan, 2024 deaths

Solters

Jim Beard (Steely Dan)

Jim Beard, a pianist, keyboardist and composer who played with Steely Dan as well as jazz legends Wayne Shorter, Pat Metheny and John McLaughlin, died on March 2 after complications from a sudden illness at the age of 63.

The musician had been a member of Steely Dan’s touring lineup since 2008 and last performed with the group on Jan. 20 during a concert in Phoenix.

According to Deadline, Beard has more than 100 published compositions featured on recordings by John McLaughlin, Michael Brecker and many others and in books such as The New Real Book.

Beard recorded six solo albums, most recently Show of Hands in 2013. His productions and compositions have been nominated for seven Grammy awards, and he won a Grammy in 2007 as a featured performer on Some Skunk Funk by Randy and Michael Brecker.

brit turner, blackberry smoke, 2024 deaths

Rick Diamond, Getty Images

Brit Turner (Blackberry Smoke)

Brit Turner, drummer for country-rock outfit Blackberry Smoke, died on March 3, according to a social media post from the band. He was 57 years old.

In fall of 2022, Turner was diagnosed with glioblastoma, which is a fast-growing form of brain cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic. He underwent surgery to fight the cancer that November, just months after suffering a serious heart attack at home that summer.

Turner co-founded Blackberry Smoke in Atlanta, Ga. in 2000, and in their statement announcing his death, the band described him as their “True North” and the “compass” that guided and will continued to guide their musical direction.

blake harrison, pig destroyer, 2024 deaths

Evil Robb Photography, Loudwire

Blake Harrison (Ex-Pig Destroyer)

Blake Harrison, the former sampler for Pig Destroyer, died on March 9 at the age of 49.

Harrison initially joined the band in 2006 and continued with them through 2022, when he exited the group. Over the course of his time with Pig Destroyer, he was known for adding noise and extra sound elements to the band’s music through his sampler.

Harrison got his start playing with the band Daybreak, but often crossed paths with Pig Destroyer in his early days, befriending them before eventually joining the band. He initially started helping out with merch, then became their sound designer before he was added to the band.

Harrison first appeared on the band’s 2007 album, Phantom Limb. He also was a part of 2012’s Book Burner, as well as 2018’s Head Cage.

Harrison’s significant other posted that the musician had battled and beat cancer in recent years, along with facing other health issues. But his death happened unexpectedly.

karl wallinger, world party, the waterboys, 2024 deaths

Jeff Gentner, Getty Images

Karl Wallinger (World Party, Waterboys)

Karl Wallinger, singer-songwriter for the alt-rock bands World Party and The Waterboys, died on March 10 at the age of 66. No cause of death was initially given.

Wallinger joined The Waterboys in 1983, pairing with leader Mike Scott who commented that Wallinger was “one of the finest musicians I’ve ever known” upon learning of his death. Wallinger played keyboards in the group between 1983 and 1985. He appeared on one of the band’s biggest singles, “The Whole of the Moon,” in 1985.

After exiting The Waterboys, Wallinger founded World Party in 1986. The group released five studio albums, starting with 1987’s Private Revolution and concluding with 2000’s Dumbing Up.

World Party scored a string of college radio and alt-rock hits with “Ship of Fools,” “Put the Message in the Box,” “Way Down Now” and “Is It Like Today.” Another of Wallinger’s World Party songs, the ballad “She’s the One,” later became a U.K. chart-topper for Robbie Williams.

Wallinger’s music career was derailed for a period in the early 2000s when the musician suffered a brain aneurysm in 2001, losing his peripheral vision in the right side of both eyes. He would suspend all music work for five years before resuming his career in 2006.

eric carmen, the raspberries, 2024 deaths

YouTube: Eric Carmen

Eric Carmen (Ex-The Raspberries)

Eric Carmen, frontman for the ’70s rock band The Raspberries who later found success as a solo artist, died in March 2024 at the age of 74.

The musician got his big break fronting the ’70s outfit, The Raspberries, who leaned into Carmen’s piano playing talents pulling from their Beatles influences to provide such standouts as their biggest hit “Go All the Way,” as well as “I Wanna Be With You,” “Let’s Pretend” and “Overnight Sensation.”

