In what has proven to be the saddest and most unexpected bit of music news to break all day, TV on the Radio's long-time bassist Gerard Smith passed away this morning after battling lung cancer. The band was supposed to be taking the stage in roughly in hour at St. Andrews Hall in Detroit but for obvious reasons, tonight's show is canceled.
The band released the following statement on their website acknowledging Smith's death.
We are very sad to announce the death of our beloved friend and bandmate, Gerard Smith, following a courageous fight against lung cancer. Gerard passed away the morning of April 20th, 2011. We will miss him terribly. The following shows will be cancelled:
- April 20 St. Andrew Halls, Detroit MI
- April 22 Metro, Chicago IL
- April 23 First Ave, Minneapolis MN
- April 24 First Ave, Minneapolis MN
- April 26 Ogden, Denver CO
It was only a month ago that TV On the Radio let it be known that Smith was battling lung cancer so his death this suddenly comes as a shock to the music community at large. In person, Smith was quiet, typically soft-spoken, and possibly the shyest member of the group. But his bass playing was an integral part of TVOTR's success and a part of what made that band such a respected indie rock band. The group was scheduled to perform in Detroit tonight to promote their new album, Nine Types of Light, which was just released last week to solid reviews. Smith was not on the tour. We'll keep you updated as more news unfolds.
