4 Drummers Dies During January, Early Gray Years

Bob Gullotti (Photo via Facebook The Lilypad)

JAKARTA - January 2020 is the darkest month for the music world. Four phenomenal drummers died almost at the same time.

The news of grief begins with the death of drummer for legendary progressive rock band Rush, Neil Peart on January 7. The musician who also serves as the main lyricist of the Canadian band's songs gave up after battling brain cancer for 3.5 years.

The Ontario-born musician is recognized as one of the greatest rock drummers of all time, alongside John Bonham (Led Zeppelin), Keith Moon (The Who), and Ginger Backer (Cream).

Neil Peart September 12, 1952 - January 7, 2020 pic.twitter.com/NivX2RhiB8

- Rush (@rushtheband) January 10, 2020

Rush has been inactive since completing the R40 Live tour five years ago. Peart has previously said that playing concerts at his age causes too much painful wear on his body and he would rather stop before his performances begin to deteriorate in quality.

Then, heavy metal drummer Sean Reinert passed away on January 25. He is only 48 years old.

Blabbermouth first reported the news that the musician was found unresponsive Friday at his home in Southern California. No other details about his death were released.

Reinert is known as the founder of the 90s band Cynic and has strengthened the death metal band, Death. He played drums on their revolutionary 1991 album Human, an album that clearly defines modern metal.

Several of Reinert's other notable works - apart from his contributions to Human, of course - include his role in Cynic's inspiring album Focus (1993). The band broke up for a while, but returned together in 2000.

In the late 90's, Sean and the rest of Death formed an alternative band called AEon Spoke, which released two albums. He finally left his old band, Cynic, in 2015.

On the same day that Reinert's death, jazz drummer Bob Gullotti died at the age of 70. A message posted by Cambridge, Massachusetts jazz club The Lilypad, where Gullotti performed regularly, confirmed his death.

Gullotti was a professor of percussion at the Berklee School of Music, where he graduated in 1972. Gullotti was a founding member of The Fringe and also performed with Hal Crook, Michael Ray & the Cosmic Krewe, Rick Stepton and several others.

He was part of the project of guitarist Trey Anastasio in 1996, Surrender To Air which also featured director Sun Ra Arkestra, Marshall Allen with John Medeski, Marc Ribot, Oteil Burbridge, and Jon Fishman (Phish).

Gullotti performed live with Phish three times, first on 23 October 1996 at the Hartford Civic Center when he played for the entire second set and encore. He also accompanied the band for the entire second set and encore on July 25, 1997 in Dallas and for the entire following evening's concert in Austin. So far, the cause of death has not been published.

It didn't stop there. Monday, January 27th, drummer for US heavy metal band, Corrosion of Conformity, Reed Mullin died at the age of 53. No cause of death has yet been revealed.

Mullin played drums for Corrosion of Conformity between 1982 and 2001, and again from 2010 to the present. Corrosion of Conformity confirmed Mullin's passing on their Twitter.

"With heavy hearts we say goodbye to a friend, relative, and pioneer. Reed, you are loved and will always be there. Let's have a moment of silence ..."

It's with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to a friend, a brother and pioneer. Reed you are loved and always will be. Lets all take a moment ... pic.twitter.com/33HKp9tU7v

- COC (@coccabal) January 28, 2020