Eyehategod say they kept going after the death of drummer Joey LaCaze because it’s what he would have wanted.
The band feature on the second episode of NOLA: Life, Death And Heavy Blues From The Bayou – a seven-part series focusing on the New Orleans metal scene. View it below.
And frontman Mike IX Williams insists splitting the band was never an option when LaCaze died in 2013 following complications from long-term asthma.
He says: “It was never a question of ending the band when Joey passed away. We never thought it was over – it just didn’t feel right. We knew Joey was like, ‘You better not fucking quit.’ We could all feel this vibe.”
Guitarist Jimmy Bower adds: “That was definitely a big hit for me. He was more than just important to the band – he had his own groove. Joey was our mentor.
“Knowing Joey, the dude he was and his sense of humour – I think that’s why we kept going. It’s what he would have done.”
LaCaze appears on the group’s 2014 self-titled release, which launched via Century Media Records. Aaron Hill, who played with Missing Monuments and Mountain Of Wizard, replaced the late drummer.
The band have lined up 15 live dates in the US, starting October 2 in Denver.