Last Monday, the 23rd, the tragic death of doom metal icon Eric Wagner . The Trouble passed away at the age of 62 due to pneumonia resulting from COVID-19.
On Tuesday, Trouble guitarist Bruce Franklin posted a beautiful tribute to his bandmate, honoring his friend's life and existence. Check out the full translation:
“We are all deeply saddened by the news of the death of our old friend and bandmate, Eric Wagner. I am struggling to find a way to describe the complex relationship we had in just a few paragraphs. A person’s life deserves the integrity of a book, but I will try to summarize things briefly.”
“I met Eric when I was 16 and he was 18. We played together in our first band and, even though he didn't realize it yet, I saw his potential. We saw many things alike, which led us to leave the band we were in and look for something more serious. We found Trouble, Rick , and they were looking for a vocalist and a guitarist. The next few years produced the sound and the first songs of Trouble, which you would come to know and love. Eric definitely played a big part in that with his unique lyrics and ideas for the album art, as well as his iconic image leading the band.”
“On a more personal note, we could all tell great stories about the things Eric said to make us laugh until we cried. You had to be there, and if you were, you know what I'm talking about. I'll never forget the hours and hours Eric and I spent in his apartment, just talking about TV series, movies, or sports. At other times, we talked more seriously about lyrics, music, and the direction of the band.”
“Eric grew from an aspiring lyricist and novice singer into a serious, almost poetic lyricist. By the time the band reached its peak, Eric had realized his full potential as a singer and songwriter. This helped catapult Trouble to new heights and made thousands of you lifelong fans. Eric was what musicians call a ‘lifelong’ artist. He made music his life’s mission. He was always working on future projects, and God knows he wasn’t doing it for the money.”
"It's hard to accept the loss of a close friend and the fact that you'll never see him again. We will all have to move on with our memories and Eric's enormous legacy to music over five decades. God bless and keep our brother Eric. Rest in peace."
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