Remembering Bryan St. Pere: Hum Drummer Dies at 52
Bryan St. Pere died at the age of 52 and can be called the doctor of drum sets and a smithstix of his generation, from playing in his room to playing at massive stages in different states in the United States. His love for music made him pause his medical life as a biologist to play the drums. It is very sad to know that the world lost an icon on Thursday, 1st July 2021. This news has shocked the whole music industry. It is not only just to the world of rock, but also the whole world remembers Bryan.
Personal life
Bryan was born on the 2nd of April, 1969. He kept his family life lowkey, probably for obvious reasons of paparazzi ambush on celebrities and their family members. According to Latest Celeb Articles, Bryan was a caring father and brother. His sexuality was straight, and he was married even at the time of death.
His love for music
Bryan fell in love with music at a very early stage in his life. More so, he fell in love with the rock band Rush. In an interview on the Trap Set podcast, Bryan disclosed how he loved Rush Band for years. He listened to the band from the time he was in eighth grade till his sophomore year of high school. He would always play his drums alongside songs from Rush. He was particularly in love with Neil Peart’s iconic style of performance.
Joining Hum
How Bryan joined Hum is pretty much one of the best origin stories. As Hum members were passing by Bryan’s window, they heard him play his drums to Rush songs, and they fell in love with what they heard. They went on to approach Bryan to join their band, and he hopped right in. According to Curator, the singer and guitarist Matt Talbott, the guitarist Tim lash, and bassist Jeff Dimpsey took the first step and invited Bryan to play with them as their drum master. At that time, Bryan was attending The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was studying for his Bachelor’s degree in Biology.
Life while in Hum
Hum is an alternative rock band from Illinois, United States, that was formed in 1989. Andy Switzky and Matt Talbott formed the band as the initial founders. Later on, Akis Boyatzis and Bryan St. Pere joined the group to form Hum. Boyatiz went to Greece in 1990. Andy Switzky also left the group due to personal reasons, the two were replaced severally, and the band finally settled for Jeff Dimpsey and Tim Lash. The band produced their first two albums, ‘Fillet Show’ in 1991 and ‘Electra 2000’ in 1993, released by 12 Inch Records then distributed by Cargo Records. They attracted the attention of several people and companies, including RCA Records, who signed them. Their fame became widespread like fire in Manhattan in 1995 when they released their major-label debut ‘You’d prefer an Astronaut’ which later on was boosted by their alternative hit “ Stars” that catapulted them from being a household name in Illinois to nationwide fame, this was mainly boosted by radio airplay. The song hit number 11 on Billboard’s Hot Modern Rock Tracks ( it’s currently known as Billboard’s Alternative Songs Chart). Due to the popularity of Stars, the band sold over 250,000 copies of their album.
Splitting of Hum
Later on, in 1998, the band dropped “Downward is Heavenward.” Sadly two years later, Hum suffered financially due to poor record sales. The band eventually broke up, each member going back to their lives before stardom.
Pere’s life outside Hum
Since the band had broken up, Bryan went back to his initial plan in life, joining healthcare. Having his Bachelor’s Degree in Biology, which he had previously studied, came in pretty handy when he was at this low time in his life.
Hum’s reunion and final comeback
Despite the band’s breakup, they would severally resurface and perform, and Bryan was always there playing happily alongside his old mates. Hum’s first reunion was in 2003 at Furnace Fest in Alabama at the historic Sloss Furnaces. The fest was a festival that merged Hard rock, alternative, emo, and indie acts from across the United States. The band declined to perform again for large crowds and claimed to prefer playing in small clubs and regional fests like the good old days. Though he failed to make an appearance in their 2015 reunion, he played in their very impressive comeback album Inlet. Inlet came as a surprise when it was released on 23rd June 2020. This was their first album after 22 years of producing no songs. The album proved that hum were the kings of rock; even after being out of the industry, these men, despite their ages, flung out youngsters and showed them how it’s supposed to be done, as the album peaked to number 15 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums Chart and number 30 on the Billboard current Album Sales Chart.
Bryan’s Passing on
Bryan’s death has shocked many fans and fellow musicians since it came out abruptly. When Inlet was making progress and people were expecting a lot from the band, Bryan left the scene. He passed away on Thursday 1st July 2021. The cause of his death is still unknown. The family is yet to disclose if he was battling any disease or how exactly he died. The band members disclosed the news of Bryan’s sudden death through an Instagram post, where they described him as a good father, a dear friend, brother, and a very incredible person.
Tribute to Bryan St. Pere
Nothing breaks the hearts of many, like the announcement of the death of a celebrity. Many people, fans, and fellow artists have given their condolences to the family of Bryan St. Pere and Hum band members, pouring out their hearts on how his drum skills and music influenced their lives. May Bryan’s soul rest in eternal peace.