After the band split, Carmen set out on a solo career that featured the breakout ballad “All By Myself” and “Never Fall in Love Again.” After a bit of a lull in his career, Carmen regained his pop chops with a string of hits that included “I Want to Hear It From Your Lips,” the Dirty Dancing soundtrack song “Hungry Eyes” and “Make Me Lose Control.”

keith leblanc, 2024 deaths

YouTube: KEITH LEBLANC

Keith LeBlanc (Producer)

Keith LeBlanc, the acclaimed drummer and producer who worked with Nine Inch Nails, Peter Gabriel, The Cure, Living Colour and others, died on April 4 at the age of 69 following an undisclosed illness.

As a drummer and programmer, he had worked with such bands as R.E.M., Robert Palmer, the Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, Annie Lennox and more.

michael ward, the wallflowers, 2024 deaths

YouTube: The Wallflowers

Michael Ward (The Wallflowers)

Michael Ward, the former guitarist for The Wallflowers, on April 1 at the age of 57.

The band commented, “Michael
With love and gratitude the Wallflowers say farewell to the great and singular Michael Ward. Michael’s role and talents will forever remain a crucial part of the band’s history. His contributions to music began before his time with the Wallflowers and continued long after his time with the band. Listening to Thin Lizzy on a sorrowful day. Rest now Mike. Much love to his family and his two children.”

Ward was a member of the Jakob Dylan-led group between 1995-2001, appearing on their most successful album, 1996’s Bringing Down the Horse and its 2000 follow-up Breach.

cj snare, firehouse, 2024 deaths

Robertus Pudyanto, Getty Images

CJ Snare (Firehouse)

CJ Snare, frontman for Firehouse, passed away on Friday, April 5 at teh age of 64.

“It is with great sorrow we are letting the world know we have lost our brother: CJ Snare, the rock and roll warrior, lead vocalist, and a founding member of Firehouse,” the band wrote on their Facebook page. “CJ snare passed unexpectedly at home Friday night, April 5, 2024. He was a young 64 years old. … We are all in complete shock with CJ’s untimely passing.”

Snare was a co-founding member of the group and co-wrote on all three of their Top 20 hits – co-wrote all three of the band’s top 20 hits – 1991’s “Don’t Treat Me Bad” and “Love of a Lifetime” and 1992’s “When I Look Into Your Eyes.”

dickey betts, allman brothers band, 2024 deaths

Carlo Allegri, Getty Images

Dickey Betts (Allman Brothers Band)

It was announced that legendary Allman Brothers Band guitarist Dickey Betts had died on April 18. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musician had been suffering from cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Betts’ song “Ramblin’ Man” was a No. 2 single for the band in 1973. He remained with the group through several stints in the band, but exited the reunion lineup in 2000 after a legal dispute with the group. In the years after, he continued working under the moniker The Dickey Betts Band as well as Dickey Betts & Great Southern.

john barbata, jefferson starship

Roger Ressmeyer/CORBIS/VCG , Getty Images

John Barbata (Jefferson Starship)

John Barbata, the former Jefferson Starship drummer, died in May 2024 at the age of 79.

The band paid tribute to him on its Facebook page, writing, “We are saddened to hear of the passing of the great John Barbata, Jefferson Starship’s original drummer. Our thoughts go out to his family, friends and fans. Rock in peace, Johnny!”

The musician reportedly passed on May 8, but no cause of death was given.

david sanborn

Dimitrios Kambouris, Getty Images

David Sanborn

Legendary saxophone player David Sanborn died May 12 at the age of 78 after an extended battle with prostate cancer.

Though mostly known for his jazz work, Sanborn was also a popular guest player amongst rock bands, having lent his saxophone talents to David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen and the Eagles among others. He also worked with Steely Dan, Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, Kenny Loggins and more.

Read More: Metallica Pay Tribute to Fan Who Died During Their Concert | https://loudwire.com/metallica-pay-tribute-fan-died-concert/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral