Nick Menza. Photo from Nick Menza’s Facebook page
2016 is turning out to be a rough year for musicians.
Nick Menza, the former drummer of thrash-metal band Megadeth, passed away on Saturday (Sunday in Manila), after collapsing on stage at the Baked Potato club in Studio City, California.
Citing a report from the Rolling Stone, the 51-year-old was playing with his current band OHM, when he suddenly collapsed during the third song of their performance’s first set.
The sad news was first confirmed by the Menza family’s spokesman and Nick’s biographer, J Marshall Craig on his Facebook account.
Audience members and friends reportedly tried to resuscitate Menza until paramedics arrived, but he died in an ambulance en route to a hospital—after 25 minutes of resuscitation attempts.
“Despite his excellent health and extremely active, sober lifestyle, a heart attack is his suspected, though not confirmed, cause of death,” Craig said in a statement. “A post-mortem examination will be performed”.
Menza, who left the group in 1998 after discovering a tumor on his right knee, was still the longest-serving drummer for Megadeth after serving the band for 9 years.
He joined the band through the insistence of Megadeth’s co-founder, Dave Mustaine, the report said.
TELL ME THIS ISN’T TRUE! I woke at 4 AM to hear Nick Menza passed away on 5/21 playing his drums w/Ohm at the Baked Potato. #nickmenzarip
— Dave Mustaine (@DaveMustaine) May 22, 2016
Menza is joined in OHM by fellow Megadeth alumnus Chris Poland, after various solo stints for more than a year.
Apart from his drumming prowess, Menza was also an accomplished artist and woodworker.
He was scheduled to unveil an art series in Houston next month, before his tragic passing. Khristian Ibarrola