Casey Chaos died.
The Amen frontman, who was also a member of Christian Death and Scum and a former professional skateboarder, died on Saturday (December 21) at the age of 59, his record label Cleopatra Records announced. However, his spokesman did not provide any precise information about the details of his death.
A statement said: “It is with great sadness that Cleopatra Records announces the passing of Casey Chaos, one of the most exciting and individual punk and metal artists of the last 30 years and one of the few to receive a Grammy.” A statement on The band's Facebook page promised that the group would look for ways to pay a fitting tribute to their friend's memory. It said: “It is with great sadness, sadness and grief that we confirm the death of Casey Chaos after seeing the news currently being reported.” As you can imagine, everyone in the band, past and present, absolutely devastated. A lot has happened at AMEN in the last 5-6 years that we didn't announce. Casey loved and appreciated your support and always wanted to wait until things were completed rather than share unfinished work-in-progress material. The rest of us will think about how we can honor Casey the way he deserves; So that his genius, his talent and his heart can be celebrated and experienced by the world and the people who appreciated it.”
Cleopatra Records boss Brian Perera described working with the “extraordinary” musician – whose real name was Karim Chmielnski – as a “privilege”. He said: “I had the privilege of working with Casey during his unforgettable live performance with Christian Death at the American Legion Hall in 1993.” As I walked into the hall with my good friend Matt Green and my wife Yvonne, that was an experience I will never forget – especially when I saw Nicolas Cage sitting in the middle front row, completely captivated… Casey wasn't just an extraordinary musician. He truly lived and breathed the lifestyle. May he rest in peace alongside Rozz Williams and the many tortured souls we admire and respect.”