RIP - Paul Raven (January 16, 1961 – October 20, 2007)

It's very strange to write this post... I got a press release this morning that Paul Raven, the bassist for Ministry whose interview just ran here last week, was found dead of a heart attack in Geneva yesterday, where he was working with French recording artists Treponem Pal on a new collaboration. He was 46.

I was just sitting down for cup of coffee and my email (somehow in this day and age that's replacing the Sunday paper!) when I read it.

It's just crazy, because I just talked to the guy, and listened to the tape over and over while I transcribed the interview. I won't pretend that I knew him at all, but he was really cool, very friendly and funny, and we shared a love for industrial music. The interview went on for a lot longer than I even ran. We just chatted.

At the end of the interview, Raven said that I now had his cell phone number, and that I could call him with any other things I wanted to ask him about in the future, and to be sure to call him when they were in Detroit. It's incredibly sad that I'll never have the chance to meet someone who was so musically influential and innovative.

During the interview, Raven mentioned that he and William Tucker had been working on a project called Sons of Domination shortly before Tucker died in 1999. He said it may see the light of day someday. Perhaps that would be a fitting tribute to both Raven and Tucker.

A tribute to Raven has been set up on the 13th Planet Records Web site. You can view it here. Additionally, fans who'd like to leave condolences can do so through Killing Joke's MySpace site.

I'd like to offer condolences to Raven's family and friends, and say that the music world will definitely feel his absence. In addition to Ministry, he had more musical projects lined up than you could imagine, and they were all sure to be winners.

As one final note, I'd like to quote Raven, on what he said in memoriam to William Tucker. "God bless that f***er. That's all."

I'd say that applies in this situation as well.