Avenged Sevenfold drummer The Rev found dead

[metalfan87]

Avenged Sevenfold drummer James “The Rev” Sullivan was found dead at his home in Huntington Beach, CA yesterday, December 28th. Authorities say Sullivan’s death appeared to be of natural causes.

[pen]

That's absolutely terrible news, although I should point out that it doesn't exactly belong here but in the General Music News section.

[Shadows in the Dark]

I do not like this at all. :(

[metalfan87]

Dec 29, 2009 12:22:21 GMT -5 pen said:

That's absolutely terrible news, although I should point out that it doesn't exactly belong here but in the General Music News section.

but this is a rock music-related news so I think it's better to post here

[onefrayedrepublic]

Never was a fan of Avenged, but he was a fine drummer. I'm saddened to hear of this news.

[American Idiot]

I was absolutely shocked and saddened when I read this in the news when I got to work earlier today. He was so young and there wasn't really a cause of death besides "natural." That honestly scares the absolute shit out of me. He was an awesome drummer, and I really wonder how the band is going to continue on in the same way without him. He'll be difficult to replace and will be missed.

[metalfan87]

I hope this doesn't spell the end of A7X.

[Cody]

ouch why does stuff like this always seem to happen in 3s. Britney Murphy last week now this? This is awful I hope this doesnt happen again in the near future :(

[metalfan87]

i think he'll be difficult to replace

[fran182]

Damn. That sucks. :(

I wonder if its death had to do with drugs. Otherwise, it's really really strange.

RIP.

[American Idiot]

Dec 29, 2009 19:24:05 GMT -5 @fran182 said:

Damn. That sucks. :(

I wonder if its death had to do with drugs. Otherwise, it's really really strange.

RIP.

Yeah, I wondered about that as well. It takes awhile to do an autopsy to find drugs in his system, so it's a possibility.

[crash46]

I love Avenged Sevenfold and it broke my heart to hear this news last night. All I could do after that was soak it all in by listening to all of their music. The songs will live forever, but A7X will never be the same without The Rev. :'(.

[Nicholas2.0]

This devastated me. On top of my own loss, I feel so sorry for Jimmy's family and friends, but especially his four best friends. For me, this is almost like if Ringo Starr had died unexpectedly at 28. Maybe this is like losing John Bonham or Keith Moon. Hopefully the comparisons stop there, with the face value of drummers in hugely important (this whole analogy is that A7X is that important to me) rock bands dying young. Gathering that Jimmy was the most reckless guy in the group, my spirits will brighten if the cause turns out not to be drug-related. I know they made a conscious effort a couple years back to steer media coverage away from their drug use and more toward their music and brotherhood, though they never mixed business and pleasure. I know at least Shadows and the Rev have wives now, and I truly hope that the lack of attention to it means that band drug use had at least scaled back, if not stopped altogether. I'm hoping they didn't just shut up about drug (ab)use and sweep it under the rug.

As for the fate of Avenged, I hear the tracking for the new album is done. I don't know if that includes overdubs or if any vocals (backing vocals, in particular) have been recorded. So at best, let's say Jimmy's parts are all recorded and ready to go. It goes without saying his death pushes back everything, but when the album finally gets released, what then? Do they hire a temporary drummer to fill in for live shows? And would he be able to pull off the Rev's backing vocals? Jimmy is irreplaceable. His drumming and to a lesser extent, his backing vocals are huge components of Avenged's sound. Not to mention he's a best friend of his bandmates. Assuming Jimmy's drum tracks are complete, I'd love to hear the new album, but beyond that, I just don't know what comes next.

It's so unfair that I'll never be able to enjoy Avenged's music quite as much or in the same way ever again as I have for the past 6 years.

Dec 30, 2009 0:34:23 GMT -5 crash46 said:

I love Avenged Sevenfold and it broke my heart to hear this news last night. The songs will live forever, but A7X will never be the same without The Rev. :'(.

Seconded. And as for your sentence I deleted, I got started today, and I'll get there (and was and will be repeatedly brought to tears with any prominent drum fill or groove, any death lyric, or any musical parts of any songs that intensely moved me to begin with under the right circumstances), but I regrettably don't have the time for an A7X marathon right now. Plus, despite being chronologically appropriate, I wouldn't get the most meaningful impact if I started with the EP or Sounding the Seventh Trumpet. I had to start with Waking the Fallen, a truly watershed album in my musical life. I got through the first 9 tracks today in the car, and meant to finish it off once I got in the door, but I didn't have the time, and now it's too late to give it (or any music) my attention, as I'm winding down for bed now.

[lockebox]

Dec 29, 2009 19:24:05 GMT -5 @fran182 said:

Damn. That sucks. :(

I wonder if its death had to do with drugs. Otherwise, it's really really strange.

