Jon Wysocki, original drummer and founding member of Staind, died May 18 at the age of 53.
Wysocki’s band, Lydia’s Castle, announced his death in a brief statement issued May 19 to Instagram.
“On 5/18/2024 at 8:02pm, @jonwysocki4 passed away surrounded by family and friends that loved him dearly,” they wrote. “An official statement will be developed shortly.” There was no further information provided and no confirmation of his cause of death.
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Staind issued a statement shortly thereafter, paying tribute to their late friend and colleague who formed an integral part of their alternative rock band.
“We first met Jon through mutual friends in 1994. We came together with Mike, Aaron, and Johnny April in 1995 and founded Staind,” the band wrote. “The 17 years that followed were some of the best memories of our times together. From practice in Ludlow, Mass to touring around the world, Jon was integral to who we were as a band.”
They concluded their message by writing, “Our hearts go out to Jon’s family, and fans around the world who loved him.”
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JANUARY 01: Photo of Johnny APRIL and STAIND and Mike MUSHOK and Jon WYSOCKI and Aaron LEWIS; L-R: Mike Mushok, Jon Wysocki, Aaron Lewis, Johnny April – posed, group shot (Photo by Mick Hutson/Redferns)
Wysocki was part of some of the band’s biggest hits, including the release of three consecutive No. 1 albums: “Break the Cycle,” in 2001, “14 Shades of Grey,” in 2003 and “Chapter V” in 2005. Wysocki and the band pumped out epic hits together, including “It’s Been Awhile,” “So Far Away” and “Right Here.”
Staind’s lead singer, Aaron Lewis, paid tribute to Wysocki in a statement Sunday on Instagram.
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“I’m so sad. I lost my friend. A friend I loved like a brother… fought with like a brother… cared for like a brother… worried about like a brother… cried over like a brother… because he was my brother in arms,” he wrote.
Lewis touched on the many experiences he shared with Wysocki over the course of their friendship.
“My journey would’ve been different without him. The battles we fought together. The battles we fought against each other. The battles we fought side by side alone with our own demons,” he wrote.
Posed studio group portrait of American rock band Staind. Left to right are Jon Wysocki, Aaron Lewis, Johnny April and Mike Mushok in New York on July 14 2008. (Photo by Nigel Crane/Redferns)
HOLLYWOOD, CA – NOVEMBER 13: Staind performs at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, California on November 13, 2003. (Photo by Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL – SEPTEMBER 15: Jon Wysocki of Staind performs at the Amway Arena on September 15, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images)
“The battles we won and the battles we lost. He was my friend. He was our brother.” (RELATED: Famous Rockstar Jim Beard Dead At 63, ‘Steely Dan’ Announces)
He concluded by writing, “My heart is broken. My world has changed. I’ll see you on the other side my friend. My brother. Godspeed. My heart, my love, and my condolences go out to his family and loved ones. I’m so fucking sad. He will be missed.”
