Jon Wysocki formed Staind in 1995 with vocalist Aaron Lewis, guitarist Mike Mushok, and bassist Johnny April. The band made their live debut in February that year. Two years later, they had a chance to play on the same stage with Limp Bizkit, but Fred Durst wasn’t sure about them. He changed his mind after seeing their performance and even signed Staind to Flip Records.
Wysocki contributed to the band’s success both on stage and in the studio until he left in 2011. Unfortunately, his music career, though it lasted for another decade, ended early with his passing this year.
Why Did The Drummer Leave Staind?
Wysocki appeared on seven of Staind’s eight albums. Their 2001 album ‘Break the Cycle’ debuted at number one on the Billboard 2000 and sold over 717,600 copies. Their follow-up albums ‘14 Shades of Grey’ and ‘Chapter V’ also debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 as well. However, conflicts began to grow between the drummer and the other band members during the production of their self-titled 2011 album.
Lewis shifted focus on his solo career and went on solo gigs to promote his ‘Town Line’ album. He also had issues with Wysocki, and this led to Wysocki’s departure from the band in May 2011.
According to ‘Numetal‘ by Matt Karpe, Wysocki did not like working with ‘The Illusion of Progress’ producer Johnny K instead of Nick Raskulinecz. He also felt the album was rushed because they waited until they were almost in breach of their contract to start recording, causing ‘Staind’ to not match the quality of their earlier albums. The disagreements led the drummer to leave the lineup, saying, “This is not the Staind we started out being.”
His New Band Gave The Bad News
Wysocki played with Soil and Save the World after leaving Staind. Most recently, he joined the Nashville-based Lydia’s Castle.
According to his latest group’s official webpage, the drummer became part of the lineup a year after frontwoman Tonya LeeAnne and guitarist Cody Denton formed it in 2020 during the lockdown. Bassist Corey England came in 2022 shortly before the release of their debut single, ‘Phoenix.’
Fans were looking forward to new music from Lydia’s Castle, but the band confirmed Wysocki’s passing in May 2024. Per Variety, they shared, “On 5/18/2024 at 8:02 pm, Jon Wysocki passed away surrounded by family and friends who loved him dearly.”
What Caused Wysocki’s Death?
Wysocki’s cause of death was liver-related complications. According to the Los Angeles Times, he was taken to the ICU days before his death due to the condition, which bandmate Shawna Hornbeck confirmed on Facebook.
Though Hornbeck noted signs of slow recovery, the drummer couldn’t make it. After his death announcement, Staind and Aaron Lewis paid him tribute, separately.
Lewis’ message on X read, “I’m so sad. I lost my friend. A friend I loved like a brother… fought with like a brother… cared for like a brother… worried about like a brother… cried over like a brother… because he was my brother in arms. My journey would’ve been different without him.”
The frontman was ready to reunite with Wysocki at some point in the future, according to Loudwire. But the drummer was busy with commitments to other projects.
