“The prolific 29-year-old rocker was found dead early Wednesday in his Memphis home. His former label, Goner Records, was the first to confirm the news. “It is with great sadness that we report the passing of our good friend Jay Reatard. Jay died in his sleep last night,” Goner announced Wednesday afternoon. 

But Reatard had enemies. He feuded with New Jersey punk band Liquor Store just days before his death. And on Thursday a report hit the web that Reatard’s death was being investigated as a homicide.” Fox News’ Memphis affiliate was the first, and only news source to report that the Memphis Police Dept. is seeking a suspect connected to Reatard’s death. According to the report, posted Thursday afternoon, police are offering a reward of up to $1,000 for any information that leads to an arrest. The report has since been removed from the site, but the rumors persist.Jay Reatard (real name Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr.) made as many enemies as he did singles during his brief but productive career – too many to count, according to The New York Times. His garage-punk sensibility and infamously violent stage act were a major part of who he was.n a popular Self-Titled magazine article, J. Bennett writes,”Type Reatard’s name into a YouTube search, and the first clip that comes up is… ‘Jay Reatard punching a kid at the Silver Dollar.’ The second clip that comes up is entitled ‘Jay Reatard – Kicks a dude in the face in Vegas!’“In October, Reatard tweeted: “Band quit ! F*ck them ! They are boring rich kids who can’t play for ahit [sic] anyways .. Say hello to your ugly and boring wifes.”
Just days before his death, Reatard got into an altercation with New Jersey punk band Liquor Store. According to a post on the Terminal Boredom message board, Jay threatened the band with a chainsaw and hit a band member in the face with a disco ball. In retaliation, the band reportedly slashed Reatard’s tires.

In his last tweet, less than 36 hours before he was found dead, Reatard wrote: “I will give anyone a hundred bucks per tire that they pop on the band liquor stores van ! Yes I’m serious.”

But was the animosity between the musicians serious? Was there enough bad blood for Jay’s enemies take part in his death?

 

 

Friday 15 January

By leroy

Lowest RankVote downVote upReport this

UH UH UH YEAHHHHH !! FIRST ..SO THAT MAKES YOU SECOND..DON`T HATE !! UH UH UH WHAT ?? WHAT ??

Reply

Friday 15 January

By DeniseLEROY YOU ARE # 1 IDIOT UH UH WHAT. GET A LIFE. I never heard of this guy he sounds like he needed to grow up.

Friday 15 January

By themeekerThe fact that this guy died is of NO historical importance. Let’s move on.”

Officers from the 90th Precinct responded at 6 AM this morning to a 911 call, closing off an alley at the rear of 248 McKibbin Street to investigate the death of a man who fell from the building’s roof.

The victim was a white male, aged 25, who suffered trauma to his head and chest. He was removed from the scene and taken to nearby Woodhull Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

A witness to the scene reported to BushwickBK that the victim may have fallen or jumped off the roof and was not breathing at the time.

An officer said the investigation is ongoing and the medical examiner has yet to determine the exact cause of death

by BushwickBK | January 28th, 2010

all i know im going ouT like This

A STATEMENT FROM THE DEATHSET:

R.I.P. my dear brother, friend and band mate Beau Velasco. We are all so devastated that I will keep this short. We love you and you will be missed. You affected us all so much in the most positive ways. Our lives would not be as is, if not for you. We love you.

Beau Velasco, beloved brother, co-founding member, guitarist and vocalist of The Death Set, passed away Sunday, September 27, in Brooklyn, New York. Beau co-wrote the Worldwide album and previous two EP’s with Johnny Siera, with whom his partnership reaches back beyond The Death Set’s beginnings, to Black Panda from the Gold Coast, Australia. The Death Set moved from Sydney to the US in 2005, but Beau took a back seat from touring a while later. This original core lineup of the band had recently rejoined to write and record the next record and to resume touring together.

Beau was also a talented artist, tattoo artist and jewelry designer. Working at Saved Tattoo in Williamsburg and Black Ink in Harlem. His artwork has been exhibited in Australia and America. There is a nice piece remembering him in the New York Village Voice here: http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/archives/2009/09/remembering_bea.phpA memorial is also being organised by band mate Dan Walker for Beau’s hometown, the Gold Coast, Australia. It will be tentatively on October 22nd. There will be a gathering and later a wake at Elsewhere Bar. Please email Dan drumpsychology@hotmail.com for details. Please note this is being organised by friends from the Gold Coast and is not an official funeral orgainsed by Beau’s parents Charles and Ella. When those details become known I will let people know.

This was our last show together: