Travis Criscola (The Cute Lepers) - RIP

"Early the morning of March 28, in Cincinnati our friend and band-mate Travis Criscola passed away in his sleep. He was 24. Travis was guitarist in the Cute Lepers for the last six months and was the perfect addition to the band as it's developed. He was our friend. His company was always a pleasure. I don't think I ever heard him say a negative word about any one. He was smart, polite and considerate, always interested in learning more about music and playing guitar... he really loved music. He was passionate about music in a way that only other like minded musicians recognize and relate with. When Travis joined the band he would not think twice about jumping on the bus from Olympia and making the two hour ride to Seattle for a spur of the moment rehearsal, and then riding the bus two more hours to get back home. In fact Travis was doing this three times a week up until we left for europe to start our tour. His character and his commitment made him the very best we could hope for in a band-mate and a friend. We're gonna really miss him. We feel that it's appropriate and absolutely not in bad taste to disclose the cause of death of our friend. Travis combined alcohol and pills, then went to sleep and never woke up. It was an accident. Travis was not any kind of a habitual drug user. I'm a man who has left drugs and alcohol alone for over a decade and I just wont work with people who are mixed up with narcotics. It is rare to find a rock n' roll musician in his early twenties who doesn't get caught up in hitting the bars and going to parties on tour, and Trav was just one of those ones who made a really bad decision. He naively took some type of pills on top of the beer he was drinking and that's it. I believe that it would be a disservice for us to leave out this information. People would wind up hearing distorted versions of the truth anyways. Also our hope is that other young musicians, or anyone it may apply to who reads this will learn from our tragedy and perhaps wise up a bit. We're currently traveling across the country back home to Seattle with heavy hearts. Trav's family and his beautiful longtime girlfriend are in our prayers. --Steve

24 años que pena joder

Joder. 6 meses duró. Espero que ahora no les explote el batería

Joder

joder, no hace ni 6 meses que los descubrí

joder 24 años...

qué pena, la hostia

vaya pena, con 24 años

lo que dicen los compañeros de tour, los queers

Sad news from tour...........

It's been a couple of days but I finally feel up to writing a quick blog. We were out on tour with The Cute Lepers and Poison Arrows. Friday night in Cincy-well Newport,KY technically-but anyway after the show Friday a few of the Cute Lepers and Poison Arrows went out 'partying'. Two guys OD'd. Travis from The Cute Lepers didn't make it and passed away. 23 years old. Joey from Poison Arrows is in ICU or just out of the ICU and is going to pull through.
We're all fucking bummed out. Travis was a great guy and not even a druggie. He just ran into the wrong crowd and they took him down. A few of the Poison Arrows guys were all fucked up and it was all a big fucking joke. Now Travis is dead. I'm totally blaming those assholes cause if they weren't around no one would have been doing drugs. Yeah they didn't hold a gun to Travis's head but they brought that whole dynamic to the tour. I'd be singing 'Cindy's On Methadone' and Portwood from Poison Arrows would be laughing and holding up his methadone tablet in my face. He was on that shit on tour as well as smoking fucking crack and doing coke and drinking whiskey and bragging about it. I didn't actually see them do it but it's nothing to brag about so I assume it's true. I'm calling bullshit on all those fuckers. Big fucking joke wasn't it Portwood? Fuck you. I'm fucking pissed. Why the fuck I didn't kick them off tour I'll never know and I'll forever regret going against my better judgement and not sending them packing.
None of us guys even drink on tour. I know Steve and Rob and Falcon and the gang from The Cute Lepers aren't druggies and Steve wouldn't be around it. Poison Arrows all called me a pussy etc cause I'm more into playing than acting like a fucking idiot on drugs and booze. But this is what the fuck happens. People die.Good people. Go to the Cute Lepers page and leave a comment. I don't have any info on funeral stuff or addresses where we can send cards and flowers. I'll post it on here when I find out.
I still haven't gotten the whole story-they're saying it was pills and booze. For 2 guys to OD on pills and booze would be like winning a particularly sick lottery. I'm assuming it was dope but I guess at this point it's pointless to speculate. All I know is a damn good kid is dead now from drugs. Fucking A it's not shit to play around with. I know-I'm a recovered junkie and alcoholic. Sorry to have to write this and this will start all sorts of bullshit but fuck it. It's the truth on what the fuck happened. If it saves one kid from OD'ing than I don't give two fucks-it's worth it.
As I say I'll put up any funeral info and if you can email The Cute Lepers or leave them a comment that would be rad. They're a great band and great people. Thanks you guys-Joe,Dave and The Queers.