RIP.

That would be odd as I presumed all the members were straight-edge. The lead singer certainly is. One things for sure though, He was one of the most naturally gifted drummers of the modern era. RIP, Indeed.

[Nicholas2.0]

Dec 30, 2009 17:52:53 GMT -5 lockebox said:

That would be odd as I presumed all the members were straight-edge.

Though they were bummed out at the coverage it got at the expense of their music and brotherhood, causing them to not mention drugs in press for the last album, apparently you were living under a rock in 2005/2006.

Dec 30, 2009 17:52:53 GMT -5 lockebox said:

The lead singer certainly is.

Are you sure about that? Or is it just not while touring, as to not damage his vocal cords?

[lockebox]

Dec 30, 2009 18:05:14 GMT -5 Nicholas2.0 said:

Dec 30, 2009 17:52:53 GMT -5 lockebox said:

That would be odd as I presumed all the members were straight-edge.

Though they were bummed out at the coverage it got at the expense of their music and brotherhood, causing them to not mention drugs in press for the last album, apparently you were living under a rock in 2005/2006.

Dec 30, 2009 17:52:53 GMT -5 lockebox said:

The lead singer certainly is.

Are you sure about that? Or is it just not while touring, as to not damage his vocal cords?

So, are you saying they're straight-edge or not? And yes I'm pretty certain he is. I recall him mentioning it in an interview with chord magazine. Plus they are into the whole hardcore punk scene.

[Nicholas2.0]

Dec 30, 2009 18:25:17 GMT -5 lockebox said:

So, are you saying they're straight-edge or not? And yes I'm pretty certain he is. I recall him mentioning it in an interview with chord magazine. Plus they are into the whole hardcore punk scene.

They most certainly are not. And if Shadows is completely sober now, it's only because he doesn't want to damage his voice. He at least used to drink and party on non-show days.

Just because they grew up with hardcore/punk doesn't mean they're straight edge. There at least as many bands that drink, smoke and/or do drugs as there are straight edge bands.

[PHOBES]

^I love how you're saying it as if it's a bad thing to be straight edge, lol.

Dec 31, 2009 4:50:15 GMT -5 Nicholas2.0 said:

They most certainly are not. And if Shadows is completely sober now, it's only because he doesn't want to damage his voice...Just because they grew up with hardcore/punk doesn't mean they're straight edge. There at least as many bands that drink, smoke and/or do drugs as there are straight edge bands.

Well, I'm beginning to see what "Natural Causes" may entail in this case.

Either way, it's sad to see someone die so young, RIP.

[My Life Is A Stereo]

it's bad to be straight edge if you act like this... lol

[PHOBES]

My dad's a big wrestling fan, and CM Punk was actually the first "straight-edge" guy I'd heard of. Admittedly I had no idea what it was at first, but once I learned more about it I thought it was a very cool movement.

[lockebox]

Dec 31, 2009 14:06:36 GMT -5 My Life Is A Stereo said:

it's bad to be straight edge if you act like this... lol

That's straight-edge in a nutshell right there ;) All winners. Being straight-edge is a pretty powerful thing. It would be something else if everyone had that much respect, belief and responsibility.

Well, I love how Nicholas2.0 is making straight-edgers sound like a mass-murdering tribe ha.

[Matt4319]

Where are any of you getting the idea that Nick is against straight-edgers? He just happens to be firmly refuting the supposition that the band members are straight-edge, because he follows them quite closely and knows the facts.

[Matt4319]

Autopsy results inconclusive:

www.mtv.com/news/articles/1628893/20091230/avenged_sevenfold.jhtml

Dec 30 2009 9:47 AM EST
Avenged Sevenfold Drummer James 'The Rev' Sullivan Autopsy 'Inconclusive'
Authorities have ordered additional tests, which are expected to take several weeks.

Authorities have ordered additional tests after an initial autopsy on Avenged Sevenfold drummer James "The Rev" Sullivan was inconclusive. According to The Associated Press, the autopsy seeking a cause of death for the 28-year-old rock drummer, who was found unresponsive in his Huntington Beach, California, home Monday, did not turn up definitive evidence of what caused his sudden demise.

Orange County sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino told the AP on Tuesday that the county coroner's office has ordered toxicology, microscopic and laboratory tests to help determine what caused Sullivan's death. The tests are expected to take several weeks.

Police said Monday that Sullivan appeared to have died of natural causes.

"It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we tell you of the passing today of Jimmy 'The Rev' Sullivan," the band announced on its Web site. "Jimmy was not only one of the world's best drummers, but more importantly he was our best friend and brother. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jimmy's family and we hope that you will respect their privacy during this difficult time. Jimmy you are forever in our hearts. We love you."

