Dave Blood, bassist for Philadelphia rock act the Dead Milkmen, committed suicide yesterday (March 10), according to a post by his sister Kathy on the band’s official message board. In a subsequent post, Milkmen drummer Dean Clean confirmed the news.
“This morning Dave Blood is no longer with us,” his sister wrote. “David is my brother. Since the breakup of the band David has never really found his niche in life. My brother was a smart, clever and talented person. Inner peace has seemed to elude him for the last many years. Sometime last night David chose to end his life. He left a note that I don’t know all of what it said, he was not elaborate — but he said he just could not stand to go on any longer.” She went on to explain that their mother had passed away at the end of January and felt that “maybe David just had had enough.”
A memorial service will be held in the near future in the Delaware County area of southeastern Pennsylvania. Details will be announced.
The Dead Milkmen formed in 1983 and quickly rose to prominence on the college radio circuit. Their 1985 debut album, “Big Lizard in My Backyard” (Restless) boasts the cult-classic single “Bitchin’ Camaro,” but was overshadowed in 1988 by “Punk Rock Girl,” which was an MTV staple of the time. The band also recorded for Enigma.
The band dissolved after releasing “Stoney’s Extra Stout (Pig)” in 1995. In late 2003, Restless/Ryko released a retrospective of early and rare recordings, “Now We Are 20,” and the “Philadelphia in Love” DVD, which compiled all of the band’s videos.
