As I Lay Dying Bassist Ryan Neff Leaves Band
Just before the band was set to start a European tour, bassist and vocalist Ryan Neff of As I Lay Dying is saying deuces to the band and dipping the fuck out.
He made the announcement this past Friday, October 18. He had barely joined the band in 2022, and I guess the last two years were enough for him.
Of course, he made the statement on his Instagram, saying how he finalized his decision the same day.
“As of today, I have made the decision to leave AS I LAY DYING. This choice comes after much reflection, and I believe it is the right step for my personal and professional journey.
“I am grateful for the experiences and connections I’ve made during my time with the band.
“Thank you to all the fans for your support.”
As I Lay Dying was set to hit the road for a gargantuan European tour with Decapitated, Caliband, and Ov Sulfur, starting mid-November in Germany. Through Storms Ahead, the record the tour is in promotion for, is releasing on November 15 on Napalm Records. It features some special guests, like vocalists Alex Terrible of Slaughter to Prevail, and Tom Barber of Chelsea Grin and Darko.
Neff isn’t the first to leave the band in recent years. Around when Neff joined the band, former drummer Jordan Mancino left in 2022 due to unresolved “internal issues.” Not even a month before, former bassist/vocalist Josh Gilbert left (hence Neff’s arrival). In the summer of 2021, former guitarist Nick Hipa ditched that shit as well, saying the could no longer be a part of such a “superficial pursuit” that caused the band to reunite in 2018 in the first place.
What happened in 2018? Well, lest we forget, AILD frontman Tim Lambesis was convicted in 2014 for trying to hire a hitman to kill his former wife Meggan Lambesis. Talk about some ID Channel-type shit. He was sentenced to six years, of which he served two and a half, before being released in 2016 and working on new music for the band in 2017.