Sullivan was one of the co-founders of the group, which came together in Huntington Beach, California, in 1999 and won the Best New Artist award at MTV's VMAs in 2006, thanks to their hard-driving metal sound, which mixes in elements of emo and punk.

Sullivan, known for his propulsive drumming, backing vocals and creative songwriting, was honored by a number of his metal kin, who praised his abilities and nature.

[Nicholas2.0]

Dec 31, 2009 12:49:46 GMT -5 PHOBES said:

^I love how you're saying it as if it's a bad thing to be straight edge, lol.

Dec 31, 2009 20:30:00 GMT -5 lockebox said:

Well, I love how Nicholas2.0 is making straight-edgers sound like a mass-murdering tribe ha.

Am I? Is that really what I was saying? Quote me and show me where, guys.

No, seriously. I'll wait.

Am I really saying that I am against the straight edge movement? Or am I just steadfastly refuting the completely clueless notions that Avenged Sevenfold are a straight edge band and that all hardcore bands are straight edge?

If you presume Avenged are straight edge, then you might as well have been born yesterday and it would be a complete waste of my time rattling off a list of evidence to prove you wrong.

Oh, and by the way, except for the blue-moon indulgence in alcohol (which is timely, since last night was a blue moon and I had a glass of champagne for New Year's), I would otherwise be straight edge. I'm very much against tobacco and drugs. And I literally only drank twice last year: A glass of wine (which I couldn't even finish) in January, and I got mildly (but nicely) drunk off beer with friends one night last summer. And I never drink hard liquor.

I was actually disheartened when I learned of Avenged Sevenfold's drug use (whether it was exaggerated or not) in a notorious Revolver article when City of Evil came out.

I really admire bands and people* that are straight edge, because it's responsible and it flies in the face of the rock & roll cliché, yet it doesn't necessarily make their music any less intense or passionate or real. What it does is prove that you don't have to be a drug-addled moron to be a badass rock musician. In fact, the more unhinged and brutal your music, it just makes you that much more of a badass if you're straight edge.

* When I say "people" I don't mean squeaky-clean, religious, boring goody-two-shoeses. I mean people who immerse themselves wholeheartedly in rock & roll culture, just not smoking, drinking, or drugs.

I don't automatically like a band's music if they're straight edge, but I like a band even more if I learn they are afterward, e.g., Bleeding Through and Eighteen Visions.

So guys, y'know...FACED.

Now excuse me while I rock out to "Scream," which just came on my Alt station's year-end countdown.

[My Life Is A Stereo]

just for the record, I didn't have anything against what you said Nick, I was making a joke using CM Punk.

I'm still working on getting Eighteen Visions back together though,lol.....my best friend has a younger brother who grew up in the So Cal area they are from and he plays guitar. He actually used to jam with them a bit back when he lived there but now he's moved back to Canada. I keep bugging him when he visits there to put them in a room and don't let them out til they make a new album.

I don't think it's working.

I am however trying really hard to get him to give me his other ticket to the upcoming Muse/Silversun Pickups show in march. Bastard saw Muse with a bunch of cool opening acts in Oakland a month or two ago and he keeps telling me he "has to take his girlfriend" to this one....I'm planning her demise as we speak...

[Nicholas2.0]

Jan 1, 2010 17:13:46 GMT -5 My Life Is A Stereo said:

just for the record, I didn't have anything against what you said Nick, I was making a joke using CM Punk.

No, I never suspected you did. Otherwise I would've singled you out by name/quote, too.

Jan 1, 2010 17:13:46 GMT -5 My Life Is A Stereo said:

I'm still working on getting Eighteen Visions back together though,lol.....my best friend has a younger brother who grew up in the So Cal area they are from and he plays guitar. He actually used to jam with them a bit back when he lived there but now he's moved back to Canada. I keep bugging him when he visits there to put them in a room and don't let them out til they make a new album.

I don't think it's working.

:o Oh wow! No kidding?? Small world, and all that! Not only that, I didn't even know (remember?) you were a fan of theirs. Nah, their musical tastes just grew too far apart. Vanity is decent enough. Obsession is amazing. And the last album would be pretty great if it were a different band and not so over-produced. As an Eighteen Visions album, it's slightly unsettling. (Anything pre-Vanity is a challenge to listen to intently.)

Jan 1, 2010 17:13:46 GMT -5 My Life Is A Stereo said:

I am however trying really hard to get him to give me his other ticket to the upcoming Muse/Silversun Pickups show in march. Bastard saw Muse with a bunch of cool opening acts in Oakland a month or two ago and he keeps telling me he "has to take his girlfriend" to this one....I'm planning her demise as we speak...

