Ra Ra Riot Drummer John Pike Found Dead

I would like to take this chance to extend my condolences to John's family, friends, and bandmates. My thoughts are with them during this extremely difficult time.

I briefly had the pleasure of making John's acquaintance in 2006. This was at Great Scott in Allston, which I believe was also the first time that I saw Ra Ra Riot perform (w/ The Bikini Carwash Co. 08/30/06). They just blew me away, and on top of that- after the show they proved to be some of the friendliest, most down to earth people you could ever hope to meet.

Here's one of my favorite live recordings of the band, live on WOXY.com:

Track Listing
1. Fever
2. Everest (working title was "Digging" when performed)
-- interview --
3. Can You Tell
4. Each Year (working title was "At Night" when performed)
5. Dying Is Fine
-- interview --
6. Hounds of Love (Kate Bush cover - not listed on WOXY.com)

MP3: Ra Ra Riot: WOXY.com Lounge Act 9/12/06 (36:43)


This is what Pitchfork wrote about John's passing:

Twenty-three year old John Pike, drummer for Syracuse sextet Ra Ra Riot, was found dead near Fairhaven, Massachusetts yesterday (June 3).

According to a SouthCoastToday.com report, Pike had gone missing early in the morning on June 2, after attending a house party. He had played Providence, Rhode Island's Living Room with Ra Ra Riot before the party on the night of June 1.

Police found Pike's body in approximately seven feet of coastal water, in an area known as Wilbur's Point. Authorities believe the cause of death to be drowning, but will not confirm until an autopsy has been performed. [Update: Drummer's Autopsy Reveals "No Determination" -BBC™]

Ra Ra Riot have been amassing an enthusiastic fanbase on the strength of a high-energy live show and one of the best "Hounds of Love" covers this side of the Futureheads. The band's self-titled debut EP is available now and due for proper release via the Rebel Group on July 10th. They have a series of dates lined up with Tokyo Police Club in July, although it is unknown at this time whether those shows will go on as planned.

Ra Ra Riot dates:

06-08 Hartford, CT - Sweet Jane's [CANCELED]
06-29 New York, NY - South Street Seaport Festival
07-24 Cleveland Heights, OH - Grog Shop *
07-25 Cincinnati, OH - Decibel Lounge *
07-26 Chicago, IL - Beat Kitchen *
07-29 Austin, TX - Emo's #
07-30 Houston, TX - Meridian Red Room #
07-31 Dallas, TX - Cambridge Room at House of Blues #
08-01 New Orleans, LA - The Republic #
08-02 Atlanta, GA - Vinyl #
08-04 Greenville, NC - The Spazzatorium Galleria
08-07 Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel #
08-08 Baltimore, MD - Sonar #
08-09 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's #
08-10 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom #
08-11 Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's #
08-12 Cambridge, MA - Middle East Downstairs #
09-14 Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre (Monolith Festival)

* with Mason Proper
# with Tokyo Police Club

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MySpace: Ra Ra Riot
MySpace: The Bikini Carwash Company