American Head Charge Guitarist found DEAD

[urinalcakemix]

I'm sure none of you actually like these guys, I sure don't, but hey, shitty nu-metal, i guess is still metal. If you ask me, i say he had it comming to him.



AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE guitarist Bryan Ottoson was reportedly found dead in his bus bunk earlier today prior to the band's scheduled appearance at the Plex in North Charleston, SC. An official word on the matter is expected shortly.

AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE were in the middle of a U.S. tour with MUDVAYNE, LIFE OF AGONY and BLOODSIMPLE in support of their new album, "The Feeding", available on Nitrus/DRT. The follow-up to 2001's "The War of Art" (American Recordings) was recorded at Westlake Studios in Los Angeles with producer Greg Fidelman (who engineered "The War of Art", and whose credits include MARILYN MANSON, SLIPKNOT, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS and BUSH).

Hailing from the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, the six members of AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE garnered both commercial and critical acclaim with "The War of Art", which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's "Heatseekers" chart. Intensive, high-profile touring followed, including Ozzfest 2002, cementing the band's reputation as a killer live act.

This was released a few hours ago, and heres the hot off hte press confirmation of death

The web site of the Plex concert venue in North Charleston, SC, where AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE were due to perform Tuesday night (April 19) with MUDVAYNE, LIFE OF AGONY and BLOODSIMPLE, has been updated with the following message:

"The MUDVAYNE show scheduled tonight 4/19/05 had to be postponed due to the tragic death of a member of AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE. The new show date will be scheduled within the next few days. You will be notified of the new date and all tickets will be honored at that time.

"The Plex would like to extend our sympathy to the members of AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE for their tragic loss, and thank all guests for their understanding during this situation."

As previously reported, AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE guitarist Bryan Ottoson was reportedly found dead in his bus bunk earlier today prior to the band's scheduled appearance in North Charleston, SC. An official word on the matter is expected shortly.


Im not a fan of their music, sounds like it was self induced, in that case, he had it comming to them.

They were opening up for mudvayne, theypassed through CT, some friends were telling me how much of a 'killer live band' they were. I guess their right.

 

[metal71]

Had it coming?!? That's cold dude. I'm against drug use too, assuming that's what you're implying was the cause of death, but come on... "HAD IT COMING?"... What if it was something else? And even if it was drugs, what if it was a friend or relative of yours? Would you still say a young person dying decades before their time had it coming? I doubt it.

 

[Bryan316]

I'll not pass judgement on this guy just yet. I wanna know the cause of death first.


But I'll just say, I have no respect or appreciation for 'heroes' who go down because they abused substances.

 

[AngraRULES]

YOu have to be a really fucking asshole to say that he "had it coming..."

Grow up... I'm sure that you got friends that do drugs (IF THAT WAS THE CASE) and would get you pissed off if they died and someone said "Oh, he had it coming..."

 

[General Zod]

If you ask me, i say he had it comming to him.

Care to elaborate on why you believe he deserved to die?

Zod

 

[urinalcakemix]

Oh, I thought the articles mentioned it. He OD'd on Cocaine before the show. Sorry, I thought the statements included that.

Sorry, I probably sounded like a real dick. My bad

 

[urinalcakemix]

Also, if you play the game, you should take responsibility for the outcome.

If you sex a maiden, blow a load in her, and she gets pregnant, don't you deserve it?

If you get drunk and feel like shit the next day, dont you deserve it?

If you smoke cigarettes and die of lung cancer, don't you deserve it?

People should own up to their responsibilities. You play the game, the game may play you. It sucks for the guys family and fans im sure, but really, when you do shit like that, what do you really expect? And supposedly on their website they openly state how much they love drugs, etc.

 

[urinalcakemix]

Alright, maybe he didn't DESERVE it, or really had it comming to him. But seriously, you mess with that shit, you should be ready for the possible outcomes.

Sorry for being an asshole.

 

[MetalRose]

It's sad that the only musical things coming that will be remembered from Minnesota are Prince and Soul Aslyum. Ack.

I agree that it's sad, but I have to agree with you UCM. You do it, you own up to it. I'm also tired of people playing "victims" to their "addictions." /rant.

-MetalRose

 

[General Zod]

Alright, maybe he didn't DESERVE it, or really had it comming to him. But seriously, you mess with that shit, you should be ready for the possible outcomes.

In the absence of extenuating circumstances, I'd agree that he has no one to blame but himself.

Zod

 

[urinalcakemix]

Yea, sorry again about the absence, I thought it was in the articles themselves. My bad.

 

[TheWhisper]

I only have heard of the band and know nothing about the circumstances of his death. Having said that, you don't have anything to appologize for UCM. If someone is using drugs, and they overdose, then YES they had it coming. If I cross the street without looking for traffic and eventually I get hit...didn't I have it coming? I don't feel sorry for them and it damn sure ain't a shame...and yes I would say that about friends or family. Stupidity is stupidity, regardless..

I remeber when it was discovered that Layne Staley had od'd, and everyone was saying what a shame it was, and all I could think was...just another junkie who was a drain on society. I don't care if people think I'm cold-hearted, or whatever, for saying that, but I have absolutely no use for people who waste their lives, and talents, abusing themselves. It is a weakness and a lack of discipline. I refuse to make martyrs out of these people.

Rant over...

 

[jaimek]

'fraid I'm going to have to concur as well: I'm all for personal responsibility. If you do cocaine (or heroin or X or anything of that sort), it's your own damn fault if you kill yourself doing it.

