Will Westbrook

[skipgoshannon]

I've just been told that my friend Will Westbrook passed away yesterday. He was someone who's company I enjoyed, and this is very sad news. I hope you will have his family in your thoughts, as surely this will be a difficult holiday for them to get through.

-shannon palmer

[jlaird]

Wow, what happened?

[el topo]

This is devastating news. My heart goes out to everyone who was lucky enough to know him. I'm a big Gerbils fan who's never had the chance to see them live, so I can't speak for who Will was as a person, but I do know the world has just lost a really talented individual.

[CrazyHorse]

This is very sad.

[Aqualad]

wow... this is totally unexpected. :(

[jlaird]

I emailed Laura Carter about it, I won't repeat the email, but I got a quick response. They do not believe he died from a drug overdose nor a suicide.

[jkirkpleasant]

R.I.P. Will Westbrook. You were a good friend. I just hung three of his photos on my living room wall yesterday after repairing the frames. He was such a special person and I will miss him until we meet again.
Kirk

[skipgoshannon]

I was told that he'd been having some medical problems recently, and had been to see a doctor about it. Like Kirk said, Will was a very special person, and someone who I remember fondly. I'm very sad about this.

[call me hi]

i'm sorry to hear that. i also really wish i would've had the chance to see him perform live.

[jkirkpleasant]

I'm sorry to grieve on the forum, but I'm in Vancouver far from anyone who knew Will and I don't know how else to express this sorrow. To see him perform would have been unremarkable. He was very unassuming on stage. His beauty always lay in the very very subtle. It took him forever to do anything... record a guitar solo, line up a photo, make a cup of coffee. If anyone ever goes by the transmetropolitan in athens, notice the tile before the entrance. Will did those tiles and took years (as I recall) to finish the job. Every tile was perfect and he made sure that when he did anything, it was perfect. He was an extraordinary photographer. I always admired him the most for that. His hands were perpetually cracked and dry. I keep seeing his hands in my mind today as this news sinks in. This is tearing me apart. I'll miss him.

[captain23]

this is very sad news.
his spirit will live on thru music and memories.
he has made some beautiful music that will last for the rest of our lives,music that means so much to all of us.
my heart goes out to all his friends and family.

c23

[theoperahouse]

he may not be with us in form, but people like him never really die.

[skipgoshannon]

it's interesting kirk, that you mention his hands, because it's something I thought of today as well. He had the hands of a very old man even in his late 20s.
One memory I have of Will is that he took a liking to this ratty green jacket I'd bought at goodwill, with a texaco patch on it. He was always bugging me to give it to him, and finally one day he gave me a photo he'd taken of two old, dried up jack-o-lanterns, and scrawled on the bottom of the photo were the words "In exchange for Texaco Jacket". How could I resist? I gave him the jacket.

[BigBlackSmoke]

this is too sad

[hansel]

I'm sorry to hear this news. I'm in BC as well. I didn't know the guy, but still. Sad.

[eggcup]

your sunshine soul
it sings to me

[Harnk]

It's so unfortunate when the young die. Very sorry to hear this news.

[Stormx]

yeah :( thats really sad....

[sellout250]

Rest in peace Will. Godspeed to your next life.

[wingedfeetxc]

how sad! what a terrible loss. my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. :(

[Figglyduff]

Thats terrible, he was so young :(

[defgav]

definitely sad to hear.

I notice pitchfork mentioned the news (link (http://pitchforkmedia.com/page/news/40192/Gerbils_Neutral_Milk_Guitarist_Westbrook_Passes_On #40192))

[el topo]

Thanks for the link, defgav.

[kartoonz]

I care about the air we share. RIP, Will. :(

[gymp]

whats with this, 2 indie rock gods of sorts dying in a matter of a few weeks. the other being dave wenger who was a huge influence to bands unlike e6 bands but wolf parade, frog eyes, sunset rubdown, atlas strategic, and many many more. theres an article about him here: http://popsheep.com/archive/2006_11_01_popsheep_archive.html

[poe]

Im digging out my gerbils cds!

