Many Greta Van Fleet fans probably don’t know about their first drummer, Kyle Hauck. He was part of the band when they were just getting started but left in 2013, only a year after they formed. His sudden departure left fans wondering what really happened. Here’s why he left and how the band moved forward.
Greta Van Fleet’s Early Days
Greta Van Fleet was formed in 2012 by the Kiszka brothers —Josh, Jake, and Sam— along with their original drummer, Kyle Hauck. The band played a mix of hard rock and blues-rock, inspired by classic bands of the past.
In 2017, their song ‘Highway Tune’ from the debut EP ‘Black Smoke Rising’ hit number one on the Billboard US Mainstream Rock chart. They later released albums like ‘Anthem of the Peaceful Army’ and ‘The Battle at Garden’s Gate.’ This helped them gain even more attention. But long before those albums came out, Kyle Hauck had already left the group.
Why Did Kyle Hauck Leave Greta Van Fleet?
Kyle Hauck’s exit from the band was confirmed in 2013, and fans wondered about the reasons behind it. According to Greta Van Fleet’s former manager Michael Barbee, Hauck wasn’t fully committed to the band and had health problems.
In an interview with Alternative Nation, Barbee explained that Hauck’s work ethic declined over time. He said Hauck didn’t seem focused on the band’s future. The manager also claimed that Hauck lied about his injuries.
Barbee said, “He had some health problems, and there was a sudden drop in his ethics as a member of the band. He was the kind of guy who wanted to be paid to rehearse. He let us down. I had not found out until we were ready to do this show at a club, and he said he had injured his knee, then someone came and told me: ‘I saw him walking normally at the football game last night.'”
Did Hauck Have Issues With the Band?
Barbee said there were no big fights between Hauck and the rest of the band. But the situation became tense when Hauck said he couldn’t play a show. The band felt let down, but they wanted to handle the situation without causing drama.
Barbee also believed Hauck might have had negative feelings about how things ended, but he never spoke about them directly to the band. “There was no fight with Kyle other than the night he appeared and said he could not do the show,” he explained. “I know he must have some not-so-cool things to say about all of us. He never said anything directly to us. We wanted to leave things in the most peaceful state possible.”
Greta Van Fleet Finds a New Drummer
The band needed a new drummer after Hauck left. Barbee reached out to Danny Wagner, who already played with the Kiszka brothers before. Wagner quickly became part of the band, and they were happy with the new lineup.
Greta Van Fleet released multiple albums and gained worldwide recognition since then. Meanwhile, Hauck stayed out of the spotlight, and there haven’t been any updates on if he continued a music career.
Kyle Hauck’s time in Greta Van Fleet was short, and the reasons for his departure came down to health concerns, work ethic, and a lack of commitment to the band. Danny Wagner stepped in after he left, and the band kept moving forward.
