Matt Zaun (Salamander, Skye Klad, Di Dollari, Blitzen, et al) RIP

Savage Clone · 11.05.2007, 01:58 PM

I am so heartbroken right now...
Our good friend Matt Zaun unexpectedly left us in his sleep this weekend.
He was with friends in Eau Claire, having just seen the Black Eyed Snakes.
No excessive debauchery, no nihilistic behavior, simply going to sleep and not waking up.
It is currently just a painful mystery; hopefully answers will come to us in the weeks to come.
He was my bandmate in more than one project, he was my good friend, and he was the definition of True Friendship.
He was one of the best designers I have ever known, and one of the finest percussionists I have ever had the pleasure to hear, watch or collaborate with.
The sadness of his death is impossible to process.
You were loved by many, my friend.
Matt played drums in Salamander, Skye Klad, Blitzen, Di Dollari and several other bands.
I trusted him implicitly with design work for any show or recording I was involved in.

Matt's design skills and music can be sampled here, though just a tiny sliver of his massive body of work is on display:

This is the most recent picture I have of him, when he played drums for Suishou No Fune last month.

CHOUT · 11.05.2007, 02:01 PM

Sorry to hear that, Savage Clone.

sonicl · 11.05.2007, 02:03 PM

Sorry to hear your news, SC. I feel for you, I really do.

A Thousand Threads · 11.05.2007, 02:13 PM

oh shit man.
I feel so sorry for you. Don't know what to say.....

R.I.P.

jon boy · 11.05.2007, 02:30 PM

very sad news indeed and my condolances.

nicfit · 11.05.2007, 02:47 PM

Condolences to his family and all the people who loved him and he loved.
Very sad news SC...

Glice · 11.05.2007, 03:17 PM

Dude... so sorry for you. I can only imagine...

luxinterior · 11.05.2007, 03:54 PM

I'm so sorry Clone. How terrible. To have no warning whatsoever...many of us probably know how that feels, but I wouldn't want to equate your loss with anyone elses. Such a good friend of yours deserves to be remembered as an individual.

I looked at that small sample of his design work; what great taste. I can already think of a few people I know who would love to see his art. It's a shame it has stopped. From what you've shared about him, I would hope that I can learn something from his dedication to his various projects. Truly an inspiration (especially at a time when I am struggling with many different projects I have to complete; this really puts it into perspective. Best not to whine about the amount of work, and to instead just be thankful that I have the opportunity, period).

SynthethicalY · 11.05.2007, 04:32 PM

I am so sorry to hear that Savage. My condolonces to you, and his family as well.

Everyneurotic · 11.05.2007, 05:04 PM

condolences, man. losing a friend like that is not easy, be strong.

hat and beard · 11.05.2007, 05:23 PM

I'm very sorry to hear that. My condolences.

Savage Clone · 11.05.2007, 06:16 PM

Thanks for the kind words, everyone.
It's been a great source of comfort to see your words here.

dnorsen · 11.05.2007, 08:31 PM

hey savage- i didnt realize you were friendly with matt. i just had come across his portfolio online recently and loved his stuff. booked marked it for future reference. such a loss! send my best to his family and friends ...

Tokolosh · 11.06.2007, 03:42 AM

My condolences Mr Clone. Take care in these difficult times.
He was a very good designer. Love his work.

Bal · 11.06.2007, 03:45 AM

i really feel for you man.
one of my best friends just died 2 weeks ago in a car crash...

11.06.2007, 04:37 AM

I'm so sorry to hear that, it must be awful for his family and friends. I love his work and the world will miss him greatly. Horrible news.

pokkeherrie · 11.06.2007, 08:57 AM

Such a sudden loss... my sincere condolences to you.

Obviously very talented and much too young; may he be remembered by his work and by what he meant to others. As they say "those who live in the hearts of others never die". Take care in these difficult times.

atari 2600 · 11.06.2007, 10:43 AM

man...

loss for words

krastian · 11.06.2007, 09:05 PM

Sorry to hear about your friend, man.

Savage Clone · 11.26.2007, 11:45 AM

Turns out it was a heart attack after all. We were initially told his heart checked out OK, but it turns out there was a major artery that was constricted. It's unfortunate that the first symptom of his heart trouble was death, but at least we know what happened now. I miss him a lot.

Here is some footage of Matt playing his minimal "standup" kit in Blitzen, a short-lived but great band he played in with my old bandmate Jason (leader of Skye Klad) and Jason's wife Chrissy. I think they could have been pretty popular if Jason hadn't abrubtly disbanded the group to pursue more "art" music. This show was at the first Heliotrope festival in 2004.

"Blitzen":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU0_06STkMw

"John The Revelator":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsMw-k6DkpA

"Round and Round":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwcPA-18Zes

