John Wysocki, a drummer and founding member of the rock band Staind, has died at the age of 53, according to his current band members.
Bandmates from Wysocki’s current project, Lydia’s Castle, announced his death on social media over the weekend, KTLA sister station WTRF reports.
“On 5/18/2024 at 8:02pm, (John Wysocki) passed away surrounded by family and friends who loved him very much. An official statement will be developed shortly,” the band wrote in an Instagram post shared on Saturday.
The Stand also released a statement on Wysocki’s death the next day.
“We first met John in 1994 through mutual friends,” reads a statement posted on the band’s social media pages. “We came together with Mike, Aaron and Johnny April in 1995 and formed Staind. The 17 years that followed are some of the best memories of our time together. From rehearsals in Ludlow, (Massachusetts) to touring around the world, John was an integral part of us as a band. Our condolences are with John’s family and fans around the world who loved him.”
Wysocki was one of the four original members of Staind, along with lead singer Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, and bassist Johnny April. Wysocki left the band in 2011, before briefly joining the band Soil.
“I was very frustrated with it all, so I told the guys, ‘As much as I love this band and I love you guys, I have to go. This is not the stain we started with,'” Wysocki once said in an interview for the 2021 book Nu Metal: The Definitive Guide.
Staind’s lead singer Aaron Lewis also released a personal statement following Wysocki’s passing, calling him a “brother in arms”.
“My journey would have been different without him,” Lewis said in part. “The battles we fought together. The battles we fought against each other. The battles we fought alone, side by side with our own demons. The battles we won and the battles we lost. He was my friend. He was our brother. My heart is broken. My world has changed. I will see you on the other side my friend. My brother. God speed. My heart, my love and my condolences are with his family and loved ones. I am so sad. He will be missed.”
Wysocki’s cause of death had not been made public as of Monday morning.
