12/12/2022 09:03

Shatter Messiah

Shatter Messiah's Patrick Gibson dead

Sad news from Shatter Messiah (Akron, Ohio) camp, as they inform that their guitar player Patrick Gibson passed away. Here's the band's message:

"Today everyone in Shatter Messiah found out that Patrick Gibson has died. A few months ago he was diagnosed with terminal late stage cancer in his liver and pancreas. He didn't tell anyone his diagnosis, including all of us in Shatter Messiah. He was given three months to live and started reaching out to Bobs, Mike and Myself.

We toured the country with Pat for years. Recorded two albums with him, and he threw down some amazingly soulful guitar solos on 'Hail the New Cross', and' Orphans of Chaos'.

The last solo, on the last song, on the last album Shatter Messiah released has one of Pat's most impressive solo's. I was trying to get this big, bluesy, heart-wrenching vibe at the end of the song named 'Free'. We had everyone in the band at the studio that day, everyone coming in and out of the control room while I was trying to get this solo idea to happen. Everything I played felt forced and fell flat in my ears. I was not happy. I turned around and Pat is sitting on the back couch plucking away on his famous Gold Top Les Paul that he bought when he was 16 years old. I looked at him and told him what I needed to happen on the song, in that solo section, and asked him to give it a go. I figured we would be working on something for a few hours, because I sure as hell wasn't getting anything on tape. Pat plug's in, tunes up, I roll/record, and BAM!...................just like that, in one take Pat threw down exactly what was needed for the song 'Free'. His solo was perfect, it was Feel, it was Heart, it was Proper. It is the kind of solo every guitar player wants to do every time they track in the studio or play live. Pat just jammed it off in one pass, We did another pass as a safety but I knew that the 1st one was THE one.

That song is about ending up free at the end of everything. Free from addiction, free from suffering, free from pain, and either finding your freedom in life, or death. We all get free in the end. I hope the man that played guitar with me in this band has that freedom now, I certainly know his good energy has already folded back into The Grand Electron. I think he went out like a fucking viking champion, he went out on his terms, which is a hell of a lot better than how most of us will get to go.

Even though the last few years were rough in our relationship with Pat as Shatter Messiah and as individuals, we all knew deep down inside there was love, not hate in Pat's heart, and love, not hate in our hearts for Pat. We still have the brotherhood, the music, the tours, the laughter, the fights, the trips, the small shows, the big shows, the drinks, and the stories. In the end that's the best kind of legacy to have with someone, because then that person is never really gone, they are always in your mind, your heart, your soul, and even on your shoulder.

We Love You Pat."

(source: Shatter Messiah)