The members of Pig Destroyer have issued a statement following the news that longtime member Blake Harrison had died on March 9.
News began to circulate of Harrison’s passing over the weekend, with several peers and industry label reps commenting on the musician’s death at the age of 49.
Now, Pig Destroyer themselves have weighed in on the loss of Harrison, who joined the band in 2006 and continued with them through 2022, when he exited the group. Over the course of his time with Pig Destroyer, he was known for adding noise and extra sound elements to the band’s music through his sampler.
The group shared photos on Facebook from throughout the years and offered a heartfelt tribute that reads as follows:
Blake Hollingsworth Harrison has been our spirit animal for over 20 years.
In the early oughts, Blake’s band Daybreak and Pig Destroyer were both fledgling bands of malcontents fighting to establish our footprint in the scene. Eventually, Blake joined PD in early 2004 helping with merch on the Grind Over UK tour. Thus began a creative brotherhood and friendship that would span over two decades, across many countries, and over several albums.
Blake joined PD as our full time sound designer in the space leading up to Phantom Limb. From there we all learned together how to make a band work. We all shared the same values and basic beliefs in what we were doing while quickly becoming a tight family.
Everyone that knew Blake loved Blake. Light bent around him. You only had to meet him once. We in Pig Destroyer are forever grateful for the time we’ve been able to share with him.
Thank you for everything Blake. Thanks for the million memories, laughs, and stories. You are etched into the bedrock of our lives.
God speed Blake, you rascal. Love you man
The musician’s significant other, Lindsey Turnbullet, also posted on Facebook offering more insight into Harrison’s passing.
She wrote as follows:
I came home Saturday night and everything looked the same but had profoundly changed.
I am so sorry to announce the passing of my partner, my best friend, my adventure buddy, the dad of our wild dug, Crab.
Blake passed unexpectedly yesterday after years of being up and down battling and beating cancer and a number of other health issues that followed.
I have already seen a lot of speculation (please stop) so I will say he was actually doing well lately, we were planning his 50th and a trip to Scotland for our 10 year anniversary. What happened was completely out of left field. He went in for something kind of minor and his heart failed. His body had been fighting so long, you know?
He will always be one of the funniest, most supportive, most loving, silliest people I ever met. He loved fiercely. He loved supporting bands and collecting records and calling everyone posuers and heckling bands and weird arty movies and making music.
There is a huge hole in the world that no one will ever be able to fill, baby.
I thank everyone who reached out. I know Blake would appreciate it. I do too and I will get back to everyone.
I will share memorial services when they are planned.
If grief is the price of love, I would pay it over and over. You made these ten unforgettable, amazing adventurous years of my life and every moment was better because you were there.
I love you always and forever, Blake Harrison .
1975-2024
Harrison first appeared on the band’s 2007 album, Phantom Limb. He also was a part of 2012’s Book Burner, as well as 2018’s Head Cage. He had come to the group after previously playing with another band named Daybreak.
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Additional tributes came in from Undeath, Noisem, Nasum, Brutal Panda Records and Reptilian Records owner Christian Xavier Donovan.
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Gallery Credit: Loudwire Staff