Former Weezer bassist Mikey Welsh has been found dead in a hotel room – at the time and place he recently dreamed he’d die. He was 40.
Welsh played with the band from 1998 until 2001 and left after suffering a nervous breakdown. He’d reinvented himself in recent years as a painter.
He was enjoying his first vacation in some time and had travelled to Chicago to attend a Weezer show and catch up with his former bandmates.
Staff at the city’s Raffaello Hotel went to his room on Saturday afternoon after he failed to check out on schedule. He was discovered unconscious and not breathing in the room.
On September 26 he wrote via his Twitter account: "Dreamt I died in Chicago next weekend (heart attack in my sleep). Need to write my will today." Later he added: "Correction: weekend after next."
An autopsy was carried out but the results were inconclusive. Toxicology tests can take up to six weeks to be returned, but a police spokesman says foul play is not suspected.
Last week Welsh wrote on his Facebook page: "I’m going on my first vacation in quite a long time… very stoked… First I’m off to Nashville, to be photographed working on a big painting by a very good friend of mine… and then off to Chicago to see the mighty =w= rock out. I’m excited to see the boys, hang out and have some fun."
Weezer say in a statement: "Our beautiful, hilarious and sweet friend Mikey Welsh has passed away at the very young age of 40. A unique talent, a deeply loving friend and father, and a great artist is gone, but we will never forget him. His chapter in the Weezer story was vital, essential, wild and amazing."
Thanks for the report to RockNewsDesk.com.