LOL

I'd love to see that tour (or either band separately this year). Can't complain too much, though, as I saw Muse in '06 and SSPU twice in '07 and all three were for free.

[My Life Is A Stereo]

Yeah, one of these days I'm going to go with him to Cali, when he takes a trip "home" ( he grew up there for the most part of his life) and he's been pretty lucky to meet and hang out with or even jam with bands that have no become pretty famous, including members of Atreyu, Eighteen Visions and even getting to know AX7 before he came back. I talked to him last night before he went to another NYE party and he asked me if I had heard about Jimmy and it took me a second to click. Then he told me how was actually a very laid back and quiet guy until you got him onstage. It's weird to actually realize how many band members he knows from his time and connections down there and he's only like 22 years old. I almost questioned it at first when he would tell me about it all until he showed me a bunch of pics with all these bands going back to when he was like 13 and 14 years old.

[Nicholas2.0]

Jan 1, 2010 19:31:09 GMT -5 My Life Is A Stereo said:

He's been pretty lucky to meet and hang out with or even jam with bands that have no become pretty famous, including members of Atreyu, Eighteen Visions and even getting to know AX7 before he came back. He told me how [The Rev] was actually a very laid back and quiet guy until you got him onstage. It's weird to actually realize how many band members he knows from his time and connections down there and he's only like 22 years old. I almost questioned it at first when he would tell me about it all until he showed me a bunch of pics with all these bands going back to when he was like 13 and 14 years old.

Wow! F**k me! And here I am, 28, in Missouri, lucky just to have even met all 15 of those guys (in their 2004-present incarnations) more than once. And to have at least Brandon Saller (Atreyu) remember my then-girlfriend and me for a few consecutive shows over the years before the venues got too big to easily meet them anymore and/or my girl and I had broken up by '07.

[PHOBES]

Jan 1, 2010 15:06:35 GMT -5 Nicholas2.0 said:

No, seriously. I'll wait.

Well, based on that rant, obviously you couldn't.

You need to read more carefully:

Dec 31, 2009 12:49:46 GMT -5 PHOBES said:

I love how you're saying it as if it's a bad thing to be straight edge, lol.

The key words there are AS IF, without them you would actually have a case. Had I said: "I love how you're saying it's a bad thing to be straight edge," then yes, you would have been right to call me out. All I said was that the way you vehemently refuted the claim that they were straight-edged ALMOST made it seem like you thought it was a bad thing to be as so, but I think I've seen enough of your posts to know you think otherwise. Are they straight-edge? Heck if I know, nor do I care. It was a joke, as referenced by "lol."

Obviously you're a bit on edge over this whole thing, no need to explode over it though.

Jan 1, 2010 15:06:35 GMT -5 Nicholas2.0 said:

Squeaky-clean, religious, boring goody-two-shoeses.

Now is that really necessary?

Jan 1, 2010 15:06:35 GMT -5 Nicholas2.0 said:

So guys, y'know...FACED.

HA...no

[Nicholas2.0]

Jan 1, 2010 20:24:24 GMT -5 PHOBES said:

The key words there are AS IF, without them you would actually have a case. Had I said: "I love how you're saying it's a bad thing to be straight edge," then yes, you would have been right to call me out. All I said was that the way you vehemently refuted the claim that they were straight-edged ALMOST made it seem like you thought it was a bad thing to be as so, but I think I've seen enough of your posts to know you think otherwise. Are they straight-edge? Heck if I know, nor do I care. It was a joke, as referenced by "lol."

Obviously you're a bit on edge over this whole thing, no need to explode over it though.

Lockebox's and Matt's comments after yours definitely didn't help me pick up that you apparently were laughing not at me, believing me to be ignorant, but at the ignorant manner in which my comment could've been mistakenly interpreted, not that you actually did read it that way. That's correct, is it not?

In any case, I apologize to you, for misreading what you were saying and making a mountain out of a molehill.

Jan 1, 2010 20:24:24 GMT -5 PHOBES said:

Jan 1, 2010 15:06:35 GMT -5 Nicholas2.0 said:

Squeaky-clean, religious, boring goody-two-shoeses.

Now is that really necessary?

All I was trying to do there was concisely express the significant divide between those that are straight edge and aren't really aware of the movement (which is absolutely fine and good, but taken for granted because it's so common and there's little purpose in celebrating it), and those in the "rock & roll lifestyle," where being completely drug free is the minority. Because the latter is what fascinates me.

But I don't really want to continue with anymore straight edge discussion, because it's deviating so much from Jimmy's death here, and there really isn't anything more to say about this now that it's a week later. Not until the toxicology report comes back, anyway.