Seattle Subsonic

Nick Jago on LOA from BRMC

June 10th, 2008

A bit of unfortunate news out of L.A.-based Black Rebel Motorcycle Club today (actually, yesterday): drummer Nick Jago will be on indefinite leave to focus mainly on his “solo project,” a burgeoning art and music venture, as far as I can tell.

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According to a blog on BRMC’s myspace:

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To all of you who have read or heard about Nick’s myspace posting, Peter and I would like to clarify a few things from our perspective. It’s true, Nick wont be joining us for the upcoming European tour, but it’s not true that he is fired. We just feel Nick needs time to sort out exactly what he wants right now. His heart and all his energy and attention is on his own solo project and he needs to see that through.

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We welcome his singing and songwriting in BRMC, but his focus, at least at the present time, is on doing his own thing and we wish him the best. He is our brother, our musical partner, and we love him dearly and look forward to playing with him again in the future.

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From
Robert & Peter

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Click HERE to read Nick’s original posting.

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This won’t be the first time Jago has been left off the roster; battling some addiction issues, he didn’t participate in about 95% of the group’s critically acclaimed—and decidely divergent—2005 record, Howl. Fortunately, this time it’s only creative differences causing the split.

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I know that BRMC takes a lot of flack for their guitar fixation and “derivative” sound, but I’ve never felt that way. Robert Levon Been is one of my favorite songwriters out there today, and I’ve loved every single one of their records, including last year’s more accessible Baby 81. Plus, what’s not cool about naming yourself after an old Brando flick and wearing lots of black leather jackets?

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One positive from all this, however, is that Jago’s replacement will be Leah Shapiro, who most notably has been drumming for sleazy bubblegum shoegaze duo the Raveonettes during their tour for the thoroughly excellent Lust, Lust, Lust. She also is involved with Dead Combo. Though she didn’t write the music on Lust, I’d imagine this to be an appropriate selection. Good luck to all.