John ‘JJ Righteous’ Sekula served as guitarist in the alternative metal band Mushroomhead and contributed to their early sound in the 1990s (per Ultimate Guitar). But he passed away at the age of 41 a few years after his departure from the band.
The Guitarist’s Run In Mushroomhead
Sekula co-founded Mushroomhead in 1993 and played on their first three albums: 1995’s ‘Mushroomhead,’ 1996’s ‘Superbuick,’ and 1999’s ‘M3.’ His stage masks, including an Ace Frehley, a welding, and a Ghostface ones, made him distinctive on stage during his years in the band, according to Wikipedia.
Still, the guitarist left the lineup in 2001 due to internal issues. Marko Vukcevich replaced him in the band while he joined State of Conviction and Unified Culture, both fronted by Mushroomhead vocalist Jason Popson.
Outside of music, he worked as a painter and earned a living creating custom homes, Gunshy Assassin wrote.
His Cause Of Death
On October 28, 2010, Sekula died from massive heart failure in Parma, Ohio, at 41 years old, Metal Insider reported. His family wrote in a statement (via Gunshy Assassin), “To everyone who loved John or has had the opportunity of letting him touch your life. We just ask you to leave comments and prayers for us. We’re having a difficult time dealing with this due to our overwhelming love. This is hard; we miss him.”
A tribute page was formed following the news while Mushroomhead honored his memory by dedicating ‘Before I Die’ to the late guitarist during a performance in Cleveland on October 30, 2010. A visitation and memorial service took place in November that year at the Busch Funeral Home in Parma, Ohio.
