- Mike Alexander (musician)
-
Mike Alexander 
Playing at Tuska in June 2009Background information Born 22 June 1977
London, EnglandDied 5 October 2009 (aged 32)
Luleå, SwedenGenres Thrash metal Occupations Musician, songwriter Instruments Bass Years active 2000–2009 Labels Earache Records Associated acts Evile Website Official Evile website Memorial site Notable instruments Silvertone Paul Stanley Bass, BC Rich Warbeast Michael "Mike" Alexander (22 June 1977 – 5 October 2009[1]) was the bassist of English thrash metal group Evile. On 5 October 2009, Alexander died while on tour in Luleå, Sweden due to a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot on the lungs. Evile unveiled a memorial site to Alexander on 25 October 2009.
Contents
Biography
Alexander was born in London, England. In 2000, after Matt Drake and Ben Carter formed a Metallica cover band, Alexander saw an advertisement in a local guitar store for a 'metal bassist'. After calling Drake and rehearsing with the group, the band (then including Drake's brother Ol Drake) asked Alexander to join.
In 2004, they formed Evile. They recorded an EP demo Hell Demo in 2006. Soon after, the band signed to Earache Records, and released their Flemming Rasmussen produced debut album, Enter the Grave, in 2007. Their second album, Infected Nations, was released in 2009. Alexander performed with BC Rich bass guitars. He also endorsed Kustom and Hartke amplifiers and cabinets and Dunlop bass strings.[2]
Death
Evile released a statement on 6 October 2009 through the band's label Earache, which paid tribute to Alexander and announced his death.[3] He died in Luleå, Sweden on 5 October 2009, during a European tour in support of their new album,[4] from a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot on the lungs.[5] He was replaced 2 months later by former Rise to Addiction bassist Joel Graham. On Evile's third album (and first without Alexander), Five Serpent's Teeth, the song "In Memoriam" pays tribute to the late bassist, using a bass riff Alexander used to play during sound checks. He also was given credit for co-writing "Long Live New Flesh."
Influences
Alexander stated his favourite bassists were Jason Newsted and Sean Yseult.
Discography
- All Hallows Eve EP (self released) 2004
- Hell Demo (self released) 2006
- Enter the Grave (Earache Records) 2007
- Infected Nations (Earache Records) 2009
- Songwriting credit on Five Serpent's Teeth (Earache Records) 2011 - on "In Memoriam" and "Long Live New Flesh".
Equipment
Basses
- BC Rich Warbeast bass
- BC Rich Warlock bass
- Silvertone Paul Stanley V Bass
Amplifiers
- Hartke Cabinets
- Hartke Amp heads
- Kustom Cabinets
- Kustom Amp Heads
References
- ^ "EARACHE NEWS". Official Earache News. http://earachenews.blogspot.com/2009/10/evile-statement-mike-alexander.html. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
- ^ "Mike Alexander Biography". Official Evile Website. Archived from the original on 2008-06-08. http://web.archive.org/web/20080608114314/http://www.evile.co.uk/mike.html. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
- ^ Earachenews.blogspot.com
- ^ "Michael Alexander, 1977-2009". Daily Music Guide. http://www.dailymusicguide.com/MusicNews/michael-alexander-passes-away-sweden-06102009-1800.aspx. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
- ^ "22.06.77 - 05.10.09 - RIP". Mike Alexander. http://www.mikealexander.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-07-01.
External links
Matt Drake · Ol Drake · Ben Carter · Joel Graham
Mike AlexanderStudio albums Demos All Hallows Eve · Hell DemoRelated Categories:- English songwriters
- English heavy metal bass guitarists
- English rock bass guitarists
- Deaths from cerebral hemorrhage
- People from West Ham
- 1977 births
- 2009 deaths
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