"Joan Of Arc":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlaxGEqTp1w

11.05.2007, 01:58 PM	#1
Savage Clone invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 11,286	I am so heartbroken right now... Our good friend Matt Zaun unexpectedly left us in his sleep this weekend. He was with friends in Eau Claire, having just seen the Black Eyed Snakes. No excessive debauchery, no nihilistic behavior, simply going to sleep and not waking up. It is currently just a painful mystery; hopefully answers will come to us in the weeks to come. He was my bandmate in more than one project, he was my good friend, and he was the definition of True Friendship. He was one of the best designers I have ever known, and one of the finest percussionists I have ever had the pleasure to hear, watch or collaborate with. The sadness of his death is impossible to process. You were loved by many, my friend. Matt played drums in Salamander, Skye Klad, Blitzen, Di Dollari and several other bands. I trusted him implicitly with design work for any show or recording I was involved in. Matt's design skills and music can be sampled here, though just a tiny sliver of his massive body of work is on display: This is the most recent picture I have of him, when he played drums for Suishou No Fune last month.
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11.05.2007, 02:01 PM	#2
CHOUT invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Minneapolis MN Posts: 3,128	Sorry to hear that, Savage Clone. __________________ Chout's rare Sonic Youth vids: http://youtube.com/SONICchout
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11.05.2007, 02:03 PM	#3
sonicl invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 9,527	Sorry to hear your news, SC. I feel for you, I really do.
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11.05.2007, 02:13 PM	#4
A Thousand Threads expwy. to yr skull Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,000	oh shit man. I feel so sorry for you. Don't know what to say..... R.I.P.
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11.05.2007, 02:30 PM	#5
jon boy invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: psycho battery Posts: 12,161	very sad news indeed and my condolances. __________________ Sarcasm[A] is stating the opposite of an intended meaning especially in order to sneeringly, slyly, jest or mock a person, situation or thing \|@ <------- Euphoric brain cell just moments before expiration V _ \ / _ PING <-------- moments later / \ http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljhxq...isruo1_500.gif
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11.05.2007, 02:47 PM	#6
nicfit invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: banana boat Posts: 15,570	Condolences to his family and all the people who loved him and he loved. Very sad news SC... __________________ 11:11 11-11-11 I Ascended.
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11.05.2007, 03:54 PM	#8
luxinterior invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Missouri, land of the free and home of the brave Posts: 2,351	I'm so sorry Clone. How terrible. To have no warning whatsoever...many of us probably know how that feels, but I wouldn't want to equate your loss with anyone elses. Such a good friend of yours deserves to be remembered as an individual. I looked at that small sample of his design work; what great taste. I can already think of a few people I know who would love to see his art. It's a shame it has stopped. From what you've shared about him, I would hope that I can learn something from his dedication to his various projects. Truly an inspiration (especially at a time when I am struggling with many different projects I have to complete; this really puts it into perspective. Best not to whine about the amount of work, and to instead just be thankful that I have the opportunity, period). __________________ "I sweat like a fucking nun on Sunday...I don't even know what that means." - Sebastian Bach
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11.05.2007, 04:32 PM	#9
SynthethicalY invito al cielo Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 7,408	I am so sorry to hear that Savage. My condolonces to you, and his family as well.
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11.05.2007, 05:04 PM	#10
Everyneurotic invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mexico Posts: 15,713	condolences, man. losing a friend like that is not easy, be strong. __________________ Richard Clayderman found alive and still bland! Repo Man has all night! Photographic evidence of Monosodic's existance! New Kiddieriot shit after all! Never too late to share fave rex from the year before! David Keenan is a douchebag! Ron Asheton missed!
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11.05.2007, 05:23 PM	#11
hat and beard stalker Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan Posts: 457	I'm very sorry to hear that. My condolences. __________________ 言わぬが花
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11.05.2007, 06:16 PM	#12
Savage Clone invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 11,286	Thanks for the kind words, everyone. It's been a great source of comfort to see your words here.
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11.05.2007, 08:31 PM	#13
dnorsen bad moon rising Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: brighton, ma Posts: 216	hey savage- i didnt realize you were friendly with matt. i just had come across his portfolio online recently and loved his stuff. booked marked it for future reference. such a loss! send my best to his family and friends ... __________________ www.dnorsen.com
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11.06.2007, 03:42 AM	#14
Tokolosh invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Plaza de Toros Posts: 6,731	My condolences Mr Clone. Take care in these difficult times. He was a very good designer. Love his work.
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11.06.2007, 03:45 AM	#15
Bal the end of the ugly Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Budapest city Posts: 1,011	i really feel for you man. one of my best friends just died 2 weeks ago in a car crash... __________________
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11.06.2007, 04:37 AM	#16
sarramkrop Posts: n/a	I'm so sorry to hear that, it must be awful for his family and friends. I love his work and the world will miss him greatly. Horrible news.
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11.06.2007, 08:57 AM	#17
pokkeherrie invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 4,289	Such a sudden loss... my sincere condolences to you. Obviously very talented and much too young; may he be remembered by his work and by what he meant to others. As they say "those who live in the hearts of others never die". Take care in these difficult times.
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11.06.2007, 10:43 AM	#18
atari 2600 invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 8,212	man... loss for words
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11.06.2007, 09:05 PM	#19
krastian invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Baltimore Posts: 7,808	Sorry to hear about your friend, man. __________________ Confusion is next and next after that is the Truth.
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11.26.2007, 11:45 AM	#20
Savage Clone invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 11,286	Turns out it was a heart attack after all. We were initially told his heart checked out OK, but it turns out there was a major artery that was constricted. It's unfortunate that the first symptom of his heart trouble was death, but at least we know what happened now. I miss him a lot. Here is some footage of Matt playing his minimal "standup" kit in Blitzen, a short-lived but great band he played in with my old bandmate Jason (leader of Skye Klad) and Jason's wife Chrissy. I think they could have been pretty popular if Jason hadn't abrubtly disbanded the group to pursue more "art" music. This show was at the first Heliotrope festival in 2004. "Blitzen": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU0_06STkMw "John The Revelator": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsMw-k6DkpA "Round and Round": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwcPA-18Zes "Joan Of Arc": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlaxGEqTp1w
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