Mikey Welsh, best known as Weezer’s bassist from 1998 to 2001, died yesterday. Welsh was 40 years old. He had been visiting friends in Chicago; hotel staff found him unresponsive on the floor of his room.
Chicago police say narcotics are likely the cause of Welsh’s death, the Tribune reports. The Tribune adds that Weezer, in its current incarnation, is slated to headline tonight at RIOT Fest, an annual three-day music festival in Chicago. Welsh was supposed to be in the audience.
After Welsh’s departure from Weezer, he embarked on a career as a painter. Years passed before Welsh spoke openly about his nervous breakdown and subsequent 2001 suicide attempt—a failed drug overdose. He sought help, and he was later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and borderline personality disorder. According to some accounts, Weezer quietly replaced Welsh when he was hospitalized.
Radar Online notes that Welsh was oddly prescient about his death on his Twitter.
Dated September 26, just 12 days before his death:
dreamt i died in chicago next weekend (heart attack in my sleep). need to write my will today.
From The Green Album:
Image via NY Daily News.
drugs do make people paranoid and i wouldnt doubt it if you researched his tweets, he probably said this everyother day…
now this is going to be on people magazine, headline:
did mikey welsh predict his own death?
Maybe the black circle around his head killed him : P
Not to be rude, but THANK GOD it wasn’t Matt Sharp…I was super skeered when I read the first part of the headline…former bassist.
sad, sad…
I had the pleasure to hang out with Mikey a number of times while he played with Juliana Hatfield and Weezer; he was an exceptionally talented and kind guy. This sucks. It sucks even more to read about it on a gossip blog.
I don’t doubt it. I’m very sorry for your loss.
Thanks, Jenn; that’s kind of you.