ONWARD - All Activity Cancelled In Wake Of Michael Grant's Death
June 7, 2012, 12 years ago
On June 1st, New York's ONWARD issued the following statement:
"We are shocked and saddened to hear that former Onward vocalist Michael Grant passed away today at the age of 39. Thank you for your music and devotion to your craft Michael."According to a post on Michael's Facebook page, the cause of death was pneumonia.
Guitarist Toby Knapp has now issued the following statement:
"The recent death of original Onward frontman Michael Grant has led me to this painful, but I feel correct decision. Onward mk. 2 and what would have been the first Onward album without Michael are cancelled.Unfortunately, Michael and I did not leave off on a positive note and hadn't had a productive conversation in years. I had no idea Mike was ill and the extent of the pain he was going through. Every band has the right to have a full band reunion and that was something Mike and I did agree on when the time was right.
Doing Onward albums with different line-ups seemed like an interesting detour that would eventually lead back to the original sources. With Mike's death this will never happen - and he wasn't thrilled about an Onward without him. In his memory I leave Onward just the way it was, three albums and some really good years. This music I have been working on will eventually surface, but under a different name and in a different context. Thanks and hope you understand my decision."
Michael Grant sang on all three of Onward's releases: Evermoving, Reawaken, and The Neverending Sun. He was also a member of CRESCENT SHIELD, CYPHER SEER, and LEGEND MAKER.
