He drummed with the band from 1976 to 1986.
Among the many drummers that Ohio weirdo rock legends Devo have had over the years, none seemed as much an integral part of the band that Alan Myers, who played with the band from 1976 through to 1986. Today Slicing Up Eyeballs has reported that Myers has lost a battle with cancer.
He first joined the band in 1976 and, along with brothers Mark and Bob Mothersbaugh and Gerard and Bob Casale, was a part of what many would call the “classic” Devo line up. It was this line up that would take the band from obscurity to mainstream success
Myers, who was known as The Human Metronome, was highly praised for the mechanical precision he brought to his drumming which is highly evident across much of the music he made with Devo over the years.
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The news was first reported by his friend Ralph Carney (jazz drummer and uncle of The Black Keys' Patrick Carney) on Facebook and Josh Freese on twitter.
RIP Alan Myers. 1 of my all time favs. An underrated/brilliant drummer. Such an honor playing his parts w/Devo. Godspeed Human Metronome.
— Josh Freese (@joshfreese) June 26, 2013
It has since been confirmed by Devo's Gerard Casale who has paid his own tribute to his former drummer.
In praise of Alan Myers, the most incredible drummer I had the privilege to play with for 10 years. Losing him was like losing an arm. RIP!!
— Gerald Casale (@Gvc3Casale) June 26, 2013
RE: Alan Myers. I begged him not to quit Devo. He could not tolerate being replaced by the Fairlight and autocratic machine music. I agreed.
— Gerald Casale (@Gvc3Casale) June 26, 2013
Alan, you were the best - a human metronome and then some. A once in a lifetime find thanks to Bob Mothersbaugh. U were born to drum Devo!
— Gerald Casale (@Gvc3Casale) June 26, 2013
Freese, who is one of Devo's current drummers, has previously credited Myers with inspiring him to become a drummer as a young boy.
“A lot of people think that it's a drum machine on Whip It. But that's Alan Myers,” he said to Spin Magazine in 2010.
We'll report further details should they come to hand.