And yes, I'd say that even it if were my own family member.

 

[MetalRose]

Just released:

According to North Charleston police records, investigators have determined Ottoson's death to be the result of a prescription-drug overdose. Police found a pill bottle containing "numerous amounts of prescription medicine" in Ottoson's bed.

Members of American Head Charge told police they last saw Ottoson alive at around 4 a.m. on the morning of April 18, just as the band was departing Jessup, Maryland, for North Charleston. Ottoson had consumed "a large amount of alcohol at a bar" in Jessup that evening, according to police documents.

Police were called to the scene at around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday evening; by that time, Ottoson was dead. Bassist Chad Hanks (known to fans by his stage name, Mr. H.C. Banks III) and guitarist Karma Cheema told police that Ottoson was a "heavy sleeper, and it was not uncommon for him to sleep late before a concert."

The report also claims police were told that Ottoson had been "consuming unknown prescription medications."

The band had been on tour with Mudvayne, Life of Agony and Bloodsimple. American Head Charge are expected to miss at least the next three dates of the tour, and it's unclear whether they will rejoin it at all. At the moment, the bandmembers are said to be heading home to Minneapolis. An official statement from the group is expected late Wednesday (April 20).

The industrial-metal collective was formed nearly a decade ago by founding frontman Martin Cook and Hanks following a chance meeting in a Minnesota rehab center. In a recent interview with British magazine Metal Hammer, Hanks said, "In the past three years, we've had two or three relapses, two treatment centers, a divorce, two members leaving, and a whole heap of other sh-- going on." In the same article, Cook alludes to the fact that alcohol and drug abuse has nearly ended the band in the past.

American Head Charge released their latest album, The Feeding, in February.

I didn't know Bryan that well, but I had been at the same parties that he had. I do know that he wasn't one of the guys to be "into" illegal drugs.

I think the band and the managers are most likely going to spend some time investigating if it was an accident or suicide.

-MetalRose

 

[urinalcakemix]

Regardless of prescription or illegal, a drug overdose is a drug overdose =/

 

[Metropolis Part 2]

Sucks for him

Good for the deletion of shitty ass-licking numetal.

 

[metal71]

It's sad that the only musical things coming that will be remembered from Minnesota are Prince and Soul Aslyum. Ack.

I agree that it's sad, but I have to agree with you UCM. You do it, you own up to it. I'm also tired of people playing "victims" to their "addictions." /rant.

-MetalRose

Are you kidding me?!? What about THE 'RAID?!? You, Me, and the Boy(z), Get together and make some noiiyyzzzeee!!!" Hahahaha!!

OK, they were cheesy, but fun. And don't forget the mighty REGIME. The meanest, rudest, drunkest, bloodiest, asshole-est, ugliest band ever....

But I digress, you did say 'remembered', and I'm afraid only a few like me remember these other bands from MN. I played in a couple myself, NOBODY remembers them. Not even my Mom.... Sad.

 

[Barking Pumpkin]

Sucks for him

Good for the deletion of shitty ass-licking numetal.

It's not going to delete it anyway; people who like the band will just hold him up as some kind of hero because he died.

 

[metal71]

SOMETHING TO TEST YOUR 'MORAL FLEXIBILITY':

For those who cannot express any remorse for the now deceased guitarist, I ask you this:

Instead of the friend/family member for-instance I posed, what if it were....

Hansi Kusch?
Tobias Sammet?
Kai Hansen?
or any other member of a band you DO like, as opposed to a band like American Headcharge, who probably has few fans in this forum?

Somehow, I can't help thinking many people on this board would be singing a different tune, calling it sad, a loss, expressing some remorse, etc.... And please don't answer back that NONE of these artists use the same drugs that have killed so many others, unless you KNOW, you don't KNOW.

It appears this man's own friends didn't know either. I'm just saying, how about we condemn the act, but not deceased? Drugs are stupid, and it's been proven to death (pun intended), but some family up there in MN is probably devestated now. Respect. Peace.

Later -

 

[Barking Pumpkin]

SOMETHING TO TEST YOUR 'MORAL FLEXIBILITY':

For those who cannot express any remorse for the now deceased guitarist, I ask you this:

Instead of the friend/family member for-instance I posed, what if it were....

Hansi Kusch?
Tobias Sammet?
Kai Hansen?
or any other member of a band you DO like, as opposed to a band like American Headcharge, who probably has few fans in this forum?

Somehow, I can't help thinking many people on this board would be singing a different tune, calling it sad, a loss, expressing some remorse, etc.... And please don't answer back that NONE of these artists use the same drugs that have killed so many others, unless you KNOW, you don't KNOW.

There's a thick line between the "people" aspect and the "musical" aspect. I don't think anyone here is happy that he died. However, on the musical side, it's certainly not a loss to music, and since this is a music board, people are going to point that out.

I can't speak for others, but if a musician I like died from a drug overdose or something of similar nature, I would think it was a huge musical loss. That doesn't mean I would approve of what they were doing or romanticize it. With people that are living or dead, just because I love their music doesn't mean I like what they do and believe as people. I disagree with Frank Zappa being a smoker. I don't agree with Garm's satanist philosophy.

So it's awful that he died, but it's not a loss for the musical community in any way. If someone like Devin Townsend died, we would be sad that he died, but it would also be a huge loss to the musical community. It's sad that this person from American Head Charge died, but it's no loss to the musical community. I'm not going to pretend he was an amazing and innovative musician just because he died.

You have to remember, this is a MUSIC related board, so people's comments are going to have to do with music mostly.