Bolt Thrower Say Their “Drummer Position was Buried with” Martin “Kiddie” Kearns
Today marks the one year anniversary of the death of Bolt Thrower drummer Martin “Kiddie” Kearns, who unexpectedly passed away at age thirty-eight. The surviving members of Bolt Thrower have now paid tribute to Kearns via this very touching, and somewhat confusing, update from their official website:
On behalf of ourselves and Kiddie’s family, we would like to thank everyone for their thoughts and support over the last 12 months. Together with Kiddie’s family we made the conscious decision to keep his unexpected death a private matter, and to take time out to deal with it all.
When Kiddie joined us back in 1994, although he was only 17, he instantly improved Bolt Thrower as a live band, and no one was more loyal to, and prouder to be in Bolt Thrower than him.
We spent over 20 years together, touring the world, with 3 different vocalists, but he was so much more than just a drummer to us. So when we carried his coffin to his final resting place, the Bolt Thrower drummer position was buried with him. He was, and will now forever remain THE Bolt Thrower drummer, our Powerhouse and friend Martin “Kiddie” Kearns.
As for the rest of us, Bolt Thrower has been our way of life for 30 years, never driven by money, fame or ego, but by our own personal principles and values that have guided us through life, and which bonded us as friends long before Bolt Thrower was even formed…
“We are not now that strength which in old days
moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”– Tennyson – 1833
Like I said: very touching. The only part which confuses me is that they say they’ll never fill the drummer position again, but then that last paragraph before the Tennyson quote makes it sound like they have no intention of breaking up. Am I misreading that? Are they just saying whomever replaces Kearns will basically be a hired hand? Are they planning on using only a drum machine moving forward?
It’s been eleven years since the band release their last album, Those Once Loyal, so maybe there’s no reason to even be thinking about this right now. But I’d still like to believe, in my heart of hearts, that the band will make another album someday. I just have no idea what they’ll do about the drums.
Thanks: R.C.