[Code_J]

Aw gee. Another talented musician, gone. Rest in peace, Will.

[lou2ser]

Here are some videos of the Gerbils playing during SXSW 2006. Will is in the middle, between John and Scott.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6493789343829762339
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6135184688444664999
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5187006637765895276

[Fwching]

R.I.P.

[atrocities]

this is still sad.

[Stormx]

:(

[soot123]

I think thats actually Robbie from the Music Tapes playing Tuba there

[Bird]

I guess this is the first real Elephant Six person to pass on. Very sad. I've always thought that Are You Sleepy? was one of the most honest pop records ever.

[floweredeyes]

its a baritone, not a tuba

[msikes1]

i will never be the same, growing up in athens, or at least my musical taste did, Will didn't die , just floated away; i bet he will put his finger in ur face also, if u piss him off, or hug u if its a happy day; well will missed; i will forever treasure hangin out with him after they played little kings in march, and the other times at urs and janice's little farm in the late 90's , well anyways, too many little memories to remember, hope ur just laughin at it all, thanks for smokin with me, and gettin me a drink after 2am at little kings before yall left for SXSW, will, if only we all went instead it would be a happy universe,
with love that has not been thought up yet:mike sikes

[msikes1]

;)

[dprosper]

I knew Will and a lot of the E6 guys back from the days at Louisiana Tech University. Will and I first met when I caught him checking out my car. I have a black 63 Ford Fairlane and Will at the time had an old car as well. I think his was a little older. I still say mine looked better!! :) I got involved in some of the bands around (I'm a drummer first then a guitarist) and if you ever went to the Monroe St house you'd run into Will. A good person and amazing photographer. Definitely one of a kind. Hell be missed.......

--Derek

[jkirkpleasant]

today is Will's 49th day post-mortum. on this day, he will move into the beyond; he is in my thoughts and prayers.

[damonin]

the girbils will live on forever

[TheMarvelousMr.Milk]

Uncalled for?

[dwightp]

To say the least.

[pinocchio]

Originally posted by CoolyMcCoolvin
if it's not jeff mangum, i don't care

wow

[pinocchio]

does anyone know the cause of will's death yet?

[tomatoesandradiowires]

I was just listening to glue and listening the all the emotion in will's voice made me kind of sad. It's so oddly upsetting to have someone singing so lively in the room and knowing they'll never sing again.

[jkirkpleasant]

i just finally got a record player for the first time in about four years... so the first record i put on was 'are you sleepy'. the last post was talking about will's voice, but he doesn't sing on any of the songs. if you want to hear will's voice, listen to 'ted doesn't mind' - will's voice is the very distinct answering machine recording, which is in the middle of the song and amazing, to say the least. if you want to delve further into this man and his genius, there is a track at the end of side A (after fluid) called, 'wet host'. this track has a pitched piano. it fades out and begins again on the B side. this is all will.
john and i had this dog, 'yertle', who eventually was hit by a car (very sad, he was a super sweet dog), anyway, one day yertle came running in the house soaking wet and covered with fleas, hence the name 'wet host' was born. will's voice can be best heard in these two places. listening to it gave me goosebumps, and that's pretty cool, because i really wanted to goosebump again! ;~)

[msikes1]

ive been wonderin, of course curiousity is the nature of the beast, about causes of death possible, and my wondering led me to the conclusion that it must be a natural cause, i guess that sounds better than he got eaten by a lion, and if he did it would still be natural

[Gin And Jews]

I was just listening to Are You Sleepy? and realized that it's almost been a year since Will's death. :(

[G]

it'll be 1 year tomorrow

[beans45601]

Thats so weird.

[Gin And Jews]

We miss you Will. :(

[Code_J]

sigh....one year already?

i don't suppose any of you know how that photo exhibit and/or book are coming along?

[plex]

I got battle of electricity for xmas and it's so beautiful i cry when i listen to it for two reasons, It's just so beautiful and i think about Will. *sigh*