Greg Lee, vocalist for the ska and reggae band Hepcat, died on Tuesday at the age of 53 from a “massive brain aneurysm and subsequent cardiac arrest.”
“Our dear friend Gregory Lee left his earthly body and officially entered the ranks of angels on March 19th,” Lee’s partner Amanda Becker wrote on Instagram Wednesday. I mentioned it in my post.
“Greg suffered a massive brain aneurysm at our home late Sunday, March 17th, and then went into cardiac arrest,” Becker explained. “I found him on the floor unconscious and not breathing. I immediately called 911, and first responders quickly came through the door.”
“They were able to get his pulse back, but he was unable to breathe on his own,” Becker continued. “Since then, he has been on life support in the NICU and has not regained consciousness. The neurologist told us that his case was very rare and that the moment was quick. He did not suffer.”
Lee leaves behind four children, Elsa, Vivian and Kalea, and a baby girl due in September, Becker added.
The Hepcat singer is also survived by his mother Janice, brothers Michael, Steve, and Tony, and sister Jennifer.
“Gregory is in all the music he wrote and recorded, in all the photos and videos you take at Hepcat shows and scooter rallies, and in all the memories you have of him. It will live on,” Becker wrote. “To all his beloved friends and fans, I am truly sorry for this monumental loss.”
“There are not enough superlative words to describe this incredibly beautiful, unique, and genuine man,” she added. “He has touched the lives and hearts of so many people around the world through his music and travels.”
“His songs with Hepcat have helped many of us through both happy and dark times,” Becker wrote. “He inspired so many to create, dance, sing and love, myself included. His unique talent and presence will forever be unparalleled. He really is a one-of-a-kind person.”
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Hepcat released their debut album, Out of Nowhere, in 1993 after signing a contract with Moon Records. In 1996, the ska group released their second album “Scientific” on his BYO Records.
The band then signed a contract with Hellcat Records, founded by Rancid vocalist and guitarist Tim Armstrong, and released the albums Right on Time in 1998 and Push’n Shob in 2000. did.
Hepcat then went on to perform at the popular music festival Vans Warped Tour.
Lee and fellow Hepcat singer Alex Desert in 1998 lent me their vocals To “Hoover Street” tracking Included in Rancid’s album “Life Won’t Wait”.
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When Armstrong asked Lee and Dessert if they wanted to go to Jamaica to work on Rancid’s Life Won’t Wait album, both Hepcat singers expressed concern that the project would somehow fail. Out of fear, I downplayed my excitement. ” Lee recalls. I’m like, ‘Of course, no problem,'” Lee said. Said MTV at the time.
Rancid vocalist and guitarist Lars Frederiksen responded to Lee’s death in an Instagram post on Wednesday, writing, “Voice like a million dollars and heart made of gold.”
“Love to the family,” Frederiksen added. “I’ll see you on the other side